Dictionary Word of the Day

concatenation: Dictionary.com Word of the Day

concatenation: a chain; a succession.

Romans 8:29 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. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Maybe it's because I'm teaching a lesson on regeneration this morning, but Romans 8 was the first thing to pop into my head when I read this morning's Dictionary Word of the Day.

We've been working our way through Sinclair Ferguson's excellent book, A Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction. Ferguson takes us through the ordo salutis (order of salvation), but he doesn't only treat it as most do--like links in a chain--he treats it as a hub with spokes-with union with Christ as the center, citing my favorite run on sentence (It is one sentence in the Greek):

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Related Tags: Dictionary Word of the Day, concatenation, Ordo Salutis, Order of Salvation, Romans 8, Ephesians 1, Sinclair B. Ferguson, "A Christian Life"