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. 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. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Some see a predestination to salvation here but again it is based upon foreknowledge. In this passage also, it is linked but separate from predestination. If, as some Calvinists argue, they are the same thing why are both terms used? This would make the verse say “whom he predestined he also predestined”? Foreknow, in this context, is personal and means that he has a deep knowledge about the subject of foreknowledge. Who are those whom God foreknew? Simply those whom God knew in advance would love him – believers (v28). God assured Jeremiah of this:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations (Jeremiah 1:5)

Based upon Gods foreknowledge of those that love him, he worked out everything in their lives in advance and predetermined their destiny to be conformed to the image of his Son, that is, sanctification. Planning the end from the beginning, he also determined the means by which they would get saved and then glorified. Whilst to us glorification is a future act, they are seen by God as having already been completed. M.R. Vincents commentary on Romans 8:29 is excellent:

Did foreknow (proegnw). Five times in the New Testament. In all cases it means foreknow. Acts. xxvi. 5; 1 Pet. i. 20; 2 Pet. iii. 17; Romans xi. 2. It does not mean foreordain. It signifies prescience, not preelection. "It is God's being aware in His plan, by means of which, before the subjects are destined by Him to salvation, He knows whom He has to destine thereto" (Meyer). It is to be remarked:

1. That proegnw foreknew is used by the apostle as distinct and different from predestinated (prowrisen).

2. That, strictly speaking, it is coordinate with foreordained. "In God is no before." All the past, present, and future are simultaneously present to Him. In presenting the two phases, the operation of God's knowledge and of His decretory will, the succession of time is introduced, not as metaphysically true, but in concession to human limitations of thought. Hence the coordinating force of kai also.

3. That a predetermination of God is clearly stated as accompanying or (humanly speaking) succeeding, and grounded upon the foreknowledge.

4. That this predetermination is to the end of conformity to the image of the Son of God, and that this is the vital point of the passage.

5. That, therefore, the relation between foreknowledge and predestination is incidental, and is not contemplated as a special point of discussion. God's foreknowledge and His decree are alike aimed at holy character and final salvation.¹

This is a great truth for us who are believers. Knowing that a loving and just God is in complete control of our futures should be of great comfort and encouragement. Nothing will surprise God. Remember that when Peter denied Christ and let him down badly, Christ already knew. In the same way we may let God down very badly in our lives and yet none of it will come as a surprise to him. Before he saved us he knew how bad we were. This should cause us to take comfort.