Born Again, then Predestined

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8: 29)

Many people have wrested this Scripture, bringing people into untold bondage.

Battles broken out among believers even created warring theological schools.

Does God know in advance who will be saved and who won't?

Passages like Romans 8: 29 suggest that God has already figured out or decided who will be saved and who will not.

In reality, man is not predestined to anything until he gets saved, until He receives the gift of grace through faith.

Notice that it is a gift, which we receive, not something which is forced on us:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. " (Ephesians 2: 8-9)

and also

"15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 15-17)

Notice also that Romans 8:29 talks about being conformed to the image of His Son.

To be a son of God is a matter of faith, but when we become sons of God through Jesus, we are then transformed into His image from glory to glory:

"1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3: 1-3)

Notice that we are sons of God, Beloved. Then we will be like Him.

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3: 18)

The Holy Spirit transforms us from glory to glory, yet before the Spirit can transform us, we have to receive Him into us.

That is a choice given to every person in the world.

First we need to be born again:

"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." (John 3: 7)

and then

"16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3: 16-18)

We have to believe. That is up to us.

When we believe, we are born again, taken from dead in our trespasses to alive and seated in heavenly places in Christ.

Then we are predestined to be like Jesus!