And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be
the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He
also glorified.
Romans 8:28-30
Theologians refer to verses 29-30 in the Bible as the “Golden Chain” of salvation. Verse 28
emphasizes God’s sovereignty, and while Paul lists foreknowledge before predestination in the chain, the order should not determine the means. It is important to note that foreknowledge should not automatically be understood as God looking into the future and making decisions based on what people will or will not do. Scripture does not describe this method and would indicate that works determine salvation. By contrast, in the next chapter of Romans, a different kind of foreknowledge is described where God chooses one twin over the other before they were born to fulfill His will and states explicitly that His choice was made regardless of anything either twin would or would not do. This understanding of foreknowledge aligns with the Greek definition of the term, which often refers to God having personal and intimate knowledge of those whom He will redeem based solely on His choice.
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