All Things For Good?

December 9th, 2024
by Dr. D. Lance Waldie

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

In the context of Christian trials leading to future glory (8:18-27), Paul assures believers that although the sufferings of life can be difficult, they will indeed be worked out by God for the Christian’s ultimate good. The Greek verbs in v. 28 are notable. First, “we know” (perfect active participle) describes a past action with a present result. In short, the great Apostle Paul, sent by God to speak for God, knew with certainty as a result of his first-hand experiences with God that what he was writing in the first century about God was true for all humanity for all time.

What did the great writer of holy Scripture speaking for God actually know? Having endured great sufferings (cf. 2 Cor. 11:23-28) for simply proclaiming Jesus as the Christ, the Apostle Paul knew that God “causes all things to work together for good…” The question is, does God cause “all things to work together for good” as the NASB and NIV claims, or do “all things work together for good” as other English translations render it? The translators of the NIV and NASB opted for their rendering based on a second century Greek manuscript called P46. Although the shorter reading in the other translations is also attested in many early and reliable manuscripts, likely Paul’s original words, the longer reading adding God as the subject was probably motivated by a later scribe’s desire for clarification. So, either God causes “all things to work together for good” or “all things work together for good.” God is clearly the implied subject as v. 29 strongly attests. Moreover, “all things” cannot be the subject of the sentence since “all things” are not sovereign; “all things” are being manipulated by the sovereign God.

So Paul, knowing that all things work together for good “to those who love God,” had concluded that his own intense sufferings for proclaiming Jesus as the Jewish Messiah were being worked out by God for his good. His suffering was producing endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope—assurance of future glory (cf. 5:3-5). This is what Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, knew to be true.

Note also the phrase “for those who love God,” or literally, those who “are loving God.” All trials specifically work out for good only “for those who are loving God.” The verb “love” (Gr. agape) speaks of volitional, selfless affection. It is a present tense verb in v. 28 portraying an action in process with no anticipation of it being completed or ceasing. So what Paul claims “to know” in v. 28 is that for those who continually love God, remaining faithful to Him and serving Him in the midst of great trials and tribulations, all things work together for good.

Specifically, those who love God are “those who are called according to His purpose.” To be “called” is to be summoned. Those summoned by God love God, and they love Him because He first loved them (1 John 4:19). He chose them before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4; cf. Rev. 13:8) and later summoned them to believe. When they did, they were born again (John 3:3). Now the “called” of God are not those who can refuse Him; rather, the term depicts those who are the objects of God’s effectual summoning, the recipients of His grace. Since it was God’s purpose and plan to do this and make them like Christ, His summons is efficacious.

Now “all things” Paul speaks of must not be limited in scope to the “sufferings of this present time” (8:18) but includes all things in this present life. All of man’s experiences can and will be used by God in His grace and mercy to contribute to the good of those who do in fact love God. These things “work together” in light of God’s sovereignty; no experiences are meaningless. God works in all seemingly insignificant events to assist His children for good. This “good” certainly speaks of the ultimate end-times glory that awaits His people, but all things also work for good insofar as they contribute to the Christian’s final salvation. Good things must never be limited to material wealth or physical well-being. After all, sufferings and trials strengthen one’s faith, for as Paul wrote in Romans 5:3-5, sufferings produce endurance which produces character which produces hope.

Food for Thought

The death of a loved one, being diagnosed with cancer, or being betrayed by a friend—all of these awful things are used by God for your good! No wonder we are called to rejoice in times of trial (James 1:2-4), for God is molding us, Christians specifically, through trials. He has known us since before the creation itself, and He called us to Christ—summoning us to believe in Him. Rest today knowing that He loves you and is working out all things for your good and His glory.