Predestination
God saves men at all times, but none of them can take to himself the honor of being conformed to the image of Christ but those who were oriented by God: the church. It is the body of Christ that the manifold wisdom of God is manifest to the principalities and powers in heaven, for the purpose set out in making Christ preeminent among many brethren like him is revealed in the church (Eph 3:10 -11).
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The Greek verb translated “predestinate” is προορίζω (proorizo), and means “to decide beforehand” “beforehand Mark”, “foreordain”.
The term serves to point safe condition established by God in eternity. All who believe in Christ as the gospel truth are born again through the incorruptible seed (1 Pet 1:23), and when clothed with the imperishable, as will be the express image of the glorified Christ “Beloved, now we are children of God, and yet not appear what we shall be. But we know that when he appears we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is “(1 John 3: 2).
The man comes into the world by the will of the flesh will of the man and the blood bringing in himself the image of Adam, the earthly man (John 1:12; 1 Cor 15:48), and only when they believe in Christ are generated new will of God according to the truth of the gospel, therefore, new creatures, and when it goes the coating on the imperishable, all new creatures have the image of the spiritual man, who is Christ, the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:48 -49).
The predestinate term is used in the New Testament to refer to the destination that is unique to spiritual men. Christians are predestined by God to be conformed to the very image of Christ.
God established beforehand that Christ would have the firstborn among many brethren position, most excellent condition that the Only Begotten, allocating those who are part of Christ’s body for this purpose “For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren “(Rom 8:29).
The man Christ was the only begotten of God introduced into the world at all like men to be merciful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17) and could experience death for everyone (Heb 2:14).
To be killed and resurge, Jesus was glorified the firstborn from the dead position, and took over the position firstborn among many brethren, since it led to the glory of God many brethren (Heb 2:10).
Glorified Christ is the express image of God (Heb 1: 3; Col. 1:15), and inherited great name that is above every name (Philippians 2: 9), and He the head of the body, ie, the church , the fullness of him who fills all in all (Eph 1:23). Christians turn resurfaced with Christ and are members of his body, which is the church (Col. 3: 1).
It is not yet clear how they will be saved (1 John 3: 2), yet we know that all will be saved as the image of the glorified Christ, so that this glory that will be revealed in the Christian is the creation groaning as if in pain of delivery due to the expectation awaiting the manifestation of the sons of God (Rom 8:19 -21)
When clothed with immortality and incorruptibility (Rom 8:23), that is, when it goes the redemption of the body in the Rapture of the Church, saved in Christ will reach the condition expressed by God recorded there in Genesis: – “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness “(Gen. 1:26), because along all begotten of God according to the truth of the gospel will be similar to the glorified Christ, and He, in turn, the express image of the invisible God (Colossians 1 : 19).
The purpose of God is eternal, and your purpose for being eternal rest on Himself, and not in his creatures, that were created, therefore, are not eternal “known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure quepropusera in itself … “(Eph 1: 9).
And what was this established purpose ‘Himself’? Make the Only Begotten Son firstborn among many brethren like Him so that in everything he might have the preeminence “According to the eternal purpose which has in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph 3:11); “For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom 8:29; Col. 1:18).
Although many children have been taken by Christ to the glory to carry out the eternal purpose (Hebrews 2:10), the scepter of God’s purpose is the Christ, that is, His purpose was established in Himself (Eph 1: 9 ).
In Son of meat body God has gathered all things (Col 1:20 -22), and God highly exalted him (Phil 2: 9), subjecting all things to his feet and, above all things (Col. 1: 23), was also constituted as head of the church, the firstborn among many brethren (Eph 1:22).
It is necessary to understand to what extent the glory of the church as the body of Christ, since Christ was put above all principality, domain, authority, power, etc., and above all, was made head of the church, so the church will be above all principality, dominance, authority, power, etc. “Having lit the eyes of your mind, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his right hand in heaven above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the next; and put all things under his feet, and on all things be the head of the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all “(Eph 1: 18-23).
