^8:28 And we know that to those who love God all things work together unto good: to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints. [n. 695]
^8:29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be made conformed to the image of his Son: that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. [n. 701]
^8:30 And whom he predestined, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified. [n. 707]
^8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? [n. 710]
^8:32 He who did not even spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how has he not also, with him, given us all things? [n. 712]

695. Having shown that the Holy Spirit helps us in the weaknesses of the present life in regard to fulfilling our desires, the Apostle now shows how he helps us in relation to external events by directing them to our good.

First, he states his proposition;

second, he proves it, at for whom he foreknew;

third, he draws a conclusion, at who then will separate us (Rom 8:35).

696. In regard to the first there are two things to consider.

First, the greatness of the benefit conferred on us by the Holy Spirit, namely, that all things work together unto good for us.

To realize this we should consider that whatever happens in the world, even if it be evil, accrues to the good of the universe; because, as Augustine says in Enchiridion: God is so good that he would permit no evil, unless he were powerful enough to draw some good out of any evil.

However, the evil does not always accrue to the good of that in which it is. Thus, the death of one animal accrues to the good of the universe, inasmuch as by the destruction of one thing something else begins to be, although it does not accrue to the good of that which ceases to be; because the good of the universe is willed by God according to itself and to this good all the parts of the universe are ordained.

697. The same seems to apply to the relationship of the noblest parts to the other parts, because the evil affecting the other parts is ordained to the good of the noblest parts. But whatever happens to the noblest parts is ordained only to their good, because his care for them is for their sake, whereas his care for the others is for the sake of the noblest: as a physician allows a malady in the foot that he might cure the head.

But the most excellent parts of the universe are God’s saints, to each of whom applies what is said in Matthew: he will set him over all his goods (Matt 25:23). Therefore, whatever happens to them or to other things, it all accrues to the benefit of the former. This verifies the statement in Proverbs: the fool will be servant to the wise (Prov 11:20), namely, because even the evil of sinners accrues to the good of the just. Hence, God is said to exercise a special care over the just: the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous (Ps 34:15), inasmuch as he takes care of them in such a way as to permit no evil to affect them without converting it to their good.

This is obvious in regard to the penal evils which they suffer; hence it says in the Gloss that in their weakness humility is exercised, in affliction patience, in contradictions wisdom, and in hatred good will. Hence it says in 1 Peter: if you suffer for justice’s sake, you will be blessed (1 Pet 3:14).

698. It might be asked whether their sins also work together for their good.

Some say that sins are not included when he says, all things, because according to Augustine: sin is nothing and men become nothing, when they sin.

But contrary to this, a Gloss says, God makes all things work together for their good to the extent that if they deviate and stray from the path, he even makes this contribute to their good. Hence it is said: though the just man fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord is the stay of his hand (Ps 37:24).

But according to this it seems that they always arise with greater love, because man’s good consists in love in such a way that without it the Apostle says that he is nothing (1 Cor 13:2).

The answer is that man’s good consists not only in the amount of love but especially in his perseverance until death, as it says in Matthew: he who endures to the end will be saved (Matt 24:13). Furthermore, because he has fallen, he rises more cautious and more humble; hence, the Gloss adds that this makes them progress, because they return to themselves more humble and wiser; for they fear extolling themselves or trusting in their powers to persevere.

699. Second, we consider the recipients of this benefit and see something on God’s part and on man’s part.

He indicates what is involved on man’s part when he says, to those who love God.

For the love of God is in us through the indwelling spirit. But it is the Holy Spirit who directs us in the right path: set me, O Lord, a law in your way, and guide me in the right path (Ps 27:11); hence it says in 1 Peter: who is there to harm you, if you are zealous for what is right? (1 Pet 3:13); great peace have they who love your law; nothing can make them stumble (Ps 119:165).

And this is reasonably so, because, as it says in Proverbs: I love those who love me (Prov 8:17). To love is to will good to the beloved; but for God to will is to accomplish, for whatever the Lord wills he does (Ps 135:6). Therefore, God turns all things to the good of those who love him.

