Romans 8:28 is one of the most amazing verses in the whole of scripture. Countless believers have found this short verse and its truths a soothing balm to the bruised soul. While an exceedingly comforting passage, it is not without its difficulties.

 

Its difficulty lies in something other than linguistic or theological complexity. The verbiage is easy enough for a child to understand, and even the most basic knowledge of the One True God provides the information that He is powerful enough to accomplish His purposes. The difficulty comes in the childlike faith required to accept that God truly works all things together for good for those He loves and that are called according to His purpose.

 

There are times it’s easy to say, “God works all things for good” - when jobs are steady, there is peace in the family, food on the table, when there have been no recent deaths, when you are feeling good (bodily and mentally), etc.

 

But…

 

What about those other times? Does God really work all things for good? When a young person takes their own life? When a man abandons his believing wife and children for another woman? When wolves come in and devour a church, leaving a trail of ripped-up souls and hurt hearts behind them? When a baby dies in the womb? When the doctors say, "There is nothing else we can do"? In these times, the Christian must be sure that he believes what he professes and that he is not merely parroting pious words.

 

The following five reminders drawn from Romans 8:28 are meant to encourage the suffering believer. Over the last several months, this passage has been a solid rock for me. Our family has been living in a difficult season after losing our little baby in the womb. You can read some of my early thoughts here: https://www.chorusinthechaos.com/blog/when-the-lord-takes-the-child

 

 

Reminder #1: This Passage is for Christians Only

Notice Paul doesn’t say that all things are worked together for good for “those that believe in God.” The heathen can be a deist, but their minds are still hostile toward God (Romans 8:7). Even the demons believe in God (James 2:19). Demons and Heathens do not love God, but Christians do.

 

Do you love God? The greatest commandment is to love God with your whole person (Mark 12:30). Do you desire to obey His commandments (John 14:21,24)? The command to love and obey is a reminder that love is not theoretical but practical. A man can say that he loves God, but if the overarching theme of his life doesn’t testify to that point, then He is to be no more believed than a deadbeat dad who does not speak to, provide for, or attend to his children - though he declares how much he loves them. 

 

One of the best ways of determining our love is our reaction to adversity. Love for God is what makes the difference between dropping to the ground in the worshipful cry, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21) and the foolish murmur, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 2:9).

 

Sometimes we may feel that our love for God is cold or not where it should be, even this is an encouragement! One of the surest proofs of God’s love to us is that we love Him, even if that love is a flickering flame in this particular season (1 John 4:19)! So, the promise of Romans 8:28 is for Christians – those that love God. To drive the point home, Paul adds that they are [effectually] called – but that is another article for another day.

 

The wicked may seem to prosper. It may appear things are working for their good, but every mercy that they receive is turned to condemnation on the Day of Judgment. It could be said that for the unrepentant, all things work together for their evil. Does he prosper in worldly things? He is like the calf that is being fattened for slaughter. Is he in perfect health? Like the blooming flower, he races up to meet the mower's blade. Even his sufferings are but a foretaste of divine vengeance.

 

 

Reminder #2: We Know This Passage is True

The promise that God works all things for the good of the Christian is a promise that is based in the very character of the omniscient and omnipotent God. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). I may not fully understand how God will work all things this way, but as my childhood pastor used to say, “God said it. That settles it. I believe it.”

 

 

Reminder #3: This Passage Speaks of All Things

God uses both the good and evil of life for the good of the Christian. Both the sunshine and the pruning are good for the plant. This text does not say that sickness, death, suffering, and sin are good in-and-of-themselves. It teaches that God uses these things to bring about his own good purpose for His people. Never was this principle more graphically displayed than in the crucifixion of Christ. The bubbling cauldron of human wickedness and scheming devils boiled over on that day against the Lord Jesus Christ, yet what they meant for evil, God meant for good. God's good is worked out for believers in the crucifixion of Christ, while condemnation falls on the evil men and demonic parties involved.

 

 

Reminder #4: This Passage Reveals God’s Intention For Believers

Too often, our idea about what would be "good" for us is shallow. Our hearts are drawn to ease, prosperity, wealth, health, and admiration. None of those things are evil in themselves. However, they are not what defines goodness. We need to look no further than the long line of martyrs before us to know that these things are not always God’s plan for believers. So, what is "goodness" in Romans 8:28? The next verse defines it, "For those He foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…" The highest good for a human is to be like Jesus. This weighty truth helps us to see the not-so-good things being used for our good and God’s glory.  

 

Scripture and experience are replete with examples of God working all things for good:

·        The Bible says that “The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning…” (Job 21:12a).

·        He worked His sovereign hand in Joseph’s life to such an extent that Joseph declared to His brothers, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good” (Genesis 50:20).

·        The Apostle Paul, writing under house arrest said, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

·        In the loss of our baby, the Lord has brought me into greater reliance on Him and into greater awe at His providence. He has grown me (and still is) in this trial. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15)

·        Even when a Christian sins, if he repents, it has been for his good. He has learned, like the prodigal son, that his works have been evil, but his Father is merciful, loving, and ready to forgive. He will come away understanding his Father and his Father’s love in a new way. When a Christian is restored, even the defeat is turned to good. I imagine the Apostle Peter understood in greater measure the love of Christ after he had been restored than he did before the denial.

 

 

Reminder #5: God Only Acts With Purpose

God only acts with purpose. This can be difficult for us to comprehend as mere humans. His permissive will as well as His active will always meet their intended purpose. Since God's purposes are accomplished (something the Bible reiterates again and again), we get hung up on questions like, “Why does God allow others to sin against me?” and “If God can stop evil, why doesn’t He?”

 

These are the wrong questions.

 

We can answer those questions by asking this more significant question, “Why does God allow humans to sin against Him?” This is far more scandalous. Why does the King of the universe tolerate mere creatures to blaspheme His Name with the very breath He supplies them? It must be with a purpose. I will submit three reasons:

·        That the redeemed would reach repentance – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

·        The grand goal of Christians being conformed to Christ’s Image (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

·        Condemnation of the wicked – filling the cup of wrath reserved for the day of Judgment (Matthew 25:41)

 

Conclusion

It may be that you know little suffering. It may be that your days are full of suffering. I do not know why the sovereign hand of God deals in such ways, but I do know that I can trust Him. It may be that my happiness must be bruised that my holiness might abound. Whatever the case may be, we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.