Romans 8:28 (KJV) 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.

God Is a Good God

• Here’s a verse which is often quoted but little understood.
• It’s little understood because it’s taken out of context so much of the time.
• This verse does not say, ‘Every bad thing which happens, work’s together for our good.’
• That’s not what this verse says nor what Paul, writing by the Spirit of God, tried to convey.
• Without trying to over simply the case; God is a good God. The devil is a bad devil.
• Good things come from a good God. Bad things come from a bad devil.
• Bad things from the devil are nor meant for your good. They are meant for your destruction.
• The scripture teaches you to resist the devil.

James 4:7 (KJV) 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

• You resist the devil by resisting his works not by accepting them and saying all things will work together for my good.
• Paul starts with the words ‘We know.’
• That’s a positive assertion.
• Not we think so, not we hope so but rather we know.
• The ‘we’ Paul alludes to is the collective ‘we’.
• Paul includes himself with the entire church at Rome.

All Things Work Together

• Paul doesn’t specifically give the identity of the one who “works all things together for good” but it cannot be any other than God the Father.
• The Greek word work together is ‘synergos’.
• It means to engage in a cooperative endeavor, to work together with, to assist or help.
• The English word ‘synergy’ has a direct connection to this Greek word.
• Synergy is a harmonious working together or cooperation.
• In God is where all things work together harmoniously as they should.
• ‘Flowing together’ could be another way of saying this.
• In context, this happens when the Holy Spirit helps you to pray.
• Good is the result of this endeavor.
• Remember, we don’t know how to pray as we should.
• That’s why the Holy Spirit makes Himself available to help us.
• But, if we head out on our own, we end up being on our own.
• Everything flowing together, everything working toward a good end is the result of the Spirit’s intercession.

What Are the ‘All Things’ Spoken of Here?

• It has to apply back to the previous twenty-seven verses already laid out for us.
• Paul has shown us so far no condemnation can be applied to those who are in Christ (verses 1-4).
• Subsequently, we have victory over the flesh and access to the Holy Spirit in our lives.
• He gives life to our mortal bodies and gives guidance in putting the flesh under control, (verses 5-14).
• The believer next receives assurance that he has joined the ranks of a bona fide.
• He knows he is adopted into the family of God.
• A full adult.
• A legal son of God.
• A fellow heir with Jesus Christ (verses 15-17).
• Since the Christian has this lofty status, no suffering, or eager longing for the fullness of salvation, which he does not as of yet possess, can deter him.
• He waits in hope.
• He anticipates with expectancy.
• No endless desire and groaning for the promised full manifestation as sons of God and the final putting off of the sin nature derails him.
• No, we hope for what we do not see and we wait for it patiently (verses 18-25).
• Even in the area of prayer, where our weaknesses are exposed, where we do not know what or how to pray about the situations we face, even there we receive the help of the Holy Spirit of God who comes to give us a hand and help us pray the plan of God through (verses 26-27).
• The believer may be deterred in life but he cannot be stopped.
• He has too much help to fail.
• He has too many resources to not accomplish.
• The connection to the most powerful being in eternal existence, God Himself, has the force of covenant strength behind it.
• The love that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, has for him cannot be altered (verses 31-39).
• And with that context, we come to the statement ‘All things work together for good’.
• A believers response to this should be a resounding, ‘absolutely they do’.
• If God did all this for me, why wouldn’t all things work together for my good?

Who Qualifies for This Blessing?

• This ‘all things work together for the good’ blessing does not work for everyone in the world.
• It goes into operation, first, ‘for them that love God.’
• Second, it works for those ‘who are the called according to his purpose.’
• Both of these are qualifiers are exemplified in the Great Commandment located in the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 22:37–39 (KJV) 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

• The first qualifier, ‘for them that love God’ is found in the ‘loving God’ part of the Great Commandment.
• The second qualifier in Romans eight is that part of the Great Commandment which deals with loving your neighbor as yourself.
• What does being ‘called according to God’s purpose’ have to do with ‘loving your neighbor as yourself’?
• Every human person has a calling from God the Father.
• This calling follows the love characteristics of its Originator.
• Love concerns itself with others.
• It’ concern is that others may prosper.
• Whatever God has asked you to do, benefits, prospers or brings aid to humanity in some capacity.
• This is the area we are instructed by God to be richly involved in.

1 Timothy 6:18 (KJV) 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

Call to Action:

Walking in the two great commandments opens us to a world of right things which flow to us from heaven. How’s your love life then? Are you loving God with all that is within you? What about your neighbor? These are areas to check up on and adjust for they align you with this extraordinary truth in Romans eight.

Question: What illustration of this truth in Romans 8:28 have you experienced and would like to share? Please leave your testimony in the comments section below. 

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