April 27, 2025 - Romans 8:30 - "The Golden Chain of Salvation"

Romans 8:30

"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."

In a world filled with confusion about salvation, we need to turn to the sure Word of God and rejoice in the Gospel of God's free and sovereign grace. Salvation is not the result of man’s will, works, or worth, but solely according to God’s eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Scriptures declare that every aspect of the sinner’s salvation — election, redemption, justification, calling, and glorification — is ordered by God’s sovereign decree and accomplished by Christ's finished work. Let us prayerfully consider these truths to the praise of the glory of His grace, what may be called “The Golden Chain of Salvation.”

We learn from the Word of God that the salvation of sinners is by God’s sovereign order and decree. If any sinner is saved, it is because God the Father decreed it and named that one in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain, as it is written: "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8). God purposed that, in time, His elect ones should be declared justified by the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, imputed to their account at the cross: "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Romans 5:9–10).

When Christ died, rose again, and ascended on high, all chosen sinners whose names were written on His breastplate as the Great High Priest were then and there glorified with Him: "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:5–6).

This is exactly the order of salvation set forth by the apostle Paul in Romans 8:30. Some attempt to use this verse to teach the sinner’s justification merely upon God's decree as though it were accomplished before Christ died, or after the Spirit’s work of regeneration, saying that justification is listed after “whom he called.” Yet, a careful study of the context clearly shows that justification was accomplished at the cross for three reasons:

1.) The word used for “called” (kaléō) does not refer here to the spiritual calling of the Spirit of God unto Christ, but rather to the naming of sinners in election according to God’s predestinating grace. We see this usage in Matthew 1:21: "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Therefore, the proper order of the sinner’s justification — legal acquittal from all guilt and a declaration of righteousness — follows his predestination and election (or naming) in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

2.) The context of Romans 8:30 shows that the sinner’s full, complete, and final justification before God was accomplished when Christ died at Calvary, not before or after. Verses 31–34 make this abundantly clear: "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" (Romans 8:32–34).

3.) In the same context, we see that those whom God the Father predestined and called (or named) in their election, He not only justified when Christ died, but glorified them as well. The redeemed indeed await their final glorification — their deliverance from the very presence of sin — yet, it may just as truly be stated that they are now glorified in their standing before God, being seated with Christ their Representative, Who was glorified by the Father when He rose and ascended on high: "Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him" (John 13:31);"And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them" (John 17:10).

Oh, what a glorious and sovereign order of salvation this is, giving God and His Christ all the glory! From election before the foundation of the world, to justification at the cross, to glorification with Christ our Surety — it is all grace, all of Christ, all to the praise of the glory of His sovereign, saving name. May the LORD cause our hearts to bow in worship and adoration before the Lamb Who was slain, for He alone is worthy! "Salvation is of the LORD" (Jonah 2:9).