ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD

Text: Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to #tisJ purpose.

lntroduction
This verse is one of the most used and perhaps most misunderstood in the Bible
today.

A.

WE KNOW - Many people don't know. They live lives that show they
don't know. They live lives that declare - I don't know:

o
.
.
.
o
.

His love
His kindness
His mercy
His ways
His plans
His mind

But this verse declares WE KNC\lr/.

1. Our Knowledge

Has Limits

Paul told the Corinthians church that the spiritual gifts which the Lord has given
to the church have limits: because we are not God.
1 Corinthians 13:9 - "For we know in part, and we prophesy in
versions word it this way:

part." Other

Our knowledge is incomplete and our ability to speak what God has revealed is
incomplete. (God's Word)
For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; (Good
News Bible)

2.
'1

Our Knowledge Shows How Well We Know God

John 2:3 - And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments.

Obedience to God's commandments proves our knowledge of God. We know

Him if we obey Him. Obedience brings revelation. lt brings intimacy and
involvement into the mind of God.

3.

When Jesus Appears We Will Be Like Him

1 John 3:2 - Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like
him; for we shall see him as he is.

Ultimately, we will be like Jesus when He returns and we see Him. We don't yet
know what we will be, but when we see Him, we will be like Him. I believe this is
applicable for today as well. When He appears in our midst, we can glimpse Him
and be like Him.

4. By Our Love for

One Another We Know We Are ln the Truth

'l John 3:18-19 My little children, Iet us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in
deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure
our heafts before him.
How do we know we are walking in truth? When our love for each other is more
powerful than our selfish desires to see all of our differences, faults, failings, and
sins. When our love for each other is willing to speak the truth in love rather than
hide the truth in timidity.

5. The Lord Abides ln Us

1 John 3:24 - And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in

him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given
us.

The abiding presence of God, the Holy Spirit of God, is the proof that the Lord is
ever with us, and not just with us, but in us. We Know This.
1 John 5:14-15 - And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask
any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

We KNOW the Lord hears us! We KNOW that we have the petitions we desire!
When do we KNOW this? When we pray according to HIS WILL! Not according
to our will, our understanding, our desires, our lusts, our ambitions, our dreams,
but according to HIS WILL, HIS PLAN, HIS PURPOSE.

6,

The Son of God Came to Give Us Understanding

1 John 5'.19-20 [And] we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in
wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath qiven us an
understandinq, that we mav know him that is true, and we are in him that is true,
[even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

The whole world lies in wickedness. This word wickedness is from a Greek word
which means toil, anguish, and pain. lt also means ill, disease, calamity,
mischief, malice, guilt, harmful and hurtful. This is a description of everything
that sin and wickedness is and does and brings into the lives of mankind.
But Jesus the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil and to bring
man back into line with the purpose and plan of God.

WE KNOW THIS!

B.

ALL THINGS

ALL THINGS encompasses every THING that could be a THING! All our
afflictions and trials; all the persecutions and calamities to which we are exposed.
Though they are numerous and long-continued yet they are among the means
that are appointed for our welfare.

1. The Flesh
Romans 8:1-5 talks about the WEAKNESS of our flesh and that we often feel
condemned because in the flesh we try and accomplish what is meant and can
only be accomplished in the SPlRlT.

2.

The Mind

Romans 8:6-8 talks about the WEAKNESS of our minds and that unless we
become spiritually minded that we will be in a state of DEATH with no LIFE and
no PEACE - which could be called wickedness, harmful, hurtful, calamity, ruin,
ill, disease.

3.

The Spirit

Romans 8:9-16 talks about the POWER of the SPIRIT of God which dwells within
us and QUICKENS us or MAKES US ALIVE to be able to live through ALL
THINGS which we will live in.
Paul goes on to talk about the suffering and groaning of creation and the people
of God as well that the Spirit of God helps us to pray because of our infirmities or
WEAKNESSES. The Holy Spirit actually prays within us and for us according to
the WILL, PLAN, and PURPOSE of God.
Because of this WE KNOW!

C.

WORK TOGETHER

They will cooperate; they will mutually contribute. They take off our affections
from this world; they teach us the truth about our frail, transitory, and lying
condition; they lead us to look to God for support, and to heaven for a final home;
and they produce a subdued spirit. a humble temper, a patient, tender, and kind
disposition.

Iil.

FOR GOOD

This has been the experience of all saints; and at the end of life they have been
able to say it was good for them to be afflicted.

Psalm 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy
word.

Before I was afflicted - The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, "Before I was
humbled." The Hebrew word has the general sense of being afflicted, and may
refer to any kind of trial.
I went astray - The Hebrew word means to wander; to err; to do wrong; to
transgress. Nurr": _1 5;28; "jq& 1e 16. lt here means that he forgot his duty; that he
fell into sin; that he departed from what was right; that he embraced erroneous
views; that he lived in the neglect of his soul, the neglect of duty, and the neglect
of God. Prosperity had not led him to fulfill duty; to seek salvation; to trust in God.
This was, in his case, as it is in thousands of others, the experience of his life.
Hence, affliction often becomes so necessary to check us when we are going
astray, and so useful in recalling us to the ways of duty and of truth.
But now have I kept thy word - Since I was afflicted. The effect has been to
recall me from my wanderings, and to turn me to paths of duty and holiness. This
is an effect often - very often - experienced; this is language which can be used
by many a child of God. Of those who are the children of God it may be said that
they are "always" benefited "sooner" or "later" by afflictions. lt may not be at the
time of the affliction (compare He&_1?-11), but the "ultimate" effect is in all cases
to benefit them. Some error is corrected; some evil habit changed; some mode of
life not consistent with religion is forsaken; pride is humbled; the heart is
quickened in duty; habits of prayer are resumed or formed; the affections are
fixed on a better world; the soul is made more gentle, calm, humble, spiritual,
pure. Afflictions are among the most precious means of grace. They are entirely
under the direction of God. They may be endlessly varied, and adapted to the
case of every individual.
God knows every heart, and the best way to reach any heart. By sickness; by
disappointment; by loss of property; by bereavement; by blighted hopes; by the
ingratitude of others; by the unkindness of professed friends, and the malice of
enemies; by domestic troubles; by the misconduct of children - perhaps the most
severe of all human ills, and the hardest to bear; in ten thousand ways God can
reach the heart, and break and crush it, and make it ready for the entrance of
truth - as the farmer breaks and pulverizes the soil by the plow and the harrow,

