Romans 8:28 “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.”
This verse has caused numerous misinterpretations through the years. To properly understand the meaning we have to go back and review the earlier verses of this chapter. Context is a very critical element necessary in understanding scripture.
Pulling things out of context causes a lot of sincere people to misinterpret God’s word and conclude something that simply is not true. For instance, the phrase “he that believeth not shall be damned” in Mark 16:16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
By pulling the latter portion of that verse out of context men incorrectly conclude that men only need to believe in order to be saved. Why? Because the bible says that if you don’t believe you’ll be damned. It doesn’t say, “if you don’t believe and if you aren’t baptized you’ll be damned.” Improper context leads men to draw the wrong meaning out of this verse.
In Romans 8 the apostle Paul has been discussing what God has done for man through His Son Jesus Christ. God has provided man with the things necessary for salvation. It’s through the Holy Spirit that God revealed His will to mankind. Through Jesus Christ salvation is available to all men.
All of God’s dealings with man, through out all history, were intended to bring mankind to this very point…the point where Jesus could provide a means of salvation through the forgiveness of sins.
Would Paul be inspired to write of the things pertaining to salvation as being those things provided to man by God through Jesus Christ and now in verse 28 refer to something completely different? Paul is concluding what he said in earlier verses. There is no reason to believe that in verse 28 Paul is referring to every conceivable thing that might befall mankind as being “for his good.”
That logic misses the whole trend of his thought. Paul, by inspiration, is extolling the virtues found in Christ. Those that love God are who? Doesn’t the word tell us that if we love God we’ll keep his commandments? Then, those who love God are those who obey Him.
Who else has the hope of heaven? Only those in Christ have the hope that Paul writes about in the early verses of Romans chapter 8. It’s clear that the hope we have as Christians is found only in Christ. Our hope isn’t based on anything else.
God has put into place a scheme of redemption that is beneficial, in every way, to those who obey Him. Everything He has done is for our good. God has done nothing that will harm us or cause us damage.
God’s purpose in sending Jesus to earth was to save men who would believe on His Son. If a person answers the call to righteousness, then they are the called according to his purpose. People must obey.
The context demands that we interpret Romans 8:28 to mean that God has done everything necessary so men who obey Him can be saved. The problem arises when men seek to ascribe something else to the meaning of the phrase, “all things.”
Now, it is a scriptural notion to teach that God’s providential care and keeping help the saints. Is it right to teach and believe that God is able to use the sufferings and sorrows of man to benefit a man’s soul? Yes!
We know for instance that we are to fear only God who can cast our soul into hell. We aren’t to fear men because they can only kill our body. Only God has power over our soul. Likewise, we know that God is ruler over all things. It is entirely possible for God to use the physical things of this life to help us grow in spiritual maturity.
The problem arises when men seek to find some optimistic view of life that isn’t taught in the scriptures. “Everything will turn out okay, no matter what” is not a concept taught by God.
First, there is a limitation on the scriptural concept of God’s providence. Namely, men must be obedient to the word of God. If men don’t obey, things don’t work out for their eternal good. God’s plan of salvation doesn’t benefit the man who won’t obey it. Live as good as you want and it’ll profit you nothing in eternity. It might lead you to live a decent life here, but it won’t get you heaven.
The scriptures tell us that those with “good and honest hearts” will be receptive to the Truth. Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” There are aspects to God’s providence that we cannot know or understand. However, the scriptures bear out that those people seeking the Truth may find events occur in their lives to help lead them to the Truth. We don’t profess to know how God works in such ways. Even so, the leap to “all things” working out for the good of people is foreign to the scriptures and the context of Romans 8:28.
The scriptures are clear that good things happen to both good and evil men. For instance, Matthew 5:43-48, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
God blesses all men in some way or another. This is done primarily because of the faithful. Evil men sometimes benefit from the good lives of Christians. They don’t know it, but it’s true. Titus 3:8, “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” The fact that we are the salt of the earth demonstrates the saving power Christians have in the world. We serve a purpose of good toward all the earth.
Second, the Word teaches us to respond appropriately to the things that might befall us here. Patience, submission to God’s will, humility, prayer, love, hope and faith are all God given concepts that each of us must live by no matter what circumstances come our way.
The purposes of God in sending Jesus were kept silent at first. Romans 16:25-27, “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.”
God’s design was to assemble all the faithful into one place under Christ, that is the church. The mystery was the church and the saving power of Jesus blood.
To be called according to God’s purpose is to be called by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
God calls the worthy and true souls to the Church – worthy in the sense that they are counted worthy because they obey the gospel – not worthy in the sense that they have earned salvation.
While it’s entirely true and scriptural that God’s servants must be faithful even in painful situations, Romans 8:28 isn’t teaching that all painful situations will work out for good. Some works are the works of the devil. They produce no good. They are harmful and destructive. The alcoholic father who beats and abuses his small child is not good for himself or the child. God is not the author of this action. Satan and sin are.
Divine providence is our cause for hope. There are things that are harmful to the soul. These things can hardly be referred to as things that work together for our good.
If we understand it properly Romans 8:28 is powerful in helping us live our lives. To understand and have faith that God has done everything necessary for us to secure salvation is a powerful truth. To understand that our faithful service will be rewarded with heaven is the most powerful promise of all time. It surpasses all the other promises ever made by God. It should sustain us and lift us up.
The providential help of God should also sustain us. We clearly must understand that God will see us through. Even if we are enduring hardships that make no sense to us, ones that seem to garner no good whatsoever…we must realize that God will see us through. We search for ways to come out of adversity stronger and more determined to live for God. However, not all things are GOOD. Some things that can happen to man are BAD. They reap only pain and sorrow. Our reaction to them can serve to break us, or make us stronger. Our determination coupled with God’s help will determine how we come out.
If we fail to believe that God will sustain us, then we miss the point and the promise. If we fail to realize that Satan’s hand is found in so many things – all things evil and destructive – then we leave ourselves open for disappointment. It can cost us our hope, too.
We’ve all seen or heard of people who blame God for the bad things that happen. The scriptures teach us that it’s impossible for God to do evil. He cannot lie. He cannot tempt men. It makes no sense for the God of Heaven who sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins to also purposefully cause men to suffer evil. The story of Job demonstrates that God will ALLOW men to be persecuted, but again there is a promise that He won’t allow it above what we are able to withstand.
1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
God is not to be blamed for all things. He can take a painful event and make it work to our eternal gain – if we serve Him faithfully. Romans 8:28 teaches us that we stand in need of nothing from heaven or men to save us. ALL things have been put into place to work together for our good. ALL things are in place that we might be saved. Unlike the ancient Hebrews we don’t look for a future promise of forgiveness or some other method of salvation. It’s in place. The price was paid on Calvary. And so we’re able to sing, “All things are ready, come to the feast.”
Heaven has done all things necessary for you to make heaven your home. If you miss it, it will only be because you failed to submit to the authority of God through Jesus Christ.
