Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. My text for today's broadcast is found in Paul's letter to the believers at Rome in Romans chapter eight, just two verses. This is very familiar to probably a lot of people. Romans chapter eight, verses 28 and 29, where the apostle Paul wrote these words. 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, that is the Son, might be the firstborn among many brethren.

My title and my subject today I take directly from my text, and it will be titled this, God Also Did Predestinate. Many years ago, this has been many years ago, well over, probably almost 30 years ago, I worked for a grocery wholesaler. I and a coworker were discussing religion. And we were both young preachers at the time. I began to quote these verses. And he replied to me, I don't believe that. Now, I was a young preacher. And I must confess, at the time, I really didn't even know what they meant. I was just trying to prove a point that my denomination held to. Of course, he was trying to prove a point that his denomination held to, and those two opinions differed, but I was quoting this because I thought it supported my position. But he actually replied to me, I don't believe that. Now, as I said, I have to confess to you, I didn't believe it either. I really didn't even know what it really said. But he said, I don't believe that. And that struck me then and it still, it strikes me today.

Here's a man who claimed to be called of God to preach and had the audacity to say it, right out, say it, I don't believe that. Now listen to me now. If you, if I, do not believe the truth given in Romans 8, 28, and 29, as it is, as it is, then what I have confessed, if I say I do not believe that, then I have confessed that I do not believe God. if I really don't believe what it says. And I didn't back then. If I really don't believe what it says, I am unsaved. Do you hear me? I am unregenerate. I've never been given life by the Spirit of God and never been called to that life through the preaching of the gospel. If I say I don't believe the truth given in Romans 8, 28, I'm unsaved. I'm unregenerate, I'm lost. You are if you say that.

You see, God says, Through Paul the apostle, God also did predestinate. That's what he said, see? For whom he, that is God, did foreknow. He, that is God. God also did predestinate. That's what the book says.

Now I just have basically two points, you might say, for today's message. We'll deal mostly with the second one. But think about this. What does predestinate mean? I know it's probably not a word, a subject used in many so-called Christian churches. You can put it in quotes. I realize that, but it's in the book of God. Even if it's in the book of God one time, even if the word itself, predestinate, wasn't translated that in the KJV, if the very truth of predestination is given in the scripture, it makes it valid. Whether it's given one time.

What does predestinate mean? It means this, simply stated, to have a destination, to have, say, my destination determined beforehand. That's simple enough. Predestination is not a deep subject. It's not some mysterious subject. It's certainly not a spooky subject. It is the truth of the scripture. It means for me to have a destination, my destination determined beforehand.

Let me illustrate that. If you live, say, in this viewing area, and you determine, or I determine for that matter, if either one of us, we determine to go on a vacation to, let's say, Niagara Falls, then you and I have predestinated. We're not there yet, but we've already predetermined, we've already made a plan, we've already said, okay, I'm going to Niagara Falls. Now, your problem, and my problem, is that we cannot infallibly guarantee we'll get there. something could come up. We may lose our job, don't have the money, you know what I'm talking about. But that's how simple predestination is, is to have a destination determined beforehand.

But see, God Almighty, the God of Scripture, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ declares this, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate. Do you see it? Now don't turn that off. If you wanna hear what predestination is, it's right here in this book. And I'm here being sin of God and called of God to preach the gospel, to just tell you what God's book says, and we just let the chips fall where they may. That's what we have to do.

Now, listen to what God says. In Isaiah chapter 56, through my brother, the prophet Isaiah, who prophesied thousands of years ago. Listen to what God says through the prophet Isaiah concerning And let me use the word concerning his power and right and ability to predestinate.

Listen to how Isaiah puts it in Isaiah chapter 46, and he's actually speaking for God. God moved Isaiah to write these words. Verse eight of Isaiah 46. Remember this, and show yourselves men, Bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is none else, for I am God, and there is none like me.

Now here it is, declaring the end. Do you see that? Declaring the end, the end, from the beginning. and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done. That's everything that's in the middle. So declaring from the end, from the beginning, I'm sorry, declaring from the beginning, he declared what the end would be, and he controls everything in the middle to make sure the end comes to pass, you see it?

Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand. And I will do all my pleasure, calling, not a beautiful bird, but even, look, calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executes my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken it, do you see it? I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it, I will also do it.

That is God's predestination. And God says, if I spoke it, I'll do it.

Harken unto me, ye stout-hearted that are far from righteousness. Why does he say that even twice? Because that's what we are by nature. We kick against God's absolute sovereign right to predestinate as he will. Look. Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted that are far from righteousness. I bring near my righteousness. It shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry, and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory. Now, yes, Isaiah's referring to those elect Jews, that remnant of Jews that were God's elect in Isaiah's time, but that includes all those elect Jews that exist today. Those elect Gentiles that exist today, and even in our text. If you read on in Romans chapter eight, you see that God, through the Apostle Paul, calls these people who God foreknew and predestinated, whom he will call, whom he will justify, and whom he will also glorify, he calls them God's elect. Do you see it? God's elect in verse 33.

