Author: Christian Nuesa

Date: 10/11/08
Title: Those who are in Christ.

Pasage

Rom. 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image
of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
Rom. 8:30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also
justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Rom. 8:31 ¶ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
Rom. 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not
also with Him freely give us all things?
Rom. 8:33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;
Rom. 8:34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was
raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
Rom. 8:35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom. 8:36 Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY
LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
Rom. 8:37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
Rom. 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor powers,
Rom. 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Review

Last week, we studied about those who are in Christ

Their distinction – They have a different life.

Their identity – They are sons of God
Their origin – They are from God
Their separation from the rest of creation – They shall be conformed.

I expounded Foreknowledge to look at their origin

I also mention their separtion because of predestination

Just a quick review.

Foreknowledge.
- The foreknowledge here is not a perception or a matter of omnicience, or that God
looked into the future.
o No. Future did not exist when God foreknew His children.
o Nothing existed around God in that eternity past
o In fact, everything that ever existed is created by God
o So then, the future is authored and made by God and God alone, according to
His will and timing
-
- Therefore foreknowledge is a conception of things God would do.
o That before creation. God conceived in His mind additional children in His family.

Foreknowledge is coupled with Predestination.

 - When God conceived in His mind these additional children, He also determined that they
shall be fully conformed to the image of His only begotten son.

Completed State
Therefore, what God conceived in His mind was not just people who would believe in Christ
[According church of the Nazarene] but a fully conformed sons of God in glory [According to
the Apostle Paul].

Finish Product
As I said last week, God thought of a finish product and not a product in need of
improvement.

Once again, God did not look into the future, and saw those who would believe in Christ, then
decided to elect them for the further future glory.

Let us understand the word Predestined, to bring everybody to the same page.

Predestined

- “proorizo”
o Pro – before
o Horizo – determine, ordaine

The purpose of this foreknowledge and predestination is to bring out children of God from
creation that is fully conformed to the image of His only Begotten Son.

Actually, everything is foreknown by God but only the sons of God are determined by God to
be conformed to the image of His son.

So then this foreknowledge is unlike any other

This foreknowledge is set apart.
This foreknowledge becomes exclusive.

Tonigh. We shall focus on Conformity.

What is Conformity

Rom. 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and
perfect.

“Suschematizo”
- Sun - Together
- Schema - A diagrammatic representation; an outline or a model, or a pattern
o Shape to the same pattern
o Ex. Flat Dough
 You have a flat dough, and you stumpt it with cookie mold to create a
Teddy Bear Cookie.
 The shape is instantaneous.
 The idea in this verse is, watch yourself as you may suddenly act like
wordly.

Rom. 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the
image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
“Summorphos”
- Sun - together
- Morphe – Formed
o Jointly formed – all sons together are being transformed
o A gradual transformation although here it is rendered as finish or completed
transformation
o Ex. Clay
 Like a lump of clay and you are gradually forming the clay into a jar.

That’s the idea of conformity in Romans 8:29.

That little by little we are, changing.

Changing into what? V29

The IMAGE of His Son

IMAGE – likeness or representation. A picture is an image. An sculpture is also an image.

Image here is far more than just a picture, or a sculpture.

Scriptures defines this image.

Original order
Gen. 1:26 ¶ Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image [first], according to Our likeness
[second]; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the
cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Reverse order.
Gen. 5:3 ¶ When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in
his own likeness [first], according to his image [second], and named him Seth.

Image and likeness are the same.

Image is likeness, likeness is resemblance. Man is to resemble God.
- God is holy, so as man
- God is creator, so as man
- God is a ruler, so as man
- Etc.

The Image in Genesis is in a wide sense: God’s image.

Verse 29 is also the image of God,
I repeat, verse 29 is also the image of God.
BUT in particular,
- The image of the Son of God.
- Not the image of the Holy Spirit
- Nor the image of the Father
- But very specific here, the Son of God alone.
That’s very important. Keep that in mind.

Therefore, Image (in verse 29) is to have the same qualities and features of the Son of God but
not exactly like the Son.

This is a resemblance, not equality.

Basically, the Eternal Son of God is being copied in creation but not duplicated.
So that when you look at the children of God, they are really children of God without a doubt
because they are according the the likeness of the The Only Begotten Son of God.

Again, this trasformation is Summorphos

A gradual transformation,
a gradual addition of features.

2 Corinthians 3:18 best explains this.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being
transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Reason for conformity

The question then is WHY CONFORMITY?

Why would God want to copy His son in creation?

Angels, not
We know that the Angels are not conformed to the image of His only Begotten Son.
They are holy, so as the Son of God, yet not conformed

HS, not
So as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ are not brothers. In God, there is one
and only Son, that is Jesus Christ.

