For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)
Calvinists see this as the “golden chain of redemption.” God elects, predestines, calls, justifies, and glorifies. While we all agree that these do happen in a “chain,” the definition of some of these words differ.
Most importantly, the chain begins with “foreknew.” This word means “to know beforehand.” God knows who will receive Him, and predestined these to one day become like His Son. Keeping in mind that the context of the passage deals with suffering Christians, the point is that there is something to anticipate. Even when we experience suffering, we can look forward to one day being glorified, never again to deal with the pains of this life.
