Here are the HCSB verses,
For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified
Here is the review of the study note.
Rom 8:29–30 The study notes on Rom 8:29–30 include these remarks (The bold font appears in the original): “Those he foreknew refers to those whom God set his electing love upon in eternity past. Predestined means that God planned from eternity that ‘those [whom] he foreknew’ would become like Christ through spiritual rebirth. Called is the effectual call in which God opens our heart so we can hear his voice (cp. Ac. 16:14). ‘Calling’ in Paul’s writing never means just an invitation. It is a sovereign summons that draws the sinner from death to life.”
Analysis: Every sentence in the quotation above from the study notes contains theological definitions and presuppositions affirmed by Calvinists only. First, the word “foreknew” (proginōskō) can mean either to know in advance or to choose in advance. (For support, consider these remarks in Louw and Nida’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains, “‘those whom he had chosen beforehand, he had already decided should become like his Son’ Ro 8:29. In Ro 8:29 proginōskō may also be understood as meaning ‘to know beforehand’” (p. 362).
Second, the concept that God in eternity past set his “electing love” on some people but not on others is consistent with Calvinistic presuppositions of eternal decrees and election to salvation. Other Christians, however, affirm that God knows in advance all things (including who will respond in repentance and faith to be saved as well as those who will not respond in repentance and faith but will be condemned) but they reject the view that God selects only some people and passes over others for salvation.
Third, verse 29 states those foreknown were predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus. If foreknown means “to know beforehand” (against the explanation of the study notes), then predestination refers to the sanctification of believers, not the salvation of unbelievers (against the study notes, which refers to “those whom God set his electing love upon in eternity past”).
Fourth, the last three sentences assume a theological distinction required by Calvinistic theology but rejected by other Christians. Calvinists believe the “general call” occurs when the gospel is heard by all people, but the “effectual call” is the work of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of only some unbelievers to irresistibly call and save them. According to this view, it is not enough for a person to hear the gospel to be saved. The logic is that since not all people will be saved and the Bible refers to believers as “called,” only some people are saved because only some people receive an “effectual call.” Other Christians simply believe that some people hear the message of the gospel and are also drawn by God’s Spirit to repent and believe, but they resist the conviction of God’s Spirit and refuse to repent of sin and believe in Jesus; the failure is on their part because they resist God’s conviction of sin and call to repent, not on God’s part for failing to convict of sin and draw sinners to himself.
In conclusion, the study notes on Rom 8:29–30 are filled with Calvinistic definitions and presuppositions.
The review correctly identifies the study notes as Calvinistic. But the alternate view also does not reflect the best understanding of the text.
First, foreknow does mean to know beforehand, and does not refer to God setting His electing love upon foreseen individuals. But when the term is used in scripture, the idea is away the use of knowledge acquired or formulated in the past, but being used in the present. Here the idea is God’s redemption plan included the spiritual rebirth of those redeemed, making them children of God and siblings of Christ. God’s plan predestined that result for those chosen and redeemed.
Next, to be called by God refers not to a rejectable invitation, but the accomplished fact of being set aside spiritually in Christ, our positional sanctification, our salvation. The use of the term has nothing to do with an “effectual call” which is an invention of Calvinism.
Third, Paul does use “called” to refer to setting us apart in Christ, which transfers us out of the realm of darkness into the kingdom of His Son. The transfer from outside of Christ (in Adam) to being in Christ is our redemption, and is not the same as our being invited (called meaning beckoned) by the gospel to put our faith in God and Christ. Rather it refers to God’s sovereign action of crediting our faith as righteousness and putting us into Christ.
Finally, the study notes on this passage and the alternate view presented in the analysis, both confuse being called (invited and beckoned) by the gospel, with God accepting our faith and transferring us into Christ.
Here is how the study note should read:
Those He foreknew refers to the target group of God’s redemption plan, everyone redeemed by Christ. The redemption plan predestined the spiritual rebirth of those redeemed, making them spiritual children of God and siblings of Christ. Called refers to those God sets apart in Christ, the redeemed. During our spiritual rebirth, the washing of regeneration removes our sin burden, thereby justifying those redeemed. And we are spiritually glorified as a new creation united with Christ.
