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Grounded-In-Biblical-Truth |
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A very sweet consolation is found in Romans 8:28: "all things work together for good."
This consolation declares that there is a cooperation of all the things that happen, resulting in the blessedness of those to whom they occur. Their prosperity, as well as their adversity, result in their good. Their joy and happiness, as well as their suffering and sadness, result in their good. Nothing is excluded from this formula. "All things work together for good"! However, this very sweet consolation is not applicable to everyone. We observe this fact when this text is read in its context, realizing that a text removed from its context is a pretext. This text does not read "all things work together for good" ... period. Surely we would not apply it to the Antedeluvians who perished in the Noahic Deluge (Genesis chapters 6f), nor to the Egyptians who experienced the ten plagues (Exodus chapters 7-12). Who would be so cruel and deceitful as to say to the those who would perish in these catastrophes, "Do not let these things worry you, because you know that God's Word declares that 'all things work together for good'"! This text is certainly not applicable to everyone!
Rather, upon reading this text in its context, we observe that its consolation is qualified in a two-fold manner.
1) This consolation is qualified with regard to human responsibility: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God ...." None but those who fulfill their obligation to love God (Matthew 22:37f; John 14:15,21) are here provided consolation. Holy Scriptures contain many proofs of the consolation here declared for lovers of God. Job's trials and tribulation were of epic proportions -- loss of property, children, health, and brotherly kindness, and yet we read "Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning" (Job 42:12). Joseph suffered the cruelest treatment from his brothers, but afterward said to them, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20). The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the most hideous event in all history, but it resulted in His own resurrection and exaltation (Philippians 2:9f), and in the redemption of His people (Isaiah 53). Truly "all things work together for good to those who love God".
2) This consolation is qualified with regard to divine sovereignty: "And we know that all things work together for good ... to those who are the called according to His purpose."
Those who are "the called according to [God's] purpose" are all who acknowledge that "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). None will truly love God unless God previously loved him and effectively called him in spiritual regeneration.
Those who are "the called according to [God's] purpose" furthermore acknowledge that "[God] has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began" (1 Timothy 1:9). They were saved and called according to God's purpose, not their own. God's purpose is revealed in Jesus Christ alone, so that none except those who are in Christ benefit from it. And God's purpose is eternal, having been purposed before the foundation of the world.
The two verses following this consolation confirm the truth of this qualification (vv.29f): "For whom He foreknew [these being the "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father", 1 Peter 1:9], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [Jesus Christ], that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." None but those who have been foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified are qualified to rest assured that "all things work together for good".
Are all things working together for your good?
Your servant for Jesus' sake.
Address all questions to pastor
Daniel E. Parks (2 Corinthians 4:5) e-mail RedeemerBC@aol.com
Pastor, Redeemer Baptist Church
2801 Cleveland Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40206 / 502.899-9205
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