All of us need someone on our side.
I played college basketball with a man that I would take Galen Winters on my team for any basketball game. We played two years of college basketball together, and we missed him when he graduated. He was a scrappy and smart player who simply gave his best in the game. He had this big toothy grin. When he would get knocked down in the course of a game, no matter how rough the play was, he would bounce up from the floor with that big toothy grin on his face. I would take him on my side anytime.
I have a friend I would also take on my team for any basketball game. He is a few years older than I am and only has one good arm, but he has learned, by making it through life with just one arm, to not let anything defeat him. I would take him on my team at any time.
In many states now real estate agents can now represent home buyers, where before they could only represent sellers. When we bought our first home in Michigan, our agent helped us out, but legally he did not represent us, because every agent was an agent of the seller. When we bought our second home in Michigan, our agent represented us. She could not disclose information about us to a seller, because she identified herself as our agent. Michigan had passed a buyers’ agent law. We had someone on our side in that transaction.
If you or I get involved in a legal transaction, we seek the advice of a lawyer. The lawyer works for us; he is on our side.
If people can work for us, be on our side, how much more valuable is it for God to be on our side? Paul assures us in verse 28 that God works for the good of those who love him.
If we are to understand this concept, we must understand how this verse and the following text fits in Romans. Paul begins verse 18 by comparing our suffering with the glory that will be revealed in us. He says there is no comparison. Then he cites how we know this: (1) In verse 19, we can know this because “the creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed”; (2) in verse 23, we can know this because we ourselves ”groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies”; (3) in verse 26, we know this because the Spirit helps us when we do not know how to pray by interceding before God for us; (4) and in verse 28, we know this because Romans 8:28 “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
We, then, are considering the last of these four statements.
Let’s consider a warning about this verse first as it sets the context for what follows: Paul is not talking about our never having problems in life or God correcting all our problems. In fact, he makes this statement in the context of comparing our suffering, our having problems, with the glory we will know. He assumes we will have problems along the way.
A few years ago, we had a power surge in our house and could have had an electrical fire. My wife was home alone when it happened. When she checked out the problem, she could have been electrocuted. Two nights later when the furnace motor began to arc because of the damage from the power surge, we could have had another fire. If a fire had destroyed our house and possessions or if my wife had been electrocuted, could we have said God had stopped working for us? That is not what Paul is talking about here, but it is how we often understand vs. 28.
Paul is talking about God working for us in the sense of bringing us salvation that will result in a future glory. He works primarily on the spiritual level.
There are two questions we can ask about God’s working in us.
I. WHO DOES GOD WORK IN - Verses. 28-30?
God works for those who love him. Have you ever loved someone for whom you will put out extra effort in whatever they ask of you? You will go out of your way to work for them, which is what God does for us. This is not just any love; it is the kind of love God has for us - agape love. It is an unconditional love. The syntax of the word suggests a love that is continual. God works in those who love him unconditionally and who do so continually.
God also works for those called according to his purpose. This is an important phrase if we are to understand how God works for us. Paul has been describing God’s purpose throughout this epistle up to this point: His purpose is to justify us from sin through faith in order to glorify us. We participate in God’s purpose by seeking this salvation and working through ministry to make it available to others. God works in those who do so.
I have been on a number of teams throughout my life. The coach works through those who are on the team to fulfill the coach’s purpose, the team’s purpose. If you are on the team for your own purpose, you are cut or you sit. In the same way, we are to work for God’s purpose.
Why does he work in those called according to his purpose? "For" in verses 29 begins his reason. In short, he works in those called according to his purpose because of what he has done for them.
God thus works in us because he "foreknew" us. God has always known and knows now whether you or I will work according to his purpose. If he knows we are going to seek this salvation, he will work for us.
God works in those he "predestined." Here is a concept that we need to understand if we are to grasp the meaning of this passage. He has predestined us to be like Jesus. We are to become like his Son. We need to understand that first. This predestination does not mean some are predestined at birth to be saved and others are not. It refers to God’s method of saving people. God has determined that people receive eternal life through accepting on faith the death of his Son.
God works in those he has "called." That is, those who accept God’s pre-determined method of saving people are called to serve him. Paul also uses the word chosen in this regard. Again it is not that some are chosen and others are not, but that all who accept Christ are called.
A.W. Tozer attempted to reconcile these seemingly contradictory ideas of God choosing or calling us and our choosing God with this illustration:
"An ocean liner leaves New York bound for Liverpool. Its destination has been determined by proper authorities. Nothing can change it. This is at least a faint picture of sovereignty.
"On board the liner are scores of passengers. These are not in chains, neither are their activities determined for them by decree. They are completely free to move about as they will. They eat, sleep, play, lounge about on the deck, read, talk, altogether as they please; but all the while the great liner is carrying them steadily onward toward a predetermined port (which they have accepted as their destination).
