God Works For Good in All Things
Romans 8:28 (Audio Only)
We come today to what may be the most famous verse of Romans Chapter 8. More importantly, we’re beginning the grand crescendo of living victoriously in the Christian life.
The context in Romans Chapter 8 has been
1). Immeasurable power because the Holy Spirit lives in us
2). Immeasurable confidence because we are children of God
And this power and this confidence are what enable us to live the victorious Christian life. And today, we start the grand finale of the confidence and victory that we have IN Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s start with a quick review because the message today is dependent on an understanding of the context.
Verses 1-11 By our position IN Christ and by the Holy Spirit living in us, God has given us true life.
Verse 12 And so, we are debtors to live this life by the Spirit.
Verse 14 All those who are led by the Spirit are children of God
Verse 15 We’ve received the Spirit of adoption crying out ABBA, Father
Verse 17 We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ and also there is some suffering guaranteed – BUT
Verse 18 The suffering isn’t worth comparing with the glory that’s going to be revealed to us and in us
Verses 19-23 And until then we are groaning in good company
Verses 24-25 Because of our weakness the Holy Spirit helps us – he intercedes for us groaning on our behalf
Verse 27 AND the interceding of the Holy Spirit for us is in perfect alignment with the will of God
And then, verse 28 is a culmination of our guaranteed confidence
Verse 28 assures us, in light of all the incredible truths that have come before it, verse 28 guarantees us that God works all things together for good for those who love him.
Verse 28 is the beginning of the grand finales of living victoriously in the Christian life. Let’s read this famous verse and notice it begins with a conjunction – meaning it is connected to the previous verses.
Romans 8:28 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
If we will build a solid foundation of absolute confidence and firm belief in this great verse, then we will have an unshakable faith. A faith by which God will take us through any situation, any circumstance, and any trial. There is nothing that can stand up against this unchangeable truth of God in your life.
Romans 8:28 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
What could we accomplish, what could we get through, what could we be victorious over if we really, truly, absolutely, one hundred percent believed this scripture? Guys, we could live victoriously in any circumstance we find ourselves in.
Unfortunately, we often quote this verse (or have it quoted to us) and yet never really, truly, absolutely, one hundred percent believe it. My challenge to us today, is for us to see this verse as the beginning of the grand finale of our victorious life in the Spirit, and that we truly, absolutely, one hundred percent believe it.
In order for us to do that, we’ve got to understand a few ground rules for this verse.
1). This verse only applies to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.
Do you love God today? I’m sorry to tell you, but that doesn’t mean – do you believe that God exists? The question is – Do you really love him with all your heart, soul, and mind? This is not meant to exclude believers from this promise. It’s meant as the broadest description of who this verse applies to. If you love God today, then this promise is guaranteed for you!
And then, at the end of the verse, what looks like it might be a condition is really a further description of those who love God. If you love God today, then you are called according to his purpose. And if you’re not sure if you’re called according to his purpose, then – love God – and you’ll find out that you are!
Okay, there’s one more thing we’ve got to understand here…
2). We’ve got to understand what type of good God is working all things together FOR
Is it saying that God is going to make your “temporal circumstances” good? NO! The problem with temporal circumstances is they are temporary and God is eternal, and you are made in his (eternal) image. There is no way to say this verse means God is focused on making your temporal circumstances good because it would be the furthest thing in the world from the context of the chapter – not to mention the entire New Testament.
Now, Matthew Chapter 6 says God will provide for your temporary needs. But even when he’s providing for our temporary needs, the “good” he is bringing into our lives is always for our eternal good and his eternal purpose.
Now, I realize some may have this gnawing feeling that eternal good is all right and all, but what we really want is for God to work some good old temporary good for us, right now!!
But God loves you soooo much… that his purpose is for your highest and best good, and that is the good he’s working out in your life. If you’re a parent today, I hope you would agree with God that working for your child’s highest and best good is far better than just giving them everything they want, right? And that is exactly what God is doing for us.
If you love God today, then God is right now, right in the midst of your current situation, God is at work, for your good. I can guarantee it because God’s Word guarantees it.
In this verse, God is giving us a one hundred percent guarantee that in every circumstance that occurs in a believer’s life, God is at work for good.
Let’s read it again from the NIV.
Romans 8:28 (NIV)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
“In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” The verb “works” here is the Greek active, present tense. It means God is actively, presently, always working in all things for the good of those who love him. And if you love God today, then God is at work, for good, in every “thing” that happens in your life – in ALL things. Things good, things bad, and things seemingly insignificant. In all things, God is at work for your good.
What is it that you are going through today? If you love God, then God is at work for your good right in the middle of that situation. The question is not is this verse true? The question is not is this what the Bible says? The only question is do you believe it?
The secret to believing that God is working all things together for our good is seeing (by faith) the events of our lives from God’s perspective. God is eternally omniscient, immutable, omnipotent. Those are three pretty big words, but understanding them will help us see things from God’s perspective.
1). God is ETERNALLY OMNISCIENT
That means, from eternity, God knows all things. God cannot learn. He is not waiting to see how something will “turn out.” He’s not waiting to see if you’ll receive Christ as your Savior. He’s not waiting to see if you love him. He’s not waiting to see if you will be one of his children. God knows all things from eternity. He is outside of time. God knows all things that have or will ever happen in your life.
He knows – and in a way that you and I cannot understand, God is at work IN all those things for your ultimate good!
2). God is ETERNALLY IMMUTABLE
This simply means God cannot change. So, his guaranteed promises to you can never change. When he promised that nothing can ever separate you from his love, that can never change. And when he promised to work all things together for good, that can never change. Because God can never change. His promises are as sure as his unchangeable nature. So, IF he knows all things that ever have or ever will happen in your life, and if his promise to work them all together for good is an unchangeable guarantee based on his nature, then the only question is: Is he powerful enough?
3). God is ETERNALLY OMNIPOTENT
There is nothing outside God’s power and God’s control. That does not mean that God should fix every pain and right every wrong in this temporal life. It means when God is at work for our good, there is nothing that can stop him from bringing his good to pass in our lives. No circumstance, no heartache, no trial, no tragedy that can stop God from working all things together for good in our lives.
He knows all things.
His promise can never change.
There is nothing powerful enough to stop him.
But, do you believe it? Do you really believe it?
What if God gave you an incredible proof text? Something so guaranteed, so amazing that you would be left in awe at God’s promise to you? What if God flatly stated to you that he has absolutely guaranteed your ultimate eternal good? Would you receive it? Would you be so encouraged that it would change how you view your circumstances? I hope so because that is exactly what God has done right in the next two verses.
Now, let’s make sure we stay in context here. We’ve already reviewed verses 1-27, and we know the context is the absolute confidence of victory that we have as God’s children. And then verse 28 brings this immeasurable confidence to the grand finale… that God is at work in all things for our good. And then, verses 29 and 30 are written as an undebatable defense of the guarantee that God will cause all things to work together for the good of those who love him.
Now, these two verses have been used for centuries to try to prove opinions and doctrines, and in our next message, we’ll look at these scriptures in the light of some of the deepest theological truths there are. But I promise you, the truest truths of God’s Word are always found in the context of the teaching. And the primary context of this text is to give you the strongest possible encouragement that God will work all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.
This is the stuff that will really change the way we live for God, IF we will absolutely, totally, one hundred percent believe it. So, for today, please consider these verses only from the undebatable defense that God is working all things together for your good because that is the greatest truth we find here.
Romans 8:29-30 (ESV)
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.
Look at the first word “For.” That is a “connecting word.” This is not a new subject (thought), it is a continuation of the truth of Romans 8:28, and actually, these verses are the proof text of Romans 8:28. They are an irrefutable argument that God is at work in all things for our ultimate good. These verses were not written to fuel a theological debate. These verses were written to fuel great, incredible, off-the-chart encouragement that God is at work in all things for the good of those who love him.
1). We know that God is at work for our good because whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son
2). We know that God is at work for our good because whom he predestined he also called
3). We know that God is at work for our good because those whom he called he also justified
4). We know that God is at work for our good because those whom he justified he also glorified.
Guys, these two verses are proving that God is at work in all things for our good. These verses were written to prove the “life-changing” guarantee of verse 28, that God is at work in the midst of your circumstances for so much good that he already calls you glorified in the past tense! Now that is some serious good. And like I said, in our next message we’ll dive into the deep truths that are referenced here. But today, we have to make one thing loud and clear.
God is at work in all things for your good.
And where God exists, he has already brought your good to pass.
Now, there is one last issue we need to deal with today. If I say to you God is at work in all things for your good, would you possibly say to me… “What about sin? Does sin stop God from working all things together for good?”
Please listen carefully. The only sin that God will not work in for good is the sin of unbelief. Because the sin of unbelief prevents you from loving God and prevents you from being called according to his purpose. If you remain in your sin of unbelief, I promise you, ultimately, nothing is going to work out for your good. But, aside from the sin of unbelief, I want you to know… not even sin can overcome the power of God to work all things together for good in your life.
