For Whom He Foreknew

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

Romans 8:29 

God is proactive. He is particularly proactive in redemption. Our text is the beginning of what theologians have called, ‘the order of salvation.’ The first term in the order is ‘foreknew.’ What does it mean that God foreknew the people whom He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son? If we look back to His remarks in the Old Testament, it may shed some light on the subject of His foreknowledge. Moses speaks to Israel of the love of God to them. He says, ‘The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.’ The key point there is that God set his love upon the people. He loved them, not because of who they were but because He loved them. His love for them came proactively from Him, not reactively because of them. Thus, when we come to speak of foreknowledge, we see that God begins the order of salvation with reference to His loving beforehand. That foreknowledge or foreloving, to coin a word, is the beginning of the discussion of what ends in glorification. Because salvation is, from start to finish, the work of God it makes sense that He has loved first. This reflects His character and accounts for the foundation upon which He has erected the rest of the structure of salvation. He has loved, first, most, and best. We love Him, because He has first loved us. This love has given us to Christ.  

Our All-Wise and All-Loving God, 
we rejoice at the love You have for us. 
We praise You that You have demonstrated that love, 
in giving us Christ.  

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning