My all time favorite chapter in the Bible is Romans 8. This chapter has been a great means of grace from God in my understanding of salvation and the glory of God. Although I find it hard to choose one verse that has had the greatest impact in my life, Romans 8:30 is one of those finalists. Romans 8:30 says, “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (ESV). The reason I love this verse so much is the assurance of salvation it gives to me that I will make it to glorification. There is no doubt in my mind that I will persevere to the end in my walk with Christ. My confidence comes not from arrogance or “kingdom greatness” but from verses like Romans 8:30. I believe full heartedly in the doctrine of Eternal Security. I believe “once truly saved, always saved.” Look at what that verse in Romans says. “And those whom he predestined he also called…” Ephesians 1:4-6 says that we were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. That is, justified. God chose those whom he would save and made an effectual (different from general) calling on their lives. The reason I believe there are two different types of calling, general and effectual is because of Romans 8:30. It says, those he called he justified. I know of many people who have listened and even responded to the general calling of pastors and evangelists who are not justified. I believe that the specific or effectual calling is from the Holy Spirit and we respond, typically, to the general calling of friends and pastors and evangelist. John 6:44 says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him...” The general call goes out of the mouths of those talking about Christ and the effectual calling, or prompting, of the Holy Spirit inclines our hearts to the Gospels message. The next part of verse 30 says, “…and those whom he called he also justified…” Those who are called by the effectual calling of the Holy Spirit, and thus are justified, are indeed true converts and children God and no longer children of wrath. It does not say that some that are called are justified or that only certain people are justified. It says, “those whom he called he also justified.” This is finished. If you are a true convert you are justified and you are now seen through the lens of the death and resurrection of Christ. So where does my confidence come from that I will make it to eternity? The last part of verse 30 says, “…and those whom he justified he also glorified.” Those who were chosen (predestined to salvation) were called (effectual, Holy Spirit calling), those who were called were justified (have a right legal standing before God), and those whom he justified he glorified (are now experiencing the manifest presence of God now and for all eternity).
Is Christianity then mechanical? Is it simply a prayer that you pray that saves you and allows you to live like Hell here on earth and then enter eternity with God? By no means! Those who are truly converted and now live under the blood covering of Christ sacrifice will make it to eternity with God because God has given us means in which to keep ourselves in the love of God. I commend everyone to read or listen to John Piper’s sermon on “Learning to Pray in the Spirit and the Word” (both parts 1 & 2 - http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByScripture/16/). He rightly says that we are kept for, or by, Jesus Christ in Jude 1:1 and again in Jude 1:24 we learn that we are being kept for Jesus by God or Christ. If we stop there Christianity does sound mechanical. It sounds like Jesus is doing the work and we have no part in the equation. This is the main reason why it is important not to just read and learn one verse but to study and learn the context in which it was said. Packed in between verses 1 and 24 is verse 21 that says, “keep yourselves in the love of God…” This is something that we do. We keep ourselves in the love of God. But do not think for one moment that we do this on our own strength. Thank God we do not do this on our own feeble strength. We keep ourselves in the love of God by praying in the Holy Spirit. God has given us means in order to keep ourselves in the love of God. Salvation belongs to God alone and is his through and through, but he has enabled us keep ourselves. Prayer is one of the means or methods that God uses to allow his people to keep themselves in the love of God.
Let us encourage each other to press on in the faith by praying in the Holy Spirit. Call, email, write your fellow believers in Christ encouraging them to spend time at the Throne of Grace. Run to Jesus every moment of every day pleading for the lost and pleading for grace to be shed in your life. May we all be conduits of the grace of God.
John Bunyan on prayer: “Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to his Word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God.” (http://www.mountzion.org/fgb/Summer95/FgbS1-95.html)