Now please hear me. That is not a license to sin. Sin brings consequences. Sin separates us from God and sin will bring destruction into your life. I am not saying it is okay to sin.
But remember – God is
Eternally Omniscient (He knew that sin was coming)
Eternally Immutable (His promise to you will never change)
Eternally Omnipotent… which means not even your sin (aside from unbelief) can overcome God’s power to work all things together for good.
God never condones your sin. But God is powerful enough and all-knowing enough that he is at work even in the midst of sin to bring about good for all those who love him.
Now, let me say one other thing about sin not being able to overcome the power of God. To some extent, all of us have been the victim of someone else’s sin. There are some who have been sinned against in ways that seem to damage, or even destroy our entire lives. But I want you to know that that sin that was committed against you is not more powerful than God! The damage that sin has done is not more powerful than God’s promise to work all things together for good.
I know sometimes it seems almost impossible to believe, but I promise you on the guarantee of the Word of God, God knows all about it and it can never – in any way – change his promise to you, and it is not more powerful than God’s power to work all things together for good. I know it’s hard to hear, and I’m sorry. But God wants you to know that in the midst of sin, whether yours or sin committed against you, God’s promise to you does not change! And his power to heal you, and his power to work for your good does not change.
You must trust God more than you question the events of your life. You must believe that God will work for good more than you believe the pain of your circumstances. You must walk in the promises of God more than you walk in the effects of this life. I know sometimes that walk can be slow and difficult. But please, walk in the promises of God more than you walk in the effects of this life.
Remember, there are just two conditions in this verse.
1). It is for those who love God
2). It is for those who are called according to his purpose which means you love God
And if those two things are true, then I can absolutely, confidently guarantee that God is at work, right now, in your life for good and he will work all things in your life together for good. The only question today is: Will you believe him?
But what if you would say, “I know nothing of all of this! I don’t understand it. I need further explanation.”?
I can tell you not only how to understand it, but how to experience it in your life. The answer is seen clearly in a poem written by James Montgomery in the 1850’s.
James Montgomery The Lot of the Righteous
Yet, while their hearts and hopes are fix’d above,
As those who lean on everlasting love,
On faithfulness, which…uphold(s) them to the end;
By them, by them alone ‘tis understood,
How all things work together for their good.
Would’st THOU too understand? – behold I show
The perfect way, – Love GOD, and thou shall know.
Love God. Love him with all your heart, soul, and mind. And please walk in this promise of God!
The context in Romans Chapter 8 has been
1). Immeasurable power because the Holy Spirit lives in us
2). Immeasurable confidence because we are children of God
And this power and this confidence are what enable us to live the victorious Christian life. And today, we start the grand finale of the confidence and victory that we have IN Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s start with a quick review because the message today is dependent on an understanding of the context.
Verses 1-11 By our position IN Christ and by the Holy Spirit living in us, God has given us true life.
Verse 12 And so, we are debtors to live this life by the Spirit.
Verse 14 All those who are led by the Spirit are children of God
Verse 15 We’ve received the Spirit of adoption crying out ABBA, Father
Verse 17 We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ and also there is some suffering guaranteed – BUT
Verse 18 The suffering isn’t worth comparing with the glory that’s going to be revealed to us and in us
Verses 19-23 And until then we are groaning in good company
Verses 24-25 Because of our weakness the Holy Spirit helps us – he intercedes for us groaning on our behalf
Verse 27 AND the interceding of the Holy Spirit for us is in perfect alignment with the will of God
And then, verse 28 is a culmination of our guaranteed confidence
Verse 28 assures us, in light of all the incredible truths that have come before it, verse 28 guarantees us that God works all things together for good for those who love him.
Verse 28 is the beginning of the grand finales of living victoriously in the Christian life. Let’s read this famous verse and notice it begins with a conjunction – meaning it is connected to the previous verses.
Romans 8:28 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
If we will build a solid foundation of absolute confidence and firm belief in this great verse, then we will have an unshakable faith. A faith by which God will take us through any situation, any circumstance, and any trial. There is nothing that can stand up against this unchangeable truth of God in your life.
Romans 8:28 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
What could we accomplish, what could we get through, what could we be victorious over if we really, truly, absolutely, one hundred percent believed this scripture? Guys, we could live victoriously in any circumstance we find ourselves in.
Unfortunately, we often quote this verse (or have it quoted to us) and yet never really, truly, absolutely, one hundred percent believe it. My challenge to us today, is for us to see this verse as the beginning of the grand finale of our victorious life in the Spirit, and that we truly, absolutely, one hundred percent believe it.
In order for us to do that, we’ve got to understand a few ground rules for this verse.
