Romans Chapter 8 Vs. 28

 

Future Glory

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. Rom 8:28

work together for... Greek: sunergeo. Here; Mark 16:20; 1Cor. 16:16; 2Cor. 6:1; Jas. 2:22. While all things are working, God’s providence is working in behalf of them who love God and who walk obediently according to His purpose.

This is another Scripture that is many times misunderstood, because most people stop reading when it says “to them that love God”. It truly says much more than that though. Are we fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives? If you are, then all things work together for good to you. The key is “them that are called according to His purpose”.

People in all types of ministry forget that God has called them to a particular ministry, and they hurry to get into something of their own choosing. The ministry that God will bless you in is the one He called you to. Sometimes we do not realize exactly what God would have us to do. If we would get alone with God and pray and ask Him, He will reveal unto us what He would have us to do.

“To them that love God”, is the human perspective. God is working all things together for good, but those who love God are best able to appreciate that fact because they love Him no matter what. “To them who are the called” is the divine perspective. Scripture often refers to believers as “the called” or “the elect”.

Certainty of sanctification

This section on the doctrine of a believer’s sanctification (Rom. 8:28-39) logically follows the discussion of its goal or end (Rom. 8:18-27). To discuss the goal of sanctification — a believer’s hope, which he awaits eagerly and steadfastly — is pointless unless realizing that goal is certain. God provided that certainty and confirms the believer’s hope, since sanctification from its beginning in regeneration to its completion in glorification is ultimately God’s work, which believers appropriate by faith (cf. Phlp. 1:6).

Believers, Paul began, know of sanctification’s certainty, and that knowledge is gained by spiritual perception. Christians know intuitively (oidamen) — though they may not always fully understand and sense it experientially — that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him (lit., “to the ones who love God He works all things together unto good”). The things themselves may not be good, but God harmonizes them together for believers’ ultimate good, because His goal is to bring them to perfection in His presence (cf. Eph. 1:4; 5:27; Col. 1:22; Jude 1:24). Even adversities and afflictions contribute to that end. The active voice present tense of the verb synergei (“He works together”) emphasizes that this is a continuing activity of God. And His working is on behalf of “those who love Him,” who are further identified as the ones who have been called according to His purpose. It is significant that a believer’s love for God follows God’s calling of him and is undoubtedly the product of the indwelling Holy Spirit (cf. Rom. 5:5; 1Jhn. 4:19). The word for “purpose” is prothesin, God’s plan (Paul used the same word in Rom. 9:11; Eph. 1:11; 3:11). “Called” means more than being invited to receive Christ; it means to be summoned to and given salvation (cf. Rom. 1:6; 8:30).