Non-believer, not
Not even the rest of humanity shall be conformed, only a remnant will be conformed.

Here is the answer: v29

God wants to give His only begotten son brothers.
Brothers and sisters that are also truly sons of God, as Christ is a true Son of God.

They are literally Christ’s own brothers.

Again, Literally!
Actually!
In reality, brothers to Christ!

Let me give you a picture:

- Mr. and Mrs. Smith have only one a Son.
- Mr. Smith looked Mrs. Smith and said “Sweetheart, would it be nice if our son Johnny had
a brother?
- And then the Mrs. Smith said “Okay honey, let’s get a dog. That would be Johnny’s
brother.
- Of course not: to give Johnny a brother, it has to be a literal brother to Johnny.
- Right?

Therefore since Christ is a Son to God, so as these predestined people, must also be literal
sons to God.

So then, you migh ask:

How did God produce these additional sons?

How did God give His only Begotten Son real brothers?
How did God make them truly His children?

The answer: conformity.

If sonship is this literal, then conformity is so much more than characters of Christ.
More than just holiness and perfect.

The Conformity

First…

1. Conformity in sonship

This is achieved in adoption.

Rom. 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Rom. 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have
received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

Adoption - “huiothesia” –
Compound word:
1. Huios – A son
2. And a derivative of “tithemi” – To place

“huiothesia” – The placing as a son

Translated in English as adoption.

Now, let me give you a picture:

- Mr. and Mrs. Smith have only one a Son.
- Mr. Smith looked at Mrs. Smith and said “Sweetheart, would it be nice if our son Johnny
had a brother?
- And then Mrs. Smith said “Okay honey, let’s adopt a child. That would be Johnny’s
brother.
- Is it really like that?
- Do you think Johnny and the adopted child are literal brother?
- NO.

How did God placed people as sons in His family?

Did He somehow pick people from somewhere and place them as sons in his family?

Did God give Christ brothers that are somehow alien to him?

How did God produce real brothers to Christ?

i. First, by conception
a. They begun in the mind of God.
b. Before God created them He conceived them in His mind.
c. They were foreknown and predestined to be brothers of Christ.
i. Romans 8:29
ii. Second, by birth – that is spiritual birth.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:4 ¶ Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot
 enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”
John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the
Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit.

This is a co-relation.

We know that the sons of God are believers.

Jesus in John 3 that believers were given a second birth.

The Holy Spirit birth these children of God.

The Holy Spirit is the mother the birth the sons of God.
This is not a physical birth but a spiritual birth.
This is birthing is by regeneration/or recreation.
iii. Third, Sanctification
a. The process of becoming more and more holy or mature into the measure of
Christ.

My point.
- The people that God placed as sons in His family are from God himself!
o By Conception, foreknowledge and predestination
o By Spiritual Birth, regeneration/or recreation.
o By Rearing them or caring them to maturity, the process of sanctification
-
- God did not pick them up from streets and gave them to Jesus.
- They were conceived by God and born of Holy Spirit, and personally reared by the
Father to become brothers to Christ.

Therefore, the brothers and sisters that Christ received ARE FROM His Father Himself through
the Holy Spirit.

Let me give you a correct picture of Mr and Mrs Smith:

- Mr. Smith looked at Mrs. Smith and said “Sweetheart, would it be nice if our son Johnny
had a brother?
- And then the Mrs. Smith said “Okay honey, let’s have another child.
I am not suggesting the Jesus Christ was born here.
That He has a beginning.

My point is: The sons of God are from God as well. He did not adopt them from outside into
His family. They are from God’s family!!!

To prove this:

READ
Heb 2:10For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in
bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.
Heb. 2:11 For both He who sanctifies [CHRIST] and those who are sanctified [SONS OF GOD]
are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren [BECAUSE
THEY ARE HIS BROTHERS GIVEN BY GOD],
Heb. 2:12 saying,
“I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN,
 IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.”
Heb. 2:13 And again,
“I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.”
And again,
“BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.”

Therefore, the sons of God are from God given by God to God.

But I do not mean

- That these people where not once children of wrath.
- That they were not once alien to God.
- That they were never hostile to God.
My point is: in view of eternity, they came from God.
Because they were conceived in eternity, spiritually birth in creation, and then finally in glory
for the rest of eternity

2. Conformity in riches and glory

WE HAVE AN INHERITANCE FROM GOD!

Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
Rom. 8:17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer
with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

1. It is the Kingdom of God - 1 Corinthians 6:9, Matthew 25:34, Luke 22:29

2. In the new hevean and new earth - Revelation 21:1-4
3. It is a sure inheritandce -1 Peter 1:3-5
4. The seal of the Holy Spirit is the guarantee - Ephesians 1:13
5. Prepared before the foundation of the world - Matthew 25:34
6. Shared inheritance by the sons of God - Colossians 1:12
7. An inheritance where the sons of God are glorified – Rom 8:17
8. It’s a big big inheritance - Matthew 19:29, God is giver of great gift. This inheritance is
much much bigger than what we have now. Paul described it as incomparable to our
sufferings.

“If Children heirs also”

- Signifies that they are really sons of God by RIGHT.
“Fellow heirs with Christ”
- Makes it even stronger that they are really sons of God.
- Because, Jesus being the Son, has inheritance.
- It implies that only a son receives inheritance.
- Basically if Christ being the son has inheritance, then his brothers have inheritance
as well.

“Glorified with Him”

- And not just inheritance but also Glory.
- The sons will be glorified.
- Jesus Christ was exulted, honored, and glorified, so then the rest of His brothers will also
be exulted, honored, and glorified.
3. Conformity in suffering
Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
Rom. 8:17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer
with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

“If indeed” – It’s really gonna happen to them.

“We suffer with Him”

To experience pain of the same manner.

- It does not mean we are all going to be crucified
- Or experience pain of the same degree
- Or be murdered because of our faith.
Basically, these sons of God will also suffer persecution, as The only Begotten Son suffered
persecution.

Persecution: mockery, ridicule, or even physical death.

NOT CONVINSE?

Believers are granted to suffer

Phil. 1:29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to
suffer for His sake,
Phil. 1:30 experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Called to suffer
1Pet. 2:20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with
patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor
with God.
1Pet. 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving
you an example for you to follow in His steps,

Suffering Church
2Cor. 1:5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is
abundant through Christ.
2Cor. 1:6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for
your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also
suffer;

What about the Apostle, did they understand this?

Acts 14:21 After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they
returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,
Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and
saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Acts 5:40 ¶ They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered
them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them.
Acts 5:41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had
been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.

It was first taught by Christ Himself

John 15:20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they
persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
Luke 9:23 ¶ And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny
himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Luke 9:24 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake,
he is the one who will save it.

Matt. 10:38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matt. 10:39 “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find
it.

[No time to elaborate. Just mention the following.]

4. Conformity in mind, Rom. 12:2

5. Conformity in holiness, 1 Peter 1:15-17

6. Conformity in perfection, Matthew 5:47-48

One day in havean you will bear the likeness of His only Begotten Son. The angels will look you
at you and they’ll see a child of God, without a doubt.

Again, Literally!
Actually!
And in reality, sons of God.

Because of your complete conformity in Christ:

1. In relationship with the Father – He is our Abba Father
2. in Status – In the nature of sonship
3. in Dignity – Inheritance and glory as literal sons
4. in Experience – Sufferings in accordance to Christ’s sufferings
5. In mindset – Renewed mind in Christ
6. In Holiness – As Christ
7. In Perfection – As Chrst
8. In a never ending life – As Christ will live forever
Just a last note: Jesus Christ is a Son who has NO beginning, the rest of His brothers are sons
with beginning.

Christ remains to be God, we are not and never will be.

That’s the major difference.

In View of time:

I’ve shown you sons of God in view of Eternity.

Now, I wanna show you sons of God in view of Time.

We heard the word of truth.

Rom. 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

We believed the gospel of our salvation.

Rom. 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; We
We received sonship.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name,

We are exalted to the nature and dignity of sons of God

Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
Rom. 8:17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer
with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Conclusion:

The sons of God are true brother of Jesus Christ.

They have real conception by Father

Real spiritual birth of the Holy Spirit
And cared for by God until fully-grown and mature sons

Who in creation are like this?

Angels just came to existence as they are.

It took a lot more from God to bring these sons up.

In a sense, we are not just created, we develop as well. None in creation like this.

How do we recognize those sons in the world?

They are not the one who confesses Jesus to be their Savior and Lord.
They are not the one who put their hope in their time of conversion.
They are not the one who are regular attendee of any church.

But according to Paul

They are the one whose life is simply different.
How different?

1. Their primary focus are the things of

the Holy Spirit. The things of the Holy
Spirit are all about the Kingship of
Jesus Christ, or His Lordship, 5.
2. Their thinking or their worldview is
shape by the Holy Spirt. To put simply,
they think bibilically, 5
3. What they think translate to their life
which is a life of peace, 6
4. Their life is acceptable to the Father 7
5. They are subordinate to the Father, 7
6. They can please the Father, 8
7. They are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 9
8. And everything is working together for
their good, in fact, for their conformity.