A Study of The Book of Romans
By Pastor Randy Johnson
Lesson 55 Chapter 8:28 – 29
- Verse 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.”
- First, let us all note what this verse does not say; it does not say that all things will be good to us. It says “…that all things work together for good…” The word “together” is defined - to be a fellow worker – to bring good as a final result.
a. Secondly, we must understand what good means; good means anything that benefits us. Trials can benefit us, chastening can benefit us, not getting something we pray for very boldly can benefit us, and Etc. Good is not always something we enjoy at this immediate second.
b. We see affliction as a benefit Psalms 119:67, 71 “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. (71.) It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
c. Jeremiah 31:18 “I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.”
d. Hebrews 12:11 “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
e. Good can be being broke to draw us closer to God fro help, good can be a heartache to make us trust God more, but what God has promised is that good will result from what ever happens in a Christians life.
- “…for good to them that love God…”
a. Not to mankind but rather to them that love God, mankind does not love God because they are not Gods chosen vessel. We love God because He first loved us and called us with a Holy calling, we love God because Christ died for our sins, we love God because He made us to love Him.
b. We who are saved are Gods adopted children, and our Father wants everything good for us however sometimes affliction, trials, and heartaches, are exactly what we need to draw us where God wants us; closer to Him.
c. Beloved, never be mistaken what the Lord may lead us through for our good, but rather look at everything that comes to you to be good because God will make it good for you.
d. Remember the ultimate good and that is God chose and called you to be His beloved child, that alone makes everything Good.
- “…to them who are the called…”
a. First, to be called means that God first elected you, then in time He called you to be His child, let us remember Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” The call here is the general call that the Pastor or church gives, but the chosen are the ones God calls with a Holy calling.
b. This calling is most glorious because so few receive it, some say that God calls all men but many will reject His call, but God says that few are chosen to receive the Holy call to salvation, and if you have been called you are blessed and nothing that happens in this life can be bad. 1 Corinthians 1:26 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:” – This is proof that God does not call all men to salvation.
- “…called according to his purpose.” Who’s purpose? His purpose.
a. First you were not saved to please you; you were saved to please God. “His purpose” means – “a setting forth” however it is akin to the Greek word - gnōmē – which means - an opinion or for this purpose – I like this because it tells us the elect were “a setting forth” because of His “opinion” for His own purpose. In other words God chose you because He had a purpose for you, to use you as He pleases, however He did not have to choose you He could have very well chosen any other.
b. God choosing us by His purpose means all things works out in our lives as His good and therefore it makes it to our good, because we were not saved to purpose ourselves but rather to purpose God. So if bad to us happens but glorifies God or makes our standing with God better then doesn’t it also benefit us?
- Verse 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.”
- There are four most important words in this verse we need to define.
a. “For whom he did foreknow…” this word means - to know beforehand or ordain – Some will say “God looked into the future and saw who would believe and chose them, however this is a gross misunderstanding of this word. First, God is future by being “I Am” He has no future to look into, Secondly, it tells us that God –knew beforehand that is before the world was created whom He wanted to be His children, He selected them. This is the only true way to define this word because it also means to – ordain – appoint – which means – to set a person to a position by a choosing. 2 Timothy 1:9 “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”
b. “…he also did predestinate…” This word means - to limit in advance or to predetermine – While the word “predestinate” does have the meaning – foreknow – it cannot here because it would make no sense to say “For whom he did foreknow, he also did foreknow…” The word “predestinate” comes from two Greek words – pro – which means afore and - hor-id'-zo – which means to mark out, limit, ordain, or appoint. Meaning God before the world was created marked out those He ordained to be in the the image of his Son or those who would be saved.
c. “…to be conformed to…” This word means - jointly formed, that is, (figuratively) similar: or fashioned like unto. The image of His Son which means one must be saved. So God by salvation jointly formed us to be similar or fashioned like unto Jesus Christ through salvation, which means He predetermined us to be.
d. “…image of his Son…” The word “image” means – likeness, representation, or resemblance, - of His Son, how can this be possible without salvation, therefore God foreknew us and predestinated us to be saved.
e. !!!!!More on this verse next week!!!!!!!
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