Exegetical Thoughts on the Golden Chain in Romans 8

Our text for consideration today is Romans 8. The passage is a marvelously Trinitarian passage, with the activities of the Father, Son, and Spirit shown to be in harmony throughout.  The passage is part of a larger passage designed to comfort the Romans reading this letter, because the Trinity is on their side.

Romans 8:28-30
8:28  οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν τὸν θεὸν πάντα συνεργεῖ εἰς ἀγαθόν τοῖς κατὰ πρόθεσιν κλητοῖς οὖσιν 29 ὅτι οὓς προέγνω καὶ προώρισεν συμμόρφους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πρωτότοκον ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· 30  οὓς δὲ προώρισεν τούτους καὶ ἐκάλεσεν· καὶ οὓς ἐκάλεσεν τούτους καὶ ἐδικαίωσεν· οὓς δὲ ἐδικαίωσεν τούτους καὶ ἐδόξασεν 

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.

The point of this text is that God works all things together for the good of the elect.  Not simply that they work together on their own, or in the abstract, but that they work together harmoniously because God is behind it.  From beginning to end, it is all God.

The chain begins with "foreknow." This verb (προέγνω, a form of the verb proginosko) is used five times in the New Testament, in four different forms.  The next use in Romans will come in chapter 11, when Paul wraps up his objection that he will first raise in Romans 9. 

Rom 11:2-8 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

Romans 11 is, of course, a few pages later in the letter.  That said, it's in the New Testament, in a book by the same human author, in the very same book as the text under discussion, and connecting to the discussion of Romans 9:1-6, which comes only a few verses after the "Golden Chain."  So, the usage in Romans 11 is more relevant than the usage in other books of the NT, books by other humans authors, and certainly then usage in books by uninspired writers.

In Romans 8 and in Romans 11, the object of foreknowledge is people.  The object is not deeds.  The object is not works.  The object is not faith.  In Romans 8, one might think that the issue is ambiguous.  After all, much of Romans is about the difference between obtaining salvation by faith as distinct from works.

Romans 11 puts that interpretation of Romans 8 to rest, because it explains that the election obtained and the rest were blinded, quoting from Isaiah 29:10, which states: "For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered."  We also see Paul's reliance on Isaiah 29 in Romans 9, where Paul borrows an analogy from Isaiah 29:16.

Now, the idea that the elect were foreknown because they were not blinded nor given the spirit of deep sleep is absurd.  God cast away people, yes, Paul admits, but God did not cast away those he foreknew, whom Paul equates with the elect.

The next New Testament usage, which is far less significant, is Luke's report of Paul's words in Acts 26, there, Luke records Paul as saying:

Act 26:4-5
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

This is plainly a very different usage of the word.  Paul is speaking about human knowledge, not divine knowledge.  On the other hand, one important grammatical point remains constant.  The object of the foreknowledge was Paul, the man.  In this case, it also rolls over into his deeds.  The point, however, is to call these people as character witnesses: people who had an intimate knowledge of him and were his close associates and friends from his youth.  They previously knew him, though now they are not acquainted with him.  

The next two usages of the verb foreknow are found in Peter's letters, one in each.  Peter writes:

1 Peter 1:19-20
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Some translations will translate the verb as "foreknown" here instead of "foreordained," but the consistent point is that it was Christ himself, the person, who was foreknown.

Finally, in his second epistle, Peter writes:

2 Peter 3:17
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

Here we finally have an example of knowing things, rather than people.  It's certainly a different usage, but it shows that the object of foreknowledge can be things, rather than people, even though it is always people in Paul's usage.

These are, of course, the five uses of proginosko (Strong's number 4267) as distinct from prognosis (4268).

Prognosis (4268) is used twice, both times by Peter, once as reported by Luke in Acts: 

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:

In this instance, Christ is said to have been delivered by God's counsel and foreknowledge.  The object of the foreknowledge is not explicit in this verse. Nevertheless, it is grammatically parallel with God's counsel.  Thus, it logically precedes the events to which it relates, rather than logically following them.

And prognosis is used once in Peter's first epistle:

1 Peter 1:1-2
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 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.

This incredibly Trinitarian passage, provides a triple action of God: election according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ.

Once again, in this passage, foreknowledge cannot refer to foreknowledge of the actions of the people, because the foreknowledge leads to the election, which leads to the other things, including obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ.

