Here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:
28And
we know that all [things] are working together into good to the ones loving
God, to ones being called ones according to purpose, 29because whom
He foreknew He also predestinated [to be] ones conformed to the image of His
Son, in order that He might be a firstborn among many brothers.
Wow. Now I really feel I need to take off my shoes. As I’ve related earlier and many others have said, Romans 8 is the pinnacle of the whole Bible. Then within Romans 8, this passage from v. 28 to 39 is the pinnacle of it all! Verse 28 is perhaps the most practically helpful verse in the entire Bible, but I think we’ll find v. 39 is nearly heaven’s doorstep! For now, I’ll try to content myself with a close look at vv. 28,29.
We start with those glorious words, “And we know that all things work together for good…” Who among us doesn’t nurse almost continually on these words? All. All things. All things are working together for good. Good. All things. All. I am very aware that I (and I’m sure you too) desperately need this verse because life is so overwhelmingly painful. I’ve never noticed, though, that that is not only true, but it is actually the context! What has been Paul been talking about ever since v.17? Suffering.
In fact, if you look at it closely, you’ll see that is the subject from v.17 all the way to the end of the chapter. Anyone else notice the paradox? The pinnacle of the Bible is a discourse on suffering, the theology of pain, if you will. Sufferology, I suppose. So, a proper sufferology begins with the assurance that all things, even pain, are working together for good, and concludes with the assurance that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord...and those two truths are the pinnacle of a believer’s life as we journey through this world! Hmmmm. That calls for some serious pondering!
I’m also struck by the realization of who is writing these words. Remember Paul is the guy who said of himself, “I have worked hard, been in prison frequently, been flogged severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked” (II Cor. 11:23-27).
I point all this out because so often we struggle with those words “all things … for good.” Good? “How can this be good?” we often ask ourselves. Maybe it helps to remember the guy who wrote those words? If anyone ever had a right to question the “good” in “all things,” it certainly would have been Paul. However, notice he didn’t say everything is good. He said all things work together for good.
Here's how I believe we have to understand this: In all of God’s creation, there are two beings who were given the power of choice, angels and humans. Apparently sometime after they were created, the angels of heaven were faced with the choice of being God’s servants or not. Satan obviously chose not (Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:12-14) and apparently took one third of the angels down with him (Rev. 12:4). They all became demons, while apparently the rest of the angels were “confirmed” in holiness. Meanwhile, God also created mankind, gave us the power of choice and we chose badly too. For whatever reason, God gave humans the ability to procreate and then each individual, in the lifetime they are given here on earth, much choose for themselves, Then, only upon death are we, like the angels, “confirmed” either in holiness or eternal damnation.
So, then, our present created universe is filled with creatures who’ve been given the freedom to choose, which on the upside is a great dignity, but on the downside our greatest danger -- the power to choose badly. In addition, as we learned earlier in Romans 8, because Adam chose sin, he, as the Federal Head, took down the entire creation with him, so that the very world in which we live is cursed and trying to kill us. And where does all of this choosing badly get us? It means we live in a universe of constant evil, pain, heartbreak, trouble, and sorrows. When those troubles come, is it God’s fault? Obviously, no. It was our choice. He in fact wants to give us heaven. “I go to prepare a place for you,” Jesus said. Now we see the amazing wisdom and power and love of God, who is so great, He takes hold of all our bad choosing and says, “I will commandeer it all so that, for those who love Me, in the end it will actually turn out for their good.”
Joseph understood. “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” Joseph was sold as a slave by his own brothers, falsely accused, thrown into prison, and forgotten for years. There was a LOT of bad choosing that went into all of that suffering, but what does he say, “God meant it for good.” For you and me, all of the bad choosing (ours, others, and that of demons) guarantees that ours will be a world of constant trouble. Sometimes that trouble may even be horrific – because we as humans are quite capable of unthinkable evil and cruelty to each other, while the demons and our world are literally trying to kill us! But our great God, while He grants to us that enormous dignity of choice, yet, commandeers it all so that even the worst of it, in the end, is for our good.
Personally, I think that is amazing.
It is a great source of hope to know that, no matter how bad the evil this world throws at us, our God has promised He will turn it all for our good. However, and I am absolutely convinced this is true – it is a FAR greater hope to know that the “all” includes my bad choices! As scary as this world’s evil may be, I am profoundly aware I am my own worst enemy. If there is anything that could keep me out of heaven, it will be me. In the end, none of all this sufferology really offers me any real hope unless I am assured that God’s love is greater than me and my stupidity.
Peek ahead again and how does He conclude this passage, the pinnacle of the Bible? “Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Praise be to Jesus that “nothing” includes me! Now that He has claimed me and caused me to cry, “Abba, Father!” even I can’t stop Him from loving me!
I say all of this knowing there are many well-meaning Christians who want to believe and teach that our salvation is conditional, that we can lose it if we really screw it all up. In layman’s terms, my answer to that is simply this: “I am my own worst enemy. If Jesus didn’t save me from me, then the plain simple fact is He didn’t save me at all.” Well, praise God He did. The book of Hebrews says He saved me “to the uttermost.” Earlier in Romans we learned that “God commends His love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (5:8).
What an amazing hope it is for us to know our God has promised to work all things together for our good. However, what I find most amazing is to realize that even includes my bad choices. I’ve made MANY since the day He saved me, but He has taken even my bad choices and turned them around in the end to bring about great good in my life. I don’t want to make bad choices. I’m very glad the day will come when I too will be confirmed in holiness and never even want to sin again, but until then, I know myself and, no matter how hard I try, I will still screw it all up.
But He says, “All things …”
“Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God …”
That, to me, is amazing.
