God's Plan For Your Life

Romans 8:29

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

We find here in the Romans a wonderful picture of God’s plan for the life of the believer. He never intended that we as Christians should be conformed to this world, but rather that we would be conformed to Christ. We see this exemplified in the word “predestinate” in our verse. The word predestinate means to predetermine or foreordain; to appoint or ordain beforehand by an unchangeable purpose. Our God has a purpose for us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) 

God calls all men to be saved, it is not a calling reserved for some. (Romans 10:13, Titus 2:11) Yet, because He is God He knows already who will receive Him and who will not. This is why we are elected according to the foreknowledge of God. (I Peter 1:2) For those who answer the call and choose to place their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation God has a plan for them that is predetermined and it is not going to change. He wants them to be conformed to the image of his son Jesus Christ. 

Being conformed to Christ means we cannot be conformed to this world. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) Often those who are conforming to Christ are ridiculed by the world. This has led many to cave in to the pressures of the fashions of this world and yield their members to be conformed to this world rather than to Christ. These are not they who lose their salvation, for salvation cannot be lost once attained. (I Peter 1:5) However, these are believers who are not fulfilling God’s purpose in their life. The failure to fulfill this purpose hinders the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Christ is hidden under a bushel of our worldliness. “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:15-16)

When we fail to fulfill the predestination of being conformed to the image of Christ we fail to fulfill the purpose that God has for our life. This purpose is that our life would ultimately bring glory to Him as we shed the light of the Gospel to the lost. In the end, our God is not glorified before our acquaintances as He should be, and the Gospel is hidden from their sight. We have chosen to fulfill the lusts of the flesh instead of fulfilling the will of God.