700. Then he considers what is involved on God’s part who, first of all, predestined believers from all eternity; second, calls them in time; third, sanctifies them. He touches on these three things when he says, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints, i.e., the predestined, the called, and the sanctified; purpose here refers to predestination, which, according to Augustine, is the resolve to be merciful: according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will (Eph 1:11). Called refers to calling: he called him to follow him (Isa 41:2). Saints refers to sanctification: I am the Lord who sanctifies you (Lev 21:8). The Apostle says that he knows this, saying, we know: he gave him knowledge of holy things (Wis 10:10). This knowledge arises from experience and from considering the efficacy of love: love is as strong as death (Song 8:6), and of eternal predestination: my counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose (Isa 46:10).

701. Then he proves what he had said with the following proof, when he says, for whom he foreknew.

No one can harm those whom God advances; but God advances the predestined who love him. Therefore, nothing can harm them, but everything works for their good.

First, therefore, he proves the minor premise, namely, that God advances them;

second, the major, namely, that nothing can be harmful to those advanced by God, at what shall we then say.

In regard to the first he does two things.

First, he mentions things that refer to the advancement of the saints from all eternity;

second, those that occur in time, at and whom he predestined.

702. First, therefore, he presents two things, namely, foreknowledge and predestination, when he says, whom he foreknew, he also predestined.

Now some say that predestination is taken here for the preparation which occurs in time, during which God prepares the saints for grace. They say this in order to distinguish foreknowledge from predestination.

But closer examination shows that both are eternal and that they differ in notion. For, as was stated above, predestination implies the mental preordaining of things which a person intends to do. But from all eternity God has predestined the benefits which he intends to give his saints. Hence, predestination is eternal. But foreknowledge differs conceptually from predestination; because foreknowledge implies only the knowledge of future things, whereas predestination implies causality in regard to them. Consequently, God has foreknowledge even of sins, but predestination bears on salutary goods. Hence the Apostle says in Ephesians: predestined according to the purpose of his will, to the praise and glorious grace which he freely bestowed (Eph 1:5).

703. Regarding the order between foreknowledge and predestination some say that foreknowledge of good and of evil merits is the reason for predestination and reprobation, in the sense that God predestines certain ones, because he foresees that they will act well and believe in Christ. According to this the present text reads: those whom he foreknew to be conformed to the image of his Son, he also predestined.

This interpretation would be reasonable, if predestination were restricted to eternal life, which is bestowed for merits. But under predestination falls every salutary benefit prepared for man from all eternity by God; hence all the benefits he confers on us in time he prepared for us from all eternity. Hence, to claim that some merit on our part is presupposed, the foreknowledge of which is the reason for predestination, is nothing less than to claim that grace is given because of our merits, and that the source of our good works is from us and their consummation from God.

Hence, it is more suitable to interpret the present text as stating that whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be made conformed to the image of his Son. Then this conformity is not the reason for predestination, but its end or effect. For the Apostle says, he destined us to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ (Eph 1:5).

704. For the adoption as sons is nothing more than that conformity, because a person adopted into the sonship of God is conformed to his true Son.

First, in the right to the inheritance, as was stated above: if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God and joint heirs with Christ. Second, in sharing his splendor. For he is begotten of the Father as the splendor of his glory (Heb 1:3). Hence by enlightening the saints with the light of wisdom and grace, he makes them be conformed to himself. Whence it is said: in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot you (Ps 110:3), i.e., pouring out all the brightness of the saints.

705. The phrase, to the image of his Son, can be interpreted in two ways. In one way so that it means: conformed to the image of his Son, who is an image: he is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15). In another way so that the sense is this: he predestined us to be conformed to his Son in the fact that we bear his image: just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven (1 Cor 15:49).

He says, whom he foreknew, he also predestined, not because he predestines all the foreknown, but because he could not predestine them unless he foreknew them: before I formed you in the womb I knew you (Jer 1:5).

706. Then he indicates what follows from this predestination, when he says, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

For just as God willed to communicate his natural goodness to others by imparting to them a likeness of his goodness, so that he is not only good but the author of good things, so the Son of God willed to communicate to others conformity to his sonship, so that he would not only be the Son but also the firstborn among sons. Thus, he who is the only-begotten through an eternal origin, as it says in John: the only Son who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18), is the firstborn among many brethren by the bestowal of grace: he is the first-born of the dead, and ruler of kings on earth (Rev 1:5).

Therefore, Christ has us as brothers, both because he communicated to us a likeness of his sonship and because he assumed the likeness of our nature, as it says in Hebrews: he had to be made like his brethren in every respect (Heb 2:17).

707. Then, when he says and whom he predestined, he mentions what happens on the part of the saint as a consequence of predestination.

