(Romans 8:28,29) 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. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
#1 And we know…
This is in direct opposition to Romans 8:26, where Paul says, for we know not. There’s things we don’t know, but there’s things we do know. So Paul just finished telling us that we don’t know what to pray for. We need help because of our infirmities of our flesh; the temptations and weaknesses. We have no power or knowledge of these things, we don’t know. We need help. And our lack of knowledge of God’s will. The Spirit of Christ knows the will of God and intercedes for us. He steps in where we fail. He’s an advocate. Like I said, we ought to know as Paul says, but we don’t know. There’s things we just don’t know.
But now he says and we know. There’s some things we can know. I was looking back at Romans 6 lately and that whole chapter is about things we can know.
- (6:3) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
- (6:6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
- (6:9) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
- (6:16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
God wants us to know some things. And there’s one more things that we can know. And that is that all things work together for good to them that love God. He said And we know! We might not know what we should pray for or know and understand the will of God, but we can know, rest assured, take it to the bank, set it in concrete, that whatever those things are, they work together for good to them that love God. We don’t have to wonder if any of the things that befall us are going to work to are harm, because the bible said all things work together for good.
This kinda makes me think of Hymenaeus and Alexander. (1 Timothy 1:18-20) This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. It doesn’t sound too good to be delivered unto Satan, does it? It doesn’t sound good to have made shipwreck. And I know that there’s much controversy and lack of knowledge concerning this thing about being delivered unto Satan. But if it will teach them not to blaspheme, I’d say that in the end, that’s good! All things work together for good.
No matter how bad or evil it may seem, it’s for your good. Now, I’m not saying that bad is good or evil is somehow good. But I am saying that God has a way of working good in us as he deals with the bad and the evil. Before we were under the law. (Romans 7:12-13) Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
But now, see? We’re under grace. And grace is also holy and just and good, Because it comes from God. So the question is, was that which is bad and evil made good unto me? God forbid. Can I say this: But grace, that it might appear grace, working good in me by that which is evil, that grace might become exceeding graceful. That’s what Paul is saying when he said, (Romans 5:20,21) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. Think about those Israelites and the journey through the wilderness. They had alot of problems in the wilderness, they murmured, they provoked God, they doubted God, there were snakes, thirst, hunger, alot of things that on the outset, yes they seem bad. They’d cry Let’s go back to Egypt. There were plagues. The earth opened up and swallowed them up. They didn’t start real good. But it was all for their good.
At Kadesh-Barnea they refused to go into the land that God had given them to possess. So God said, (Numbers 14:29-30) Your carcases shall fall in the wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land. God condemned all of those to die in the wilderness. Sounds bad, doesn’t it?
But God also said. (Number 14:20) I have pardoned according to thy word: But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.” He said “My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.” God confirmed his promise he made with Abraham and once again established his covenant with Caleb and Joshua. He said, “… you little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.” So it was for the good of Israel. God was purging Israel and shaping it and molding it.
Remember the typology. All of Israel is a type of the Christian. Israel as a whole was purged, refined, and prepared. And he’s gonna do the same thing for you and for me and to all them that love God. We have to know this. So when we bow our heads in prayer, we may not know what’s going on or what God is doing, but we can know that it will be for our good.
#2 All things…
We must be careful not to just pull this verse out of it’s context. People quote this verse all the time and they may or may not have a working understanding of what really Paul is trying to accomplish in this passage. So I find it important to once again bring to our rememberance what exactly is going on in Chapter 8 and Chapter 7. Now when Paul says all things does he mean all things in general, or is he talking about all things in Chapter 7 & 8? What things do Paul refer?
I want us to remember that the climactic problem in Chapter 7 is there is (23) another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. And climactic cry of desperation in this state is (24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? And it’s to this truth and question the the things refer.
One thing I believe that we know from Chapter 8, is that the deliverance of the body of this death is one thing to which Paul declared that (8:27) we with patience wait for it. He said (8:21-23) The creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. So in light of Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good to them that love God we are to understand this hoping for that we see not and the waiting that God has subjected us to, is in God’s purpose designed as such to work good to us. We are to understand that this state of waiting and hoping is for our good. It’s for our good and for the good of others that love God.