so that it shall be prepared to receive the seed. Compare the notes at 1sa.....?8:,&1:
29. Among those things for which good men have most occasion for thankfulness
are afflictions; and when we lie down on the bed of death, and look over life and
the divine dealings with us through life, as the glories of heaven are about to
open upon us, we shall feel that among the chiefest mercies of God are those
dealings of his holy hand, trying at the time, which kept us from going astray, or
which recalled us when we had wandered from him - and "that in our life, now
closing, there has not been one trial too much."

Psalm 119:71 ilt isl good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might
learn thy statutes.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted - See the notes at Psa 1 19:67.
Whatever may have been the form of the affliction, it was good for me. The
design was benevolent; the result has been my own benefit. This will be the
experience sooner or later resulting from all the afflictions of the righteous.
That I might learn thy statutes - That I might be brought more fully to
understand what they require; and that I might be led to conform to them. lt

is

implied here
(a) that this is the tendency of affliction; and
(b) that this is an advantage - a good.
Anything that will lead a man to obey God is a blessing and a favor. Whatever
leads a sinner to secure the salvation of his soul is a gain to him. No matter what
it may cost; no matter what he may be required to give up; no matter to what
persecutions and troubles it may expose him; no matter what he may suffer, or
how long he may suffer; no matter though poverty, contempt, toil - even the rack
or the stake - may be the consequence of his religion - yet it is again to him; and
he will be thankful for it in the end - for nothing that can be endured in this life can
be compared with the sufferings of the world of despair; nothing on earth can be
"compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us in heaven." See the notes
at Rom J_8.
IV,

TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD

To them, afflictions are a blessing. To others, they often prove otherwise. On

others they are sent as chastisements; and they produce complaining, instead of
peace; rebellion, instead of submission; and anger, impatience, and hatred,
instead of calmness, patience, and love. The Christian is made a better man by
receiving afflictions as they should be received, and by desiring that they should
accomplish the purpose for which they are sent; the sinner is made more
hardened by resisting them, and refusing to submit to their obvious intention and
design.

John 13:35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one to another.
John 14:1 5 lf ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him,
and will manifest mYself to him.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, lf a man love me, he will keep
my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our
abode with him.

John 14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father
gave me commandment, even so ldo'.'
John 15:10 lf ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as
have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

V.

TO THEM WHO ARE THE CALLED

lsaiah 48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and lsrael, my called; I [am] he I [am]
the first, I also faml the last.
lsaiah 48.15 l, [even] l, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him,
and he shall make his way prosperous.
Romans 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus christ:
Romans 1:7 f o all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called Ifo bel saints: Grace
to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Corinthians 1:9 God trs/ faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of
his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

2 Timothy 1 :9 Who hath saved us, and called Ius/ with an holy callinq, not
according to our works, but accordinq to his own purpose and qrace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Christians are often represented as called of God. The word x)"rit6g kl6tos is
sometimes used to denote an external invitation, offer, or calling; Mal .28J;
Mat 22:14. But excepting in these places, it is used in the New Testament to
denote those who had accepted the call, and were true Christians; Bm*3:&L;
lCq 1:2, 1Co 1:24; Rev 17:14. lt is evidently used in this sense here - to

denote those who were true Christians. The connection as well as the usual
meaning of the word, requires us thus to understand it. Christians are said to be
called because God has invited them to be saved, and has sent into their heart
such an influence as to make the call effectual to their salvation. ln this way their
salvation is to be traced entirely to God.

vt.

ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE

The word here rendered "purpose" xre6CIEorE prothesis means properly a

proposition, or a laying down anything in view of others; and is thus applied to the
bread that was laid on the table of show-bread; e4el 12.4; Mar 2:2S; Luk 6:4.
Hence, it means, when applied to the mind, a plan or purpose of mind. lt implies
that God had a plan, purpose, or intention, in regard to all who became
Christians. They are not saved by chance or hap-hazard. God does not convert
people without design; and his designs are not new, but are eternal. What he
does He always meant to do. What it is right for Him to do, it was right always to
intend to do. What God always meant to do, is His purpose or plan. That He has
such a purpose in regard to the salvation of his people, is often affirmed;
Rom_9:11; Eph_1:11; ESh*3;11;2Tj_1:9; J*r*5'l:29. This purpose of saving his
people is,
(1) One over which a creature can have no control; it is according to the
counsel of his own will; Eph -.1:11.
(2) lt is without any merit on the part of the sinner - a purpose to save him by
grace; ZTi 1:9.
(3) It is eternal; Hph*3;l"l
(a) lt is such as should excite lively gratitude in allwho have been inclined by
the grace of God to accept the offers of eternal life. They owe it to the mere
mercy of God, and they should acknowledge him as the fountain and
source of all their hopes of heaven.