Day 343: Two Chains (Romans 8:29-30; Romans 10:13-15)

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭29‬-‭30‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Through the Bible: Romans 8-10

Rapper Tauheed Epps goes by the stage name 2 Chainz. In hip-hop culture, chains around the neck are a symbol of achievement, wealth, and status. Epps figured if a chain represented success, then two chains would reflect an even higher level of success. Thus, “2 Chainz” was born.

I have no idea if Tauheed Epps ever studied Romans 8–10. But he might be surprised to learn that the apostle Paul also talked about two chains—and Paul would agree that “two chains” are essential if the gospel is going to move in the world. One can’t be broken because God forged it. The other one must be strengthened because it carries the gospel from sinner to Savior.

The First Chain: What God Does (Romans 8:29–30)

This is the chain with no weak links because God Himself forged each one:

• Whom God foreknew, he chose.
• Whom God chose, He calls.
• Whom God calls, he justifies.
• Whom God justifies, He glorifies.

This is the divine side of salvation — God’s eternal, sovereign initiative. It begins before we existed and ends beyond our death. Notice that all the verbs are in the past tense, even “glorified.” From our perspective, our glorification is a future event. But from God’s perspective, it has already been accomplished for us through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

When you need to be reminded that salvation is by grace, through faith, and not the result of works, Remember the Romans 8 chain.

The Second Chain: What We Do (Romans 10:13–15)

Two chapters later, Paul holds up a second chain. But rather than start at the beginning and work his way to the end as he does in Chapter 8, here Paul starts with the last link of the chain– the saved believer– and works his way to the beginning to trace how salvation “happens.” Follow along:

• A person is saved when he calls on the name of the Lord
• A person calls on the name of the Lord when he puts his faith (believes) in Christ.
• He is able to believe when he hears the gospel.
• He is able to hear the gospel when someone preaches it.
• Someone preaches the gospel when they are sent.

This is the human side of salvation — not because humans save themselves, but because God delights in using human voices as His means. This chain stretches across living rooms, workplaces, pulpits, and coffee shops. It is the ordinary, beautiful chain of mission. This is the necklace Paul lifts when he wants us to move.

Notice, though, that rather than the absolute, past tense, done deal declaratives of Romans 8, all but the last link (“Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”) is phrased as a question:

• How can they call if they don’t believe?
• How can they believe if they don’t hear?
• How can they hear if no one preaches?
• How can someone preach if no one sends them?

Make no mistake. Nobody comes to Christ because of their own hard work. But it takes hard work to bring someone to Christ. It takes sharing the gospel. It takes preparing to preach. It takes equipping the preachers. It takes sending the missionaries.

Together They Tell the Full Story

Hold the two chains side by side and you see something stunning: God ordains the ends and God ordains the means. God predestines and God sends. God calls and we preach that call. God justifies and someone hears the message that leads to justification. God glorifies and someone cries out in faith. Romans 8 shows why anyone is saved. Romans 10 shows how anyone gets saved. Romans 8 is the security of salvation. Romans 10 is the urgency of evangelism. Romans 8 is backstage. Romans 10 is onstage. Paul refuses to let us choose between them.

Where’s the Weak Link?

Romans 10:13 begs the question: If everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, then why isn’t everyone saved? Of course, human agency plays a role. Not everyone who hears will call. The seed falls on different soils.

But even with that in view, Paul still presses the question back onto the church:
Is the chain breaking at our end?

• Is there someone who won’t hear because I won’t speak?
• Is there someone who won’t believe because I never open my mouth?
• Is there someone who won’t call because I never told them whom to call on?

And churches must ask the same questions:

• Are there missionaries who never went because we never sent?
• Are there preachers who never preached because we never equipped?
• Are there communities still unreached because we never went to them?

Many evangelical churches fiercely defend the Romans 8 chain—the certainty, the comfort, the doctrines of grace. But many grow quiet on the Romans 10 chain—the necessity of sending, speaking, inviting, proclaiming. We polish the backstage chain and let the onstage chain tarnish.

But Paul will not let us choose.
If Romans 8 is the chain that holds us, Romans 10 is the chain that sends us.
If Romans 8 gives us confidence, Romans 10 gives conviction.
If Romans 8 anchors our hope, Romans 10 assigns our mission.

The church is healthiest—and the gospel most radiant—when both chains are strong, shining, and held firmly in our hands.

Related Content

• Day 343: Heavenly Bodies (Romans 8:11)
• The Perfect Diamond of Romans 8:28
• Mindset Matters (Romans 8:5-11)
• Fearless Christianity (Romans 8:31-39)
• The Israel Trilogy, Part 1: How Odd of God (Romans 9)

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