I believe that may be why Paul can praise God in the wretched state that he finds himself. He cries (7:24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? But then the next verse, he says (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, and with the flesh the law of sin. He says I’m in a pretty wretched state. My mind wants to serve the law of God. My flesh want to serve the law of sin. But I want to thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord, that this is the state that God has put me in. This is the state that God has subjected me in. Because in this state, God hath said to me… (2 Corinthians 12:9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. In this state, Paul can say Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
It is those weakness and those infirmities that God has purposed to work for good to us. All our problems, all our weaknesses, all our troubles and trials? Amen? He said all things. All things work together for good. Well, in Romans 7 & 8, Paul isn’t talking about the good things. He said, (7:18) I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. No, he’s talking about those evil things; the temptations, the trials, the troubles, the sufferings of this present time. He said (7:21) that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
No, he’s not talking about the good things. He’s talking about the evil things, the weaknesses, the infirmities, the temptations, the sufferings. All those things work together for good… Besides, if it was good, why would he even say it? If they were already good, why would they work for good? That wouldn’t make any sense. No, he speaks of the evil things, the undesirable things…
#3 Work together for good…
But even all those things, work together for good to them that love God. Even all those things that the power of Christ may rest upon me. So it’s not that evil somehow becomes good. It’s that there is no power in us, but that there is power in the overcoming, persevering, victorious love of God. We can try, but in the end, that Christ may receive all the glory and honor. It’s him that worketh good in us.
That’s why we can thank God; thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul said, (2 Corinthians 12:10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. Is there ever a reason to not be thankful to God. Is there ever a reason to not be grateful. I can thank God “for all the good things he’s done for me. I know I’m unworthy of them all…” But I can thank Him, even through the evil things, even through the hard times, and the weak times. Because I know it’s for my good.
So in that context, we read also 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 his purpose. I want us to see that Romans 8;28 is to be read and understood with Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. My brethren, God’s purpose in Romans 8:28 is that we might be conformed to the image of his Son in Romans 8:29. So why is it that all things work good? Why do these things that befall us work good to us? Because it’s in God’s purpose that they might work in us to conform us to the image of his Son. It’s not just to teach a lesson. It’s not just to humble us. It’s not just teach us patience. But it’s of God’s good design and purpose, that we might be conformed to the image of his Son.
Did Paul not say (8:16,17)The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Is so be… that we may be… That we may be means that God has a plan and that God has a purpose. And it’s a good plan. But that if so be part means that God has some prerequisites. We may have to suffer some, but it’s for our good; that we may be conformed to the image of his Son. (Romans 8:18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
- (Philippians 1:6) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
- (Colossians 1:21,22) And you… hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
- (Colossians 1:27,28) To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
- (Jude 1:24) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
“It’s not how you start, but it’s how you finish.” And God wants us to finish good. (Romans 8:28,29) 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. Do you love God? Whatever is you’re going through. If you love God, trust in him that it will all work together for good. I know that’s easier said than done sometimes. But God knows what he’s doing. God is working on us in ways we could never do ourselves. We are truly His workmanship.
#4 He also did predestinate…
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The conformation of His saints to the image of His dear Son we are to understand that he predestinated this. So, some of us concern ourselves with controversial doctrines such Calvanism and predestination. And I know little of these things, but I can tell you that concerning Romans 8:29, predestination has absolutely nothing to do with choosing who and who is not saved or God choosing who will or will not be saved. In Romans 8:29 predestination has nothing to do with a sinner; or a sinner getting saved. But this is in regards to God’s saints. Only saints are predestined, not sinners. So you’re gonna have to get in the boat first, before you concern yourself with predetermined destination. You’re gonna have to be saved first, then you can get on that predestined path.
Jesus said (Matthew 7:14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. The gate is where you enter in. That’s where you begin. But the way, the narrow way, must be walked. The gate is before all sinners, but you have to enter in the gate before the way presents itself.
You will not find salvation there, but salvation will place you there. And the Holy Bible speaks much about this path; this narrow way so to speak.
- On that predestination path of Romans 8:29, you’ll find the all things of Romans 8:28 that work together for good. On that predestination path, you’ll find the divine purpose of God. Off that path, there is no purpose, but vanity. Off that path all things don’t work together for good.
- And on that predestination path of Romans 8:29, you’ll find the it of Philippians 1:6. You can be confident of this very thing: that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: On that path, you’ll see the heavenly performance of God in you. Off that path, it’s your performance; your show. The wonderful it of Philippians 1:6! You either got it or you don’t.
- And on that predestination path of Romans 8:29 is where we should walk. (Ephesians 2:8) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. On this path, we’ll find the work that God has for us to do. There is no predestinated idleness. God hath not for ordained that you should do nothing. If your are idle in the things of God, good possibility that you’ve stepped off that path. On this path is work, responsibility, effort. We are his workmanship… There’s growing and learning and maturing and improving.
