“The Golden Chain of Salvation”
Mark Fitzpatrick
Spring 2006
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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.
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.” Rom. 8:28-30
We see in these verses the five links that make up what we are calling The Golden Chain of Salvation.
We will look at them one at a time.
1. Foreknowledge
2. Predestination
3. Calling
4. Justification
5. Glorification
1. Foreknowledge
Rom 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.
Foreknew = GK = PROGINOSEKO
From which we get the medical word Prognosis.
2 Times the Word Foreknowledge appears in Scripture.
Act 2:23
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
GK = Prognosis.
God’s Prognosis for our greatest need was to give Christ as a Sacrifice for our sin.
The real force of this word is understood by realizing that in one sense Christ’s death happened before the beginning of time.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
1Pe 1:2
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
We see here the Trinitarian nature of Salvation.
2. Predestination.
Gk = PRO OR ID ZO = means “To limit in advance”
The only other place where this word occurs is in Ephesians.
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Note:
The emphasis on the will of God in these verses.
3. Calling.
Note:
The links in the chain.
All who are:
Foreknown are Predestined are Called are Justified are Glorified.
This is an unbreakable chain.
Note:
The use of the word “Called” in verse 28.
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Gk = Called = KALEHO
See Romans 1: 1,6,7 9: 7,24,26
4. Justification.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Rom 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
How do we deal with the verses in James.
Read James 2: 21-25
Note:
Justification and Salvation are not The exact same thing.
Gk = Dikahyoo = Means = “To show or regard as innocent”
This is totally different from the word Salvation
Sotayreeah = To Rescue or deliver.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
5. Glorification.
Gk. Doxadso
From which we get the English word Doxology.
It means to render something or someone Glorious.
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Note:
4 Questions asked
Question 1.
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things?
Answer:
If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,
how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Question 2.
Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?
Answer:
It is God that justifieth.
Question 3.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth?
Answer:
It is Christ that died,
yea rather, that is risen again,
who is even at the right hand of God,
who also maketh intercession for us.
Question 4.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
shall tribulation,
or distress,
or persecution,
or famine,
or nakedness,
or peril,
or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Answer:
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Note:
Seven things are mentioned in verse 35 {the number for perfection}
And
Ten things are mentioned in verses 38,39 which some might try to separate us from the Love of Christ.
The number 10 in the bible is the number for completeness.
Ie. 10 commandments
Rom 8:38
For I am persuaded,
that neither death,
nor life,
nor angels,
nor principalities,
nor powers,
nor things present,
nor things to come,
Rom 8:39
Nor height,
nor depth,
nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“shall be able to separate us”
The issue is here of ability.
These things cannot separate us from the love of Christ/love of God. |
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