In eternity, before the world was, God established that his word should be exalted above all things (Ps 138: 2), and Christ has been exalted, because to be entered in its glory became very high and sublime (Is 52: 14).
To make Christ the firstborn would be necessary to generate many brethren. To make it head, a body, the church would be necessary.
It was in view of the purpose set forth in Christ that God saves the descendants of Adam through the preaching of the gospel, for those who believe are given the right to become children of God (John 1:12).
The lost in sin is announced salvation in Christ’s name, as those who eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ become partakers of Christ, that is, are made members of Christ’s body.
Those who are saved through the gospel are called with a holy calling, that is, according to the purpose established in Christ before the world began “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began “(2 Tim 1: 9).
By being in Christ, that is, a new creature, the Christian is predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ, which effects the purpose of God in Christ, to make it firstborn among many brethren, the very sublime head of the body.
The vocation in Christ was established in eternity based on the purpose established in Christ, so that Grant the new creature’s Grace be participating this purpose in being children or members of the body is Grace that does not follow our works.
The apostle Paul shows that the body of Christ Who plants and He who waters there is no difference, although each individually receive his own reward according to his work “Now he who plants and he who waters are one: and every man shall receive their reward according to his work “(1 Corinthians 3: 8).
This means that every Christian Will be rewarded according to the good and evil which has made in the body (1 Cor 3:13 -14; 1 Cor 9:17; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Col. 3:24), but the grace to be counted as a child of God to be in Christ Jesus is grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began because of the purpose that God has in Christ.
The vocation according to God’s purpose established in Christ before the world began is award that is only given to those who are in Christ, that is, new creatures generated again according to the word of truth “press toward the mark for the prize of the calling of God in Christ Jesus “(Phil 3:14).
You can not confuse the gospel call to the vocation according to the eternal purpose, for the vocation according to the eternal purpose is for a specific group of people (all Who believe in Christ), while the call of the gospel is universal (many) and is targeted at all lost because of Adam’s disobedience, but lost that meet the call are few (Mt 7:14), hence the fact that few in the chosen condition “for many are called, but few are chosen” (Mt 22:14).
About the universal call of the gospel the apostle Paul says, “For whom we have received Grace and apostleship, for aobediência the faith among all nations by name, among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ” (Rom 1: 5).
The need for obedience to the word of faith is proclaimed to all nations (Acts 15:14 -17), and among all nations Christians are called to belong to Jesus Christ. After they heard the gospel message of salvation and believed in Christ, Christians began to ‘being in Christ’, that is, new creatures were made “In whom ye also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; and, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise “(Eph 1:13).
Salvation in Christ is invitation extends to all men in all nations and while it is called today “Look unto-me and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other “(Is 45:22),” Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live, because with you I will make an everlasting covenant, the firm mercies of David giving you “(Is 55: 3) ; “(For he saith, I have heard thee in an acceptable time and I helped you on the day of salvation, Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation)” (2 Corinthians 6: 2).
Have the vocation according to the eternal purpose took place in eternity, before the world was (2 Tim 1: 9). In eternity was established Christ preeminent among many brethren, above all things the head of the Church “And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18).
To carry out his purpose, God created Adam, the first man after the image of him that was to come, the man Christ Jesus (Romans 5:14).
Satan, in turn, realized that God would give the man a position superior to the angels, the position like the Most High, it brought reaches it to be in a position above the other angels (Isaiah 14:14).
The position that Satan coveted, Jesus Christ rising from the dead to reach, since it satisfied the likeness of the Almighty, the express image of God (Ps 17:15).
All who believe in Christ, die, are buried and resurface with Christ a new creature in the likeness of his resurrection (Romans 6: 5), and have no other destination that is not according to the express image of Christ that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and, above all things the head of the church.
All Christians are already glorified (John 7:22; Rom 8:17; Rom 6: 4 -5), as already raised with Christ (Col 3: 1) and are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 1: 3; Ephesians 2: 6; Heb 4: 3).