- And on this path is provided the strength to endure. You’ll not only find the all things of Romans 8:28, but you’ll also find the all things of Phillippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. It’s very possible those are all the same things. I don’t think that God would ask from us anything that his strength and grace were not enough to see it through. Does that mean that you’ll conquer everything and have victory in everything that comes down that path? Absolutely not. But by the grace of God, and the hope that is laid in our hearts, we will endure to the end of this predestination path. And it will be for good to them that love God.
- And this ties us also to the preceding verse (8:27) And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. The all things that work in Romans 8:28, and the all things endured in Philippians 4:13, and the it performed in Philippians 1:6, and the good works done in Ephesians 2:8… All these things are the perfect will of God, to which the Spirit prays for us, intercedes for us, and helps us.
Before we were saved, in (Romans 7:5) We were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. And even now after you are saved, (Romans 7:23) there’s another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is (still) in my members. But the there’s Romans 8:10 But if Christ be in you, there is another way, another path, another plan. And I want to say this: It is the path of the Holy Spirit.
God has a plan for us, that we might be conformed to the image of his Son, to which the Holy Ghost’s mind is bent toward. That is the aim and purpose of the Spirit of God. That is his what He is intent on accomplishing. All his methods will be designed to this purpose. What’s on the Spirit’s mind? And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
The Holy Spirit has got you on his mind; the saints of God. I can hear the Father asking the Holy Ghost as he communes with Him, “Holy Spirit! What’s on your mind?” He says “Why nothing more than the saints of God! (1 Corinthians 2:2) For I determined not to know any thing among (them) you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Listen to what I’m saying. Paul says this to the church; not the sinner. (Repeat) He pleads with God that we might walk that path and carry out that plan. And Paul knows that only by the aid and power of God’s Holy Spirit can this be accomplished. (Galatians 5:16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. But if we walk in the Spirit, we shall fulfil the desires and passion of God himself, the predestinated will of God.
#5 To be conformed to the image of his Son…
And what is the predestinated will of God? What is God’s purpose, his design? For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. I believe that God wants a people that are very much like his Son. Does that mean that he wants a bunch of little Jesus’s running around. No. Every child is different. I’ve got seven children and every single one of them is different from the other, but that doesn’t mean only one of them can love their Father or obey their father. No, all of them can do that, but still be themselves. All of them can take upon themselves the traits and manners of their father, but still be themselves. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
(Philippians 2:5-9) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
(Romans 12:2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
God wants to change the way you think. If you change the way you think, you’ll change the way you act. It will change the trajectory of your life. A trajectory is “a path followed by… an object moving under the action of given forces…” It’s the course that you take, the route in which you go. Paul said (Philippians 3:13,14) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The target of our trajectory, the cause of our course, the end of this route is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our standard, our goal, is to be conformed to the image of his Son. And what do we know about His Son.
(Isaiah 53)
1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there isno beauty that we should desire him.
3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
That is our standard. Paul said, (Philippians 2:5-9) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
(1 John 3:1) Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
(John 14:16,17) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
(Galatians 4:6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
(John 1:14-15) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
God did not travail with you and strive with you and birth you into his family so that you can go on and be who you want to be. (1 Corinthians 6:18,19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. We are God’s children. We ought to be able to say like Jesus said, I was about my father’s business. He said it’s not my will Father, but thy will be done.
And it’s God’s will that we be transformed and conformed to the image of his Son. And it you think that this happens the moment you get saved, then you are all you’ll ever be. No, sanctification takes a little time. Sonship is learned and earned. You may have the power and the standing and the right to be the Sons of God, but if we don’t want walk in the calling that God has called us to, we live beneath our privileges. God wants to change you.
Being a son (as opposed to just a child) carries with it a responsibility, a task, a purpose. You share in these things with the Father. Sonship is learned and earned. I remember when I first met the Lord Jesus Christ. And that’s what I did when I got saved. I met God. I remember the overwhelming, undeniable, sense of wrong that I was. I wasn’t just wrong about something. No I was wrong. Everything was wrong about me. Every ounce of my being was wrong. (Romans 5:6) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. I was the ungodly; a wretched sinner fully and duly deserving of hell. Jesus said (John 8:44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do…
God wants to change that. God wants to transform you, and conform in the image of His dear son. Transform means he wants to change your form. He doesn’t want to change you into Jesus Christ. No, he wants to change your form, by conforming you to the image of His son. And conform means he wants us to form us together with the image of His son. He still wants you, but he wants the image of His son in there too.
If you look up to someone, if you esteem someone highly, their ways, their person, then many times we want to be like them. You want to do what he does. You want to live like he does. You want to be like who he is. And I’m not talking about taking the place of Christ. But I’m talking about walking in the place that God that fore ordained that we should walk. You think about this: Jesus told his disciples (John 14:12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
(Romans 8:28,29) 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. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Leave a Reply