For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:
29. For whom he has foreknown, etc. He then shows, by the very order of election, that the afflictions of the faithful are nothing else than the manner by which they are conformed to the image of Christ; and that this was necessary, he had before declared.
St. Paul in these verses, lays before us a chain of the causes of salvation inseparably linked together, the first of which was before all time, namely, God's foreknowledge of us from all eternity, and his predestinating and appointing of us to eternal life: Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate. But what were we predestinated unto?
For whom he did foreknow,.... The foreknowledge of God here, does not intend his prescience of all things future; by which he foreknows and foretells things to come, and which distinguishes him from all other gods; and is so called, not with respect to himself, with whom all things are present, but with respect to us, and which is eternal, universal, certain, and infallible; for...