Eld Ko Swee Chay

All Things Work Together for Good (Romans 8:28)

Introduction

Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:28 that God works all things together for the believer’s good: “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.” This is perhaps one of the most famous, most memorized and most quoted verses in the New Testament. This verse brings comfort, assurance and hope to Christians, especially during trials and tribulation. But sadly, this verse is often misinterpreted and misapplied due to a lack of understanding. Let us have a deeper look at this wonderful verse so that it can be a source of comfort for us in times of trouble such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

1. “And we know”

Paul uses the phrase “And we know” to show his conviction of the certainty and assurance in this wonderful promise from God: “all things work together for good”. It is not “And we think”, or “And we hope”. But Paul confidently says “we know” based on God’s perfect Word:

• the nature and character of God revealed in the Bible - He is the Almighty, all-present, all-powerful, all-knowing, pure, holy, faithful, sovereign, one and only living and true God, who is in total control of all things.
• the testimonies and experiences of the saints of old such as Joseph and Job - Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery and suffered many trials, but when he became the Prime Minister of Egypt and met his siblings again, he was able to say to them, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Gen 50:20). Job suffered greatly. He lost all his vast possessions and livestock, and his 7 sons and 3 daughters in rapid succession, and his health; and his wife despised and mocked him. Amid great agony he continued to fear, trust, acknowledge and draw nigh to God -“Job answered the LORD and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.” (Job 42:1, 2 & 5b). Following his repentance, the LORD blessed him, “So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning ….” (Job 42:12a).

Paul could speak with confidence and certainty that “all things work together for good”. This was not based upon feelings but God’s unchanging and eternal Word. That is why the word for “know” points to cognitive knowledge rather than experiential knowledge. If it was on feelings, then the knowledge would be wobbly as our feelings keep fluctuating.  

2. “All things work together for good”

This is a wonderful and glorious promise from God. “All things” literally means ALL things - each and every circumstance one might experience in life, both pleasant and unpleasant - health and sickness, gain and loss, prosperity and adversity, etc. The present active tense of “work together” stresses that this is an ongoing work of God in the lives of believers, in that all things worked together in the past, work together now and will always be working together in the future. “Work together” has the idea of togetherness. These trials and persecutions work together with God’s grace and mercies that will bring about goodness in every believer’s life. In themselves, the trials are onerous and hard to bear. But when mixed with His grace and mercies they become bearable and even bring out the spiritual good. These will drive the believer closer to God.  

When God says, “all things”, He really does mean ALL things, even when we sin! Our sin should humble us, lead us to repentance and receive God’s forgiveness. It helps us to be dependent on the grace of God and empathise with the struggles of other brethren. These things in themselves may even be evil, but God out of His eternal wisdom and plan overrules them and mixes it with His mercies and grace and causes them to work for good to His children. His goal is to make them more and more like Christ as they serve Him.    

3. “To them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose”

Take note that this verse is not for everyone. Paul stipulated two prerequisites to receive God’s promise of “all things work together for good”: 1) to them that love God, 2) to them who are the called according to His purpose. Therefore, this promise can be claimed only by those who love God and are called, i.e. God only bestows this promise to truly born-again Christians.

Paul describes the beneficiaries of this promise firstly by what they do toward God, and secondly by what God did toward them. All things work together for good, firstly “to them that love God.” The beneficiaries of this promise are people who love God. “THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND. This is the first and great commandment.” (Matt 22:37-38). This is agape love. This is a love that keeps on loving God unconditionally and sacrificially. The reason the love motive is emphasized is because the persecuted Christian can become bitter and vengeful when he is badly treated for the sake of Christ. With the bitter and vengeful heart, the trial will not become good for the believer. The believer lives in sin when he is bitter. But when the love of God prevails, he learns to forgive and even do good to his enemies. He is able to show the love of Christ to these sinners who persecute him. Hopefully these sinners might even become believers one day. This is good for all concerned.

Secondly “to those who are the called according to his purpose.” Take note that God is not working to make things good to make believers happy, wealthy and healthy, but to fulfil His purpose. The word “purpose”, which Paul uses here and in other verses (Rom 9:11; Eph 1:11 and 3:11; 2 Tim 1:9), means God’s plan or intention. This implies that God has a purpose, for all Christians. All believers are saved to serve. All believers are called to serve in the place and ministry that God has prepared for them. In their service God promises that all things will work out for their good. They will serve more effectively and be a blessing to others. They will be encouraged in their hearts as they serve, knowing that what God has planned for them will surely come to pass as they serve faithfully. The obstacles and attacks will be turned by God to accomplish His purpose in the believer’s life. This is a goodness that strengthens the believer’s faith and trust in the LORD.

4. An example – the life of Joseph

The experience and testimony of Joseph recorded in Genesis 37-50 is a good example for us to learn about how God marvellously worked together all things for the good of his servant who loved God and was called with a purpose. Joseph’s purpose was to bring Jacob and his family to Egypt. He suffered tremendously after he was sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers, but he trusted his God. When he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife, he said, “…. how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9). Though he was falsely accused and put into prison, God was with him and helped and protected him, and he was put in charge of the prison. Later, God enabled him to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, and he was highly esteemed by Pharaoh: “Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?” (Gen 41:38). God made him the ruler in Egypt. During the famine, Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt to buy food. He didn’t take revenge on them but said to them, “Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.” (Gen 50:19–21).

From this account, we can see that Joseph truly loved God. Amid all the trials and temptations, God guided and accomplished in Joseph’s life all that He had intended for him. Clearly God works all things together for good to those who love him and are the called according to His divine purpose.

5. Application – amid Covid-19 Pandemic

As of the third week of July 2020, 15 million people worldwide have been infected by Corona Virus and 618,000 have died. In Singapore, almost 49,000 confirmed cases and 27 deaths have been reported. Six months have passed since the onset of Covid-19. Vaccines and treatments are not available yet. Lockdowns in countries and cities continue. Movements and activities are still restricted. The world is in turmoil. Global economic and financial crisis are before us. People have lost jobs. Fresh graduates are struggling to find jobs. Naturally many people are worried about the impact of this unprecedented pandemic. They are afraid for themselves and their families’ safety and health. They wonder when the pandemic will end, and what the future will be like.  

As Christians we must know from Romans 8:28 that our lives, safety and future are in God’s hands, not in our own hands, nor in the hands of our Government and the leaders of the world. God knows the future of all things, especially the future of every believer. He will order and cause all things that happen in all believers’ lives to work together for their good. God will continue to care for us regardless of all calamities. Ask God to help us to calmly face the pandemic; to believe that Covid-19 is God’s warning and reminder to mankind that there is a God and it is permitted by Him and the second coming of Christ is near; and more importantly to help us to be prepared and ready for that day. May the Word of God comfort and encourage our hearts, give us peace and strengthen our faith and trust in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in times like this. AMEN.