1). This verse only applies to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.
Do you love God today? I’m sorry to tell you, but that doesn’t mean – do you believe that God exists? The question is – Do you really love him with all your heart, soul, and mind? This is not meant to exclude believers from this promise. It’s meant as the broadest description of who this verse applies to. If you love God today, then this promise is guaranteed for you!
And then, at the end of the verse, what looks like it might be a condition is really a further description of those who love God. If you love God today, then you are called according to his purpose. And if you’re not sure if you’re called according to his purpose, then – love God – and you’ll find out that you are!
Okay, there’s one more thing we’ve got to understand here…
2). We’ve got to understand what type of good God is working all things together FOR
Is it saying that God is going to make your “temporal circumstances” good? NO! The problem with temporal circumstances is they are temporary and God is eternal, and you are made in his (eternal) image. There is no way to say this verse means God is focused on making your temporal circumstances good because it would be the furthest thing in the world from the context of the chapter – not to mention the entire New Testament.
Now, Matthew Chapter 6 says God will provide for your temporary needs. But even when he’s providing for our temporary needs, the “good” he is bringing into our lives is always for our eternal good and his eternal purpose.
Now, I realize some may have this gnawing feeling that eternal good is all right and all, but what we really want is for God to work some good old temporary good for us, right now!!
But God loves you soooo much… that his purpose is for your highest and best good, and that is the good he’s working out in your life. If you’re a parent today, I hope you would agree with God that working for your child’s highest and best good is far better than just giving them everything they want, right? And that is exactly what God is doing for us.
If you love God today, then God is right now, right in the midst of your current situation, God is at work, for your good. I can guarantee it because God’s Word guarantees it.
In this verse, God is giving us a one hundred percent guarantee that in every circumstance that occurs in a believer’s life, God is at work for good.
Let’s read it again from the NIV.
Romans 8:28 (NIV)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
“In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” The verb “works” here is the Greek active, present tense. It means God is actively, presently, always working in all things for the good of those who love him. And if you love God today, then God is at work, for good, in every “thing” that happens in your life – in ALL things. Things good, things bad, and things seemingly insignificant. In all things, God is at work for your good.
What is it that you are going through today? If you love God, then God is at work for your good right in the middle of that situation. The question is not is this verse true? The question is not is this what the Bible says? The only question is do you believe it?
The secret to believing that God is working all things together for our good is seeing (by faith) the events of our lives from God’s perspective. God is eternally omniscient, immutable, omnipotent. Those are three pretty big words, but understanding them will help us see things from God’s perspective.
1). God is ETERNALLY OMNISCIENT
That means, from eternity, God knows all things. God cannot learn. He is not waiting to see how something will “turn out.” He’s not waiting to see if you’ll receive Christ as your Savior. He’s not waiting to see if you love him. He’s not waiting to see if you will be one of his children. God knows all things from eternity. He is outside of time. God knows all things that have or will ever happen in your life.
He knows – and in a way that you and I cannot understand, God is at work IN all those things for your ultimate good!
2). God is ETERNALLY IMMUTABLE
This simply means God cannot change. So, his guaranteed promises to you can never change. When he promised that nothing can ever separate you from his love, that can never change. And when he promised to work all things together for good, that can never change. Because God can never change. His promises are as sure as his unchangeable nature. So, IF he knows all things that ever have or ever will happen in your life, and if his promise to work them all together for good is an unchangeable guarantee based on his nature, then the only question is: Is he powerful enough?
3). God is ETERNALLY OMNIPOTENT
There is nothing outside God’s power and God’s control. That does not mean that God should fix every pain and right every wrong in this temporal life. It means when God is at work for our good, there is nothing that can stop him from bringing his good to pass in our lives. No circumstance, no heartache, no trial, no tragedy that can stop God from working all things together for good in our lives.
He knows all things.
His promise can never change.
There is nothing powerful enough to stop him.
But, do you believe it? Do you really believe it?
What if God gave you an incredible proof text? Something so guaranteed, so amazing that you would be left in awe at God’s promise to you? What if God flatly stated to you that he has absolutely guaranteed your ultimate eternal good? Would you receive it? Would you be so encouraged that it would change how you view your circumstances? I hope so because that is exactly what God has done right in the next two verses.
Now, let’s make sure we stay in context here. We’ve already reviewed verses 1-27, and we know the context is the absolute confidence of victory that we have as God’s children. And then verse 28 brings this immeasurable confidence to the grand finale… that God is at work in all things for our good. And then, verses 29 and 30 are written as an undebatable defense of the guarantee that God will cause all things to work together for the good of those who love him.