During the believer’s pilgrimage of time, all are roused to remain in this Grace and grow in the knowledge of the gospel, so that through knowledge comes to the measure of the stature of Christ – Perfect Man – though all in Christ shall be able to the inheritance of the saints in light “Until we all reach unity in the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of Christ” (Eph 4:13; Col 1:12).
It is the redemption of the body that the believer will conform with the image of the risen Christ. Shall apply only when the mortal must put on immortality and what is incorruptible shall have put on immortality, what will happen with the rapture of the church (Romans 8:23).
The Greek term translated “predestinate” is used by the apostle Paul in Romans in connection with the likeness of Christ, which is Christ the firstborn among many brethren (Rom 8:29).
In the letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul uses the same term to remind Christians that they were blessed with spiritual blessings are in Christ, that is, because they are new creatures.
One of these blessings is the ‘predestination’ of Christians because they are in Christ, which makes them children of God by adoption (Eph 1: 4). Because they are new creatures, Christians were made a heritage, because the condition similar to the Son of God who were predestined results in praise of the glory of God (Eph 1:11 -12).
The vocation that rests on the members of Christ’s body to be conformed to the image of Christ is sovereign and irrevocable because in eternity God set before all things, that Christ was pre-eminent, the head of the body, all of which were conducted will glory through Christ would be like Him.
God saves men at all times, but none have been predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ but those who were oriented by God: the church. It is the body of Christ that the manifold wisdom of God is manifest to the principalities and powers in heaven, for the purpose set out in making Christ preeminent among many brethren like him is revealed in the church (Eph 3:10 -11).
While in eternity God sovereignly and irrevocably predestined those who at the time when called today to accept the salvation that Christ offers to be as the express image of the glorified Christ in the present time, which is called today, through their ambassadors, which is the church, God calls the lost that reconciled to God “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God for us begged Now we exhort you, therefore, for Christ, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5: 20); “(For he saith, I have heard thee in an acceptable time and I helped you on the day of salvation, Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation)” (2 Corinthians 6: 2).
Those Who persevere in Christ are predestined to be conformed to the image of the glorified Christ “If, in fact, grounded and steadfast in the faith, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature which is under from heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister “(Col 1:23).
While those who are ‘in Christ’ (new creation) will be as the Son of God’s image resurrected, to be ‘in Christ’ is necessary to achieve salvation lost obeying Christ today “And it is finished, became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him “(Heb 5: 9).
While the blessing of being conformed to the image of Christ is irrevocable those Who are in Christ, the grace of salvation through obedience to the gospel can be prevented “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” (Gal 5: 7).
Unlike the idea prolate by Calvinists and arminianistas, the Bible shows that no one comes into the world predestined to salvation, for all are conceived in sin (Psalm 51: 5), and must obey the form of doctrine proclaimed by Christ and the apostles “But thanks God you were slaves of sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were delivered “(Rom 6:17; Rom 10: 8).
Only after having heard the Word of truth, the gospel of salvation, and having believed in Christ that man is saved “Who ye also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; and, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise “(Eph 1:13); “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10: 9).
No one is born after the flesh predestined to salvation, but is necessary to hear the message of salvation and believe in Christ as the Scripture says, deciding for Christ during the acceptable time: today, enduring to the end believing “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned “(Mark 16:16; Heb 3: 6 and 14).
Only predestined those who love God, that is, those who obeyed the gospel, for only those who keep the commandments of God is to believe in Christ are called to be as the express image of Christ, for the purpose of this vocation is that Christ is the firstborn among many brothers like him “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28); “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (John 14:21; 1 John 3:23) .
Only those who previously become one with Christ (known) through the gospel are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ “For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren “(Rom 8:29); “It is a faithful God, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor 1: 9).
The Greek verb translated ‘know’ does not say ‘know about’, before speaking of intimate communion, to be one body with Christ “So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one the other “(Rom 12: 5); “And he that keepeth his commandments in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us” (1 John 3:24).
The call to communion promotes Son of salvation in the time it is called today, since the vocation to be conformed to the image of Christ took place in eternity according to the purpose that God has in himself, to make the glorious Christ and sublime very among many brothers like him.
