In Romans 8:28-30, written about 56 C.E., Paul made this affirmation:

because those whom he gave his first recognition he also foreordained to be patterned after the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Moreover, those whom he foreordained are the ones he also called; and those whom he called are the ones he also declared to be righteous. Finally those whom he declared righteous are the ones he also glorified.”

10, 11. (a) What are the works that God makes cooperate together for the good of the called one? (b) What kind of personal actions should not be included among the “all things” mentioned in Romans 8:28?

¹⁰ All the things set out in Romans 8:28-30 are God’s works, not man’s. It is God’s works that, according to the record, he makes cooperate together for the good of the called ones who love him, because he wants them to gain the Kingdom to which he has called them.

12. All of God’s works as recounted in Romans 8:29, 30 are of what nature, and in what order does Paul relate them?

¹² When we go on to read Rom 8 verses 29, 30 and note the works of God as recounted therein, we discern that, without exception, all of God’s works toward the foreordained, called Christian are good. Also, they work together for the good of the Kingdom heir at every stage of God’s handling of matters. Reversing the stages, Paul writes: “Because those whom he gave his first recognition he also foreordained to be patterned after the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Moreover, those whom he foreordained are the ones he also called; and those whom he called are the ones he also declared to be righteous. Finally those whom he declared righteous are the ones he also glorified.”

13. (a) When does God do the glorifying of the ones declared righteous? (b) Upon what basis does the declaring of individuals righteous take place?

¹³ When does God do the glorifying? When he gives favored ones the splendor of the knowledge of his firstborn Son now exalted to His right hand. Thus God sets them in the way that leads to heavenly glory. After this initial work of God, he can next declare them to be righteous, but only if they put faith in the glorified Christ to the point of handing themselves over or dedicating themselves to God without any reservations.

14. (a) How does one get to be among those “called” by God? (b) How is it that one gets to be included among God’s “foreordained” ones?

¹⁴ How, now, does God call a dedicated, baptized disciple of his glorified Son, in order that he might be ‘transferred into the kingdom of the Son of his love’? (Col. 1:13) God does so by begetting him with His spirit to become a spirit-begotten son of God. Then it is that God can call or invite such a spiritual son to become part of the heavenly kingdom, which can be enjoyed only by those who are finally resurrected to spirit life in heaven. (1 Cor. 15:43-50) God foreordained that there should be associated with his Son a body of brothers having the same divine nature and being patterned after the image of his firstborn Son, Jesus Christ. So, after being called, the spirit-begotten child of God becomes a member of the foreordained class, in which he must prove faithful till his earthly death. God foreordained this class, not any particular individual by name, who gets into that class. God foreordained that the number of Christ’s heavenly brothers should be 144,000, no individuals being named in that connection.​—Rev. 14:1-3.

15. When and how did God give “his first recognition” to the foreordained ones?

¹⁵ In Romans 8:29, 30 the apostle Paul points out that to the class of Christians whom God proceeds to glorify or honor and dignify, to declare righteous, to call and to foreordain, he “gave his first recognition.” This is what God did away back in the garden of Eden when he gave his prophecy concerning the “seed” of his own “woman” and the victorious exploit of that “seed.” (Gen. 3:15) Thus, millenniums before that “seed” came into existence, God was the first one to recognize the need of it and its special assignment of work. From then on God gave “his first recognition” to his obligation to produce such a “seed.” So this came first in God’s program. Accordingly, what God considered worthy of “his first recognition” he kept in mind and heart all the way down to producing that “seed” in his Son Jesus Christ and the faithful spirit-begotten disciples of this Son. During all the time down till the arising of that “seed” God foreknew it and gave specially favored recognition to it.