Now, these two verses have been used for centuries to try to prove opinions and doctrines, and in our next message, we’ll look at these scriptures in the light of some of the deepest theological truths there are. But I promise you, the truest truths of God’s Word are always found in the context of the teaching. And the primary context of this text is to give you the strongest possible encouragement that God will work all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.
This is the stuff that will really change the way we live for God, IF we will absolutely, totally, one hundred percent believe it. So, for today, please consider these verses only from the undebatable defense that God is working all things together for your good because that is the greatest truth we find here.
Romans 8:29-30 (ESV)
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.
Look at the first word “For.” That is a “connecting word.” This is not a new subject (thought), it is a continuation of the truth of Romans 8:28, and actually, these verses are the proof text of Romans 8:28. They are an irrefutable argument that God is at work in all things for our ultimate good. These verses were not written to fuel a theological debate. These verses were written to fuel great, incredible, off-the-chart encouragement that God is at work in all things for the good of those who love him.
1). We know that God is at work for our good because whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son
2). We know that God is at work for our good because whom he predestined he also called
3). We know that God is at work for our good because those whom he called he also justified
4). We know that God is at work for our good because those whom he justified he also glorified.
Guys, these two verses are proving that God is at work in all things for our good. These verses were written to prove the “life-changing” guarantee of verse 28, that God is at work in the midst of your circumstances for so much good that he already calls you glorified in the past tense! Now that is some serious good. And like I said, in our next message we’ll dive into the deep truths that are referenced here. But today, we have to make one thing loud and clear.
God is at work in all things for your good.
And where God exists, he has already brought your good to pass.
Now, there is one last issue we need to deal with today. If I say to you God is at work in all things for your good, would you possibly say to me… “What about sin? Does sin stop God from working all things together for good?”
Please listen carefully. The only sin that God will not work in for good is the sin of unbelief. Because the sin of unbelief prevents you from loving God and prevents you from being called according to his purpose. If you remain in your sin of unbelief, I promise you, ultimately, nothing is going to work out for your good. But, aside from the sin of unbelief, I want you to know… not even sin can overcome the power of God to work all things together for good in your life.
Now please hear me. That is not a license to sin. Sin brings consequences. Sin separates us from God and sin will bring destruction into your life. I am not saying it is okay to sin.
But remember – God is
Eternally Omniscient (He knew that sin was coming)
Eternally Immutable (His promise to you will never change)
Eternally Omnipotent… which means not even your sin (aside from unbelief) can overcome God’s power to work all things together for good.
God never condones your sin. But God is powerful enough and all-knowing enough that he is at work even in the midst of sin to bring about good for all those who love him.
Now, let me say one other thing about sin not being able to overcome the power of God. To some extent, all of us have been the victim of someone else’s sin. There are some who have been sinned against in ways that seem to damage, or even destroy our entire lives. But I want you to know that that sin that was committed against you is not more powerful than God! The damage that sin has done is not more powerful than God’s promise to work all things together for good.
I know sometimes it seems almost impossible to believe, but I promise you on the guarantee of the Word of God, God knows all about it and it can never – in any way – change his promise to you, and it is not more powerful than God’s power to work all things together for good. I know it’s hard to hear, and I’m sorry. But God wants you to know that in the midst of sin, whether yours or sin committed against you, God’s promise to you does not change! And his power to heal you, and his power to work for your good does not change.
You must trust God more than you question the events of your life. You must believe that God will work for good more than you believe the pain of your circumstances. You must walk in the promises of God more than you walk in the effects of this life. I know sometimes that walk can be slow and difficult. But please, walk in the promises of God more than you walk in the effects of this life.
Remember, there are just two conditions in this verse.
1). It is for those who love God
2). It is for those who are called according to his purpose which means you love God
And if those two things are true, then I can absolutely, confidently guarantee that God is at work, right now, in your life for good and he will work all things in your life together for good. The only question today is: Will you believe him?
But what if you would say, “I know nothing of all of this! I don’t understand it. I need further explanation.”?
I can tell you not only how to understand it, but how to experience it in your life. The answer is seen clearly in a poem written by James Montgomery in the 1850’s.
James Montgomery The Lot of the Righteous
Yet, while their hearts and hopes are fix’d above,
As those who lean on everlasting love,
On faithfulness, which…uphold(s) them to the end;
By them, by them alone ‘tis understood,
How all things work together for their good.
Would’st THOU too understand? – behold I show
The perfect way, – Love GOD, and thou shall know.
Love God. Love him with all your heart, soul, and mind. And please walk in this promise of God!