Listen to what else. Isaiah said, in Isaiah chapter 44, we read these words. Let me find my passage. Isaiah chapter 44, and just a few verses here. Isaiah 44 and verse 24, I'll begin reading there. Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself, that frustrateth the tokens of the liars and maketh diviners mad, that turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish.

You see how God, will do his will, and he will confound everyone else that thinks they oppose it, when they cannot, in fact, oppose it. Look, that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers, that saith to Jerusalem, thou shalt be inhabited, and to the cities of Judah, ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof. that saith to the deep, be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers, that saith of Cyrus, and this was a king. that was to release the Jews out of Babylonian captivity. And Isaiah is even giving his name hundreds of years before it even took, or years, I'm sorry, years before it even took place.

He is my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, thou shalt be built, and the temple, thy foundation shall be laid. That's predestination. God had determined that because of the rebellion of Israel, that they would go into Babylon for 70 years of captivity. But he also had promised that after the 70 years, they'd be liberated, and Isaiah, before it even happened, calls the king's name. That's predestination.

Listen to Proverbs. Listen to what Solomon wrote. Think of this astounding passage. I'm talking about predestination. Again, it's... It's not complicated. Men complicate it, I understand that. I used to complicate it, I understand that, but God's book doesn't complicate these things. Our problem is we don't love God for who he is. By nature, we despise God. That's why he calls us these transgressors.

Listen to Proverbs 19 verse 21. There are many devices in a man's heart. In other words, we as fallen sons and daughters of Adam, we got all kinds of ideas about what we're going to do. Now look, there are many devices in a man's heart. Nevertheless, nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. That's predestination. That's predestination. That's number one. I've just tried to simply state it. with a few illustrations, and then show from the word of God what predestination is.

You and I can plan to predestinate something. We don't have the power, the wisdom, or the might, or the right to make sure and guarantee it'll come to pass. But God does. God does.

Now here's my second thing. What does predestination in our text deal with? Okay? Now I know. I've heard all kinds of the accusations over these past 40 years of trying to preach the gospel of God's free reigning grace. Well, you believe in predestination, so you believe this. Some are predestinated to heaven, some are predestinated to hell. Well, let me tell you one thing, that's not what this text says. You see it? For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that his son might be the firstborn among many brethren, and what God had predestinated to be done, he will bring it to pass. He has said so.

So what does predestination deal with in our text? Not a geographical place, is it? It's not about heaven or hell. It's not what it's talking about here, but it's talking about an inner state of being. Do you see it? Let me read it again. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son.

The way I was brought up, when I told you about that other young preacher many, many years ago that we were sitting and kind of discussing, arguing over religion and different points of view, what I was always taught was that when it says God foreknew, it means God looked into the future. Well, if you look in this book, it tells us God looked down upon the sons of men. And you know what he's saying? There's none righteous. There's none good. There's none that seeketh after God. They're all together become unprofitable. That's what God had seen.

God's foreknowledge is not him looking ahead and seeing what I would do and then predestinate me to be made like Christ. That's not him predestinating anything. He predetermined it. He determined the destiny, and the destiny is to be made like his son. And he determined that before the world began. Not because I would do that, but because he would do that. He foreknew me, when he does not know all men on the face of the earth. Even our Lord Jesus Christ, one day, think about it, one day will profess it to some people that they will say, Lord, we know you. We preached in your name, we cast out devils in your name, and we've done many wonderful works in your name. He's gonna say to them, depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you. So if he never knew them, he certainly didn't foreknow them.

He foreknew. For whom He did foreknow, He also did, what? Predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. So it's not about some geographical location. In our text, it is about being predetermined by God for those that, what does it say? And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God. Well, who's that? Who is that? There's none that love God by nature. John said we love Christ because Christ first loved us. He's the source. If I love God today, it's because Christ loved me first and loved God first.

We know that all things work together for good to them that love God. Who are they? To them who are the called according to his purpose. Do you see it? His purpose. So it's this interstated being. Three things here. God, did predestinate, that this state of being is sure for all that God did predestinate. It's sure. This is why, and the only reason why, any ungodly sinner ever comes to love God, because the Son loved the Father first. We were predestinated to be conformed to the image of his son. Therefore, God, when he calls us by the power of his spirit and the preaching of his gospel, will bring us to love him. And that's why John said, as I've already quoted, we love him because he first loved us. And we were predestinated to be made like Jesus Christ. Therefore, they're called to love God.

So again, this is why. And it's the only reason why any ungodly sinner ever comes to love God. That is because the son loved the father. That's why we're called to be lovers of the father, because those predestinated will come to love him when they are called. I'll read it again.

And we know, I know, you will watch TV, you may watch a football game, or some kind of sports game today, and somebody in the stands will have a sign, and we know that all things work together for good. They were just like me back in those ignorant days. Have no idea what they're talking about. I pray some of them do, but I fear most of them don't, look.