Returning to the golden chain passage, we see this progression:

(1) For whom he did foreknow, (ὅτι οὓς προέγνω )
(2) he also did predestinate (καὶ προώρισεν)
(3a) to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (συμμόρφους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πρωτότοκον ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς·)
(2) Moreover whom he did predestinate, (οὓς δὲ προώρισεν)
(3b) them he also called: and whom he called, (τούτους καὶ ἐκάλεσεν· καὶ οὓς ἐκάλεσεν)
(4) them he also justified: and whom he justified, (τούτους καὶ ἐδικαίωσεν· οὓς δὲ ἐδικαίωσεν)
(5) them he also glorified. (τούτους καὶ ἐδόξασεν)

The discussion hinges largely on the question of foreknowledge.  In this text itself, it seems clear that the object of foreknowledge is people.  After all, it is not foreseen actions that are glorified, nor foreseen actions that are justified, nor foreseen actions that are called.  It is not foreseen actions that are predestinated to be conformed to the image of the Son.  Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that foreknowledge is a knowledge of the person in advance, not a vision of their future action.

After all, vision of their future actions runs into immediate conflict with link (3a) of the chain.  Their actions are predestinated.  In particular, they are predestinated to be conformed to the image of the Son.

Notice as well that even in this passage designed to comfort the Romans, Paul points to the adoption of sons (something he had mentioned earlier in the passage) as having the objection of providing many brethren for Jesus.  The purpose is not to reward those who are foreseen as being more deserving (or less deserving) or to reward good and punish evil (though God certainly does do such things).  Instead, the purpose is God-centered, like everything else in salvation for Paul.

Returning to the point about foreknowledge, notice a point that is often overlooked in these discussions.  The same group that is mentioned in link (5) has to be the same group in link (4) and so on.  That extends all the way back to link (1).  God foreknows certain people, and not others.  This is one defeater for the argument that foreknowledge is foresight of faith, works, or anything else.  After all, those who God foreknows, he predestinates, but we do not claim God predestinates all. Universalism is wrong.

Moreover, this interpretation of the golden chain is confirmed by the verses that immediately follow:

Rom 8:31-39

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 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? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? 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.Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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.

The point of the golden chain is the love of God.  Moreover, the use of the term "know" to mean "love" or the like is well within the semantic range of the word.  Paul's own usage in Acts 26, in a completely different context, confirms this kind of usage as reasonable for foreknow.  It's not controversial that Paul is talking about people who were close to him in that passage.  Likewise, it should not be controversial to accept that Paul is talking about God having an intimate love and connection with people that extends back.  

If Romans 8:31-39 is an explanation of the passage that precedes it, then the most logical understanding of foreknowledge in Romans 8:29 is of God loving certain particular people.  After all, if we were merely speaking of God's prescience, surely God's prescience extends to all creation, not just some people.  Furthermore, while much of Romans is about faith, Paul's point in this passage is not about the triumph of faith over works, but rather about the triumph of the love of God against everything.

Look back over Romans 8:1-27.  The theme there is one of comfort.  There is no condemnation (vs. 1), the Spirit makes free from sin and death (vs. 2), God condemned sin (vs. 3) and we should walk in righteousness (vss. 3-6).  The flesh can do nothing (vss. 7-8) but if you have the Spirit and Christ you have life (vss. 9-11), we are debtors to the Spirit not the flesh and are sons of God (vss. 12-16), as children we will get all the benefits children get including glory after the present sufferings which we endure in hope (vss. 17-25), the Spirit helps us and intercedes to the Father for us (vss. 26-27).

Notice that within these words of comfort we have another important point, the contrast between what God accomplishes and what we would be apart from God.  That point is brought forth in vss. 4-10:

Romans 8:4-10 

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh,
-- but after the Spirit.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh;
-- but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death;
-- but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
-- But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
-- And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

The startling contrast in this text demonstrates the important difference between the "foreknown" group that Paul is about to discuss and the others.  The difference is the Spirit and Christ.  After all, those who do not have the Spirit have just the flesh, they are carnally minded, and most critically are not just not subject to the law of God, but they cannot be.  They cannot please God.

By contrast, the elect are predestined to be conformed to the image of the Son.  The elect are debtors to live in righteousness, not in order to obtain a reward from God, but because they have been blessed beyond their ability to repay.

Thus, once again, it would be impossible for those who are "foreknown" logically prior to predestination to be "foreknown" as anything other than displeasing to God.  Without the Spirit, they are in the flesh, carnally minded, and so forth.

On the other hand, if God foreknows us, we are predestinated to be conformed to the image of the Son.  We will be called, justified, and glorified.

Because of the linking among the links of the chain, the justification that the called receive will inevitably follow.  After all, if Christ died for us, God will give us all things.  It would make no sense for God to sacrifice Christ for us and then give us a calling, but not justification, or justification but not glorification.  Yet again, all things work together for good to those who are the called according to the purpose of God.  

The called are the same group that are ultimately glorified.  That's why we sometimes refer to this as effectual calling. We could call it other names instead, but the point is that the call leads inevitably to justification and ultimately glorification.  It's part of God's predestination.  Moreover, God's predestination is founded on God's foreknowledge of particular people.  More could be said on this point, but the main thing to be said is that this is, in context, love for those people, not foresight of their deeds.