Romans 8:29-31 King James Version (KJV)
29 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.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
Psalm 139:16 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 "Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them."
Everyone one who comes into this world is known by God.
John 1:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Eternal Word
1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."
God pre-destinated all to be conformed to the image of His Son and that is why noone can be against us from being conformed to the image of His Son, since God be for us.
david rodriguez,
1. The plan of God was predestinated Ephesians 1:5. God's will is that no man should perish but have everlasting life. Sadly, not every man will give their heart to God and thus will not be saved.
2. Freewill choice is not predestinated because God doesn't make anyone sinner or saint do what they don't want to do.
3. Romans 8 is talking about people who are already christians for it is to them who are "the called" according to his purpose. This called is talking about those who have freely chosen Christ for all people have to be called of God as in being offered salvation. They are given the right to choose or reject.
4. God ordains people and he gives gifts and callings and some fulfill them and some do not.
5. Being predestined to being conformed to the image of God's son has to do with sanctification and not God making a choice for the person to serve him in the act of salvation as many UES believe.
It is God's will for all to be conformed to his image but not all will fulfill this because of their freedom of freewill choice. The conformity of the believer to the image of God's son could not have been realized if Christ had not risen. The phrase "the firstborn among many brethren" refers to the resurrection and not salvation for Christ didn't need to be saved.
6. This doesn't mean that there is no such thing as biblical eternal security but it is conditioned by obedience in relation to a real relationship of serving him. This is different from merely being disobedient in different situations at different times and leaving the relationship and serving the devil again. You are a servant to whom you yield yourself to. This yielding is about changing masters and not about being imperfect unless there is no repentance of the heart of things concerning death penalty sins such as in Galatians 5:19-22.
7. Paul says if God can be for us who can be against us and this is true from God's point of view of his strength and all that he provides in salvation. In verse 35 Paul says that who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
These things cannot overcome God but relationship is reciprocal and man has freewill choice and without God we all can sin and backslide and leave God to serve the flesh.
Paul had a made up mind that was persuaded in his relationship with Christ and in him alone that he would only glory in the cross and in this state of his commitment with Christ nothing could ever separate him from the love of Christ.
8. John 2:23-24: Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
This was not talking about the antichrists who were not christians at all from verse 19. John is talking about those who truly believe in God and if it eternal life remains in them they shall continue in the Son and in the Father. Verse 25 says this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
There are those who will accept Christ and stay true and some who will for a while but not cultivate their relationship with Christ and leave Christ. One leaving a relationship with Christ is possible and is a fact. Some will come back and some will not. James says if a brother errs from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. It is possible for a christian to not go into apostasy and it also is possible according to the laws of degeneration and hardening of the heart.
There is more to this argument and you are free to give your account of what you believe on this point. I am assuming you may be trying prove UES. If that is the case or any other reason then you can explain what your motive is and why according to the scripture. Jerry Kelso