And we know that all things, all things work together for good to them that love God. Yeah, so who are they? to them who are the called according to his purpose. And how's that defined? For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son. Now, mark that. Oh God, help us to mark that. That's in our text, that's what predestination is about. That's what it's unto. That's the destiny that was determined before by God to be accomplished, to come to. That he might be the firstborn amongst many brethren. God did it. God did it.

Here's the second thought under this. What does predestination in our text deal with? Here's the second thought for this. To hate. To reject, you hear what I'm saying? Listen to me now, don't turn off that TV. To hate, to reject, to dismiss, to ignore, to twist, God's predestination is to confess you care nothing about being like Jesus Christ. If you say, I don't believe that, then you said, I don't care whether I'm like Jesus Christ. You can profess all day long you believe in him, but you really don't want to be like him because the only way, the only way you or I ever, anybody will ever be like Jesus Christ is that God predestinated you to it. that calls you out by his gospel. That's the only way it'll ever happen.

I'm telling you, this thing of salvation, this thing of predestination, this thing of election, this thing of conformity to Christ is all an act of God. It's not an act of men. It's not your works, it's not my works, it's a work of God. Here's the second thought, as I told you, to hate God, to reject this truth, to twist this truth, to ignore God's predestination, is to confess you care nothing about being like Christ. That's the only way anyone will ever start being like Christ.

Listen to how the apostle Paul put it. I will read you the other passage where this word predestination is actually translated predestination in the King James Version. Ephesians chapter one, and for the sake of, well let me just read it all, let me just read it all.

Ephesians chapter one, the first several verses.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. Do you see that? by the will of God. It wasn't because God looked down and seen Paul would be willing. God made him willing in the day of his power. Go back and read the account of how that happened.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which were of Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ who have blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places where? In Christ. It's all housed in, felt in, seen in, realized in Jesus Christ.

According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us, what? Unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself. Do you see it? Predestination is not about just, well, who did God predestinate to heaven? Who did God predestinate to hell? The people that go to hell go to hell because according to Paul in Romans nine, they're fitted for destruction. but the people who go to glory are aforeprepared unto glory, Romans chapter nine.

Having predestinated us, the chosen, predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, listen to it, here it is, according to the good pleasure of his will. He didn't look down into the future and see what your will would be. He knew what our will would be, self-will. We love ourselves, not God by nature.

To the praise, verse six, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us, accepted him the beloved. I heard a preacher one time years ago say at my grandmother's funeral, God don't make anybody do anything. All right, here he does. And I thank God for it.

In whom, that's in the beloved in Christ, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will. Paul's right now just telling us about some of it. according to the good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself." He didn't look out there and say, he purposed it in himself. He hath purposed the end from the beginning and everything that goes in between. We read that.

in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are earth, even in him, 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, that we should be the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, in whom he also trusted after, and this is the way it always is, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the guarantee. which is the earnest, the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His, God's glory.

I have read all four verses that the KJV uses the word predestinate. You remember what I'm saying? I said I have read to you all four verses that uses the word, that translated the word, translated even the truth into the word predestinate. but the truth of it's found all throughout scripture. Here's the third point. Now, I want you to hear a few more things where the KJV uses the English and uses other words.

Now think about this. In Acts chapter four, this is this amazing things that were said by the apostles. In Acts chapter four, you go back and read the context sometime to see that I'm not turning this around. I'm giving you straight as it says it from the word of God. Acts chapter four, this is what the apostles said about it. Verse 27, for I have a truth against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together. Now you couldn't have got these four groups of people gathered together and wouldn't agree on anything at any time. But here they gathered together and agreed on this. Look, for to do, talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before, that's the same word, predestinate, it's just translated determined before to be done.

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants that we, with all boldness, they may speak thy word by stretching forth thy hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of the Holy Child Jesus.

Do you see that? There's a second thought, second thing about this word. Concerning anyone and everyone, God ever reveals the truth to, it has to be because of predestinated work of God, the predestinated work of God concerning the death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

And this is exactly what Paul told the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians chapter two, we begin by saying this. Verse two and one, and I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save what Jesus Christ and him crucified.

That's where it all culminated at. That's what the predestination's all about. This one dying on the cross for sinners. This one dying to establish redemption, to establish reconciliation, to establish peace before God for sinners. God predetermined that, and there's some people he has predestinated to be conformed to the image of his son. This is what the truth of scripture says.

So much so, it says this, verse 14 of the same chapter, 1 Corinthians 2, but the natural man, that's an unregenerated man, an unsaved man, an unconverted man, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. That's why me and that young preacher years ago were like we were, huh? For they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

But he that is spiritual, that's born of God, born of the Spirit, but he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself judgeth no man, is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him? But we have the, what is it? Believers? but we have the mind of Christ that is being, that's seeing believers, what? Conformed to the image of his son.

Now, I could put it this way, take it or leave it, but if you ever receive it, it'll be because of the free and reigning grace of God. He ever does that to you, for you, he will do it in such a way that you will know it wasn't of you. Why? Because all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate.

Predestinate to what? To be conformed to Christ's image. Amen.