First, he mentions the call, when he says, whom he predestined, them he also called. For predestination cannot be voided: the Lord of hosts has sworn: as I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand (Isa 14:24).

Predestination begins to be carried out with the calling of the person. This call is twofold: one is external and is made by the mouth of a preacher: she has sent out her maids to call from the highest places (Prov 9:3). In this way God called Peter and Andrew (Matt 4:18). The other call is internal and is nothing less than an impulse of the mind whereby a man’s heart is moved by God to assent to the things of faith or of virtue: who stirred up one from the east and called him to follow? (Isa 41:2).

This call is necessary, because our heart would not turn itself to God, unless God himself drew us to him: no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (John 6:44); turn us to thyself, O Lord, that we may be turned (Lam 5:21). Furthermore, this call is efficacious in the predestined, because they assent to the call: everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me (John 6:45).

708. Hence, second, he mentions justification, when he says, and whom he called, them he also justified, by infusing grace: they are justified by his grace as a gift (Rom 3:24).

Although this justification is frustrated in certain persons, because they do not persevere to the end, in the predestined it is never frustrated.

709. Third, he mentions glorification, when he adds, them he also glorified, and this in two ways, namely, by growth in virtue and grace and by exaltation to glory: in all things, O Lord, you have exalted and glorified your people (Wis 19:22).

He uses the past for the future, if the glorification of glory is understood here, either because the future is certain, or because what is future in some is already fulfilled in others.

710. Then he clarifies the major premise, namely, that nothing can harm those advanced by God, when he says what shall we then say.

First, he shows that they cannot suffer any loss through the evil of punishment;

second, nor through the evil of guilt, at who will accuse (Rom 8:33).

711. The evil of punishment is twofold: one consists in the imposition of evils, the other in the removal of good things.

First he shows that those who are advanced by God do not suffer harm from the efforts of persecutors, saying, what shall we then say. As if to say: since God bestows so many good things on his elect, what can be said against this, so as to nullify it? As if to say: nothing. No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel, can avail against the Lord (Prov 21:30). Or: what shall we then say? For one is struck with amazement, when he considers these things: I considered your works and became terrified (Hab 3:2). Or: what shall we then say to these things, i.e., what return could we make to God for such great blessings: what shall I render to the Lord for all his bounty to me (Ps 116:12).

Then he continues, if God is for us, by predestining, calling, justifying, and glorifying, who is against us, i.e., successfully? Let us stand up together, who is my adversary? (Isa 50:8); place me next to you, and let anyone’s hand fight against me (Job 17:3).

712. Second, he shows that God’s holy ones cannot suffer loss by the removal of good things, saying, he who did not even spare his own Son.

But whereas he spoke earlier about adopted sons, saying, you have received the spirit of adoption of sons (Rom 8:15), he separates this Son from all others, saying, his own Son, i.e., not adopted, as heretics pretend, but natural and co-eternal: that we may be in his true Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 5:20) of whom the Father says, this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt 3:17).

713. He says, did not even spare, to indicate that he did not exempt him from punishment. For there was no guilt in him to forgive: he who spares the rod hates his son (Prov l3:24).

However, God the Father did not even spare his own Son, as though to add something to him who is in all things perfect God; rather, he subjected him to the passion for our benefit. And this is what he adds: but delivered him up for us all, i.e., in expiation for our sins: he was put to death for our trespasses (Rom 3:25); the Lord put on him the iniquity of us all (Isa 53:6).

God the Father gave him up to death by appointing him to become incarnate and suffer, and by inspiring his human will with such love that he would willingly undergo the passion. Hence he is said to have given himself over: he gave himself up for us (Eph 5:2). Judas, too, and the Jews gave him up, as was explained above.

714. It should be noted that in saying, he did not even spare his own Son, it is as though he were saying: he not only exposed other holy men to tribulation for their salvation: I have hewn them by the prophets (Hos 6:5); if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation (2 Cor 1:6), but even his own Son.

But in the Son of God all things exist as in their primordial and preoperative cause: he is before all things and in him all things hold together (Col 1:17). Therefore, when he was given up for us, all things were given to us; hence he adds: how has not he also, with him, given us all things, the highest things, namely, the divine persons to enjoy, rational spirits to live with, all lower things to use, not only prosperity but adversity as well: all are yours and you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s (l Cor 3:23). Hence, it is clear that, as it says in the Psalm: those who fear him have no want (Ps 34:9).