What then shall we say?
Those whom God predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:30)
Do you ever read the Bible and find its promises amazing and wonderful, but fear that your own case is a tragic exception and God really couldn’t be that good to you? Romans 8:30 blows all those fears away.
You say, “The deck is stacked against me. My family background is a disaster. My past is scary even to me. My weaknesses even now are an embarrassment.” God replies: “You have been predestined. Before you or your family were even born, I planned to bless and beautify and delight you. Your choices in this life will never change the ones I made in eternity past.”
You say, “But I’m not very spiritually sensitive. Other people seem way more in tune with God than I am. I don’t know as much as I should about the Bible. To tell the truth, I’m even a little skeptical.” God answers: “Do you really think I’d devise all these wonderful plans for our future together and then leave it up to you to make it happen? No way. Those I predestined, I called. And when I call, I have a way of making sure My voice gets heard.”
You say, “But what about all my sins? I’m ashamed to think about some of the awful things I’ve thought and wanted and said and done.” God responds: “Those I called, I justified. Do you know what that means? It means I look at your record and see my Son’s instead. It means I reach forward in time to the end of all things, grab My verdict on your life from the final judgment, and pronounce it over you right here and now. It means you are NOT GUILTY. It means you are forgiven. In full. Forever.”
You say: “But I am such a mess! Can’t you see that?!” God answers: “Actually, no, I can’t. Those I justified, I glorified. Past tense. It’s done. All your sin and its effects are gone in My eyes. To Me, you look perfect. Because in My Son, you are.”
Finally, you say… nothing.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31