Our text at hand deals expressly with “God’s purpose in election” (vs. 11). It fits within a larger framework (Romans 9-11) that deals with election, evangelism, and exaltation.
Election, evangelism, and exaltation, this is what Romans 9, 10, and 11 are all about. We begin with chapter 9, which is primarily about election, but begins with vs. 1-5 with Paul’s passion for evangelism, especially for the people of his beloved Israel.
Election and evangelism are a seemingly contradictory pair of competing values. They are a peculiar paradox, an apparent antinomy. Is it God who chooses His own people to save forever, or do people make their own free and willing choice on the day they are forever saved?
God has made certain promises to certain persons, identified in this text as “God’s elect” (vs. 33). He will keep them, the promises and the people. And in doing so, He “will not slumber nor sleep” (ref. Psalm 121:4).
Foreknowledge is God’s choice, fore, long before, of certain persons to know, to have an intimate, personal, permanent relationship with Him, as Father and child (ref. John 15:16; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; Peter 2:9; etc).
God’s love is perfect. God initiates our love relationship with Him. His love, like Mother’s but higher, is unconditional, sacrificial, and permanent.
As Christians, we have a heavenly Father, and we are marked by His work. He redeemed us in justification, shapes us in sanctification, and will perfect us in glorification.
God does not need to watch film to find our weaknesses. He knows them all. And in this text from the pen of the Apostle Paul, He identifies what could well be our greatest weakness.
Keep in mind the overarching theme of Romans 8 is glorification, a thing for which we wait. Christians, justified by faith, sanctified by the Spirit, are guaranteed to be glorified by God and with God, forever.
Adoption is a Greco-Roman concept that Paul applies here for the first time to Christianity (ref. also vs. 8:23, Galatians 4:5, and Ephesians 1:5). Adoption, on earth as it is in Heaven, is meant to be a glorious change for the better.
