The Golden Chain of Salvation

“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.”

(Romans 8:30)

One thing we learn from this verse is 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, Revelation 13:8. God purposed that, in time, His elect ones should be declared justified by the blood and righteousness of the LORD Jesus imputed to their account at the cross, 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, 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 upon God decreeing it as already accomplished before Christ died or others after the Spirit’s work of regeneration, saying that justification is listed after ‘whom He called.’ And 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’ (kalew) is not referring here to the Spiritual calling of the Spirit of God to Christ but rather the naming of sinners in election according to God’s predestinating grace. Matthew 1:21-25 used the word in this way, ‘thou shalt CALL His name Jesus.’ Therefore, the proper order of the sinner’s justification (legal acquittal from all guilt and declared righteous) is following his predestination and election (or naming) in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

2.) Therefore, 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. Look at verses 31-34, it couldn’t be plainer! “He spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth!” How? When?See v. 34: “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.”

3.) In the same context we know 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 and deliverance from the 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: John 13:31, John 17:10.

What a glorious order of salvation, giving God and His Christ ALL the Glory!