Bible Studies

Who Are the Ones God Foreknew to be Conformed to His Sons Image?

by Michael Edwards 
05/03/18
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For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:29-30 NAS

Foreknew - 4267 proginṓskō (from 4253 /pró, "before" and 1097 /ginṓskō, "to know") – properly, foreknow; used in the NT of "God pre-knowing all choices – and doing so without pre-determining (requiring) them" (G. Archer).

God predestined the ones He foreknew, to be conformed to the image of His Son. Who is known by God according to the Bible? The ones who love Him.

But the one who loves God is known by God. 1 Cor 8:3 NAS

In other words, God foreknew that the ones who would believe the gospel would love Him. These He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.

When we believe the gospel, and trust in Jesus, we believe that God loves us and our fear of punishment from Him is cast out by His perfect love for us. We now love Him and those who love Him are known by Him.

We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:1

While all are invited, those who choose to not believe the gospel, remain in fear of punishment and therefore do not love God as only those who believe the gospel can. Therefore God does not know them. These are the ones who are told to depart.

"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' Matt 7:23 NAS

Those who refuse to believe and trust God, are never set free from the fear of punishment by God, never made perfect in love. It is interesting that what they fear comes upon them.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.  1 John 4:15-19 NAS

Those who love God are known by God. They are rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom.

Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? James 2:5 NAS

Some other New Covenant Bible studies that apply:

Can God Be Sovereign and Not Control Every Detail?

Thy Will Be Done, An Indepth Study Into Gods Will for Us

My Sheep Hear My Voice, and I Know Them

Who is Jesus Talking to with Depart from Me I Never Knew You?

What is the One Unforgivable Sin?

Many more New Covenant Bible Studies HERE. Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross. 

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:20