"Both freedom and sovereignty are present here, and they do not contradict. So it is, I believe, with man’s freedom and the sovereignty of God. The mighty liner of God’s sovereign design keeps its steady course over the sea of history."
God works in those he has "justified" and "glorified." God has justified those who have faith in Jesus, taken away the penalty for our sin (Romans 3:26). God will glorify us to the extent that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). This glory is in direct contrast to our having sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
What we need to do here is understand God’s working in us from God’s perspective. We often do not see him working in us because we see only our portion of the picture.
In How Life Imitates the World Series, Dave Boswell tells a story about Earl Weaver, former manager of the Baltimore Orioles, and how he handled star Reggie Jackson.
Weaver had a rule that no one could steal a base unless given the steal sign. This upset Jackson because he felt he knew the pitchers and catchers well enough to judge who he could and could not steal off of. So one game he decided to steal without a sign. He got a good jump off the pitcher and easily beat the throw to second base. As he shook the dirt off his uniform, Jackson smiled with delight, feeling he had vindicated his judgment to his manager.
Later Weaver took Jackson aside and explained why he hadn’t given the steal sign. First, the next batter was Lee May, his best power hitter other than Jackson. When Jackson stole second, first base was left open, so the other team walked May intentionally, taking the bat out of his hands.
Second, the following batter hadn’t been strong against that pitcher, so Weaver felt he had to send up a pinch hitter to try to drive in the men on base. That left Weaver without bench strength later in the game when he needed it.
The problem was, Jackson saw only his relationship to the pitcher and catcher. Weaver was watching the whole game.
We, too, sometimes see only our relationship to the circumstances we face, but God sees the bigger picture. We need to see ourselves in relationship to him.
II. HOW WILL WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORK IN US - Vss. 31-36?
In this text, Paul offers up three questions seeking our response to his explanation of how God works in us. On another level, he offers up these questions seeking our response to the great salvation theme of the book.
(1) Who can be against us - verses. 31,32? Paul has asserted that God is on our side. If he is, who can be against us that will make any difference? We can understand this from our playground games when we were children. We all had those people that we wanted desperately on our team. If we had that person on our team, it made no difference who was on the other team; we knew we could win. If God, you see, gave up his own Son for us, he will surely take care of us. God will make good out of even the bad we experience because there is no one strong enough to stand against us.
An experience of Jack Nicklaus illustrates this:
A few years ago the Birmingham, Alabama, paper had a headline on the sports page: "The Most Exciting Moment Of My Life." It showed a picture of Jack Nicklaus writing out a $5,000 check for charity. As a matter of fact, it was second $5,000 check that day. It happened because of a game of golf he lost.
A man by the name of Charley Boswell lives in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1937, he was the captain of Alabama’s Rose Bowl football team. In World War II he was a captain in the infantry. He stepped on a land mine and blew his eyes out. Charley Boswell is stone cold blind! But for nine holes of golf he can shoot par golf. He hits a ball he can’t even see. The caddy rattles the pin in the cup, and the noise tells him where to putt. How does he do that? He said, "Holding mental pictures."
Jack Nicklaus went to Birmingham to help raise money for a Boys’ Ranch and gave $5,000. They had a banquet to honor Nicklaus for helping the fund-raiser and for his $5,000 check. Halfway through the meal, Charley Boswell stood at a table in the back of the room. "Mr. Nicklaus, they tell me you play a little golf." There was silence. "Yes, I’ve been known to play a round or two." "So do I, and I think I can beat you! I’ll play you nine holes of golf. If you can beat me, I’ll give $5,000 to the Boys’ Club. And, if I beat you, you give another $5,000. And to make the contest fun, exciting, and fair, you choose the course where we play, and I’ll choose the time we play -- day or night."
Guess what time Charley chose? Night, of course. The Birmingham paper had a full length picture of Nicklaus writing out his second $5,000 check. The headline said "The Most Exciting Moment Of My Life." Someone asked him about that headline. Why had he made that statement? "You have won every trophy, award, honor, accolade. Why would this be so exciting?" Nicklaus replied "I met a person today who refuses to let fear control his life."
We do not have to let all the circumstances and fear in life control us, because God is for us. It makes no difference who is against us.
(2) Who can bring charges against us - verses 33,34? In recent years, there have been quite a few cases where celebrities have been arrested and indicted, and often tried, for crimes. Even their celebrity status and money does not keep the law enforcements officials from bringing charges against them. Our status as chosen people of God, however, makes it impossible for even Satan to bring a charge against us. Jesus both justifies and condemns, and by virtue of his death and resurrection is at the right hand of God interceding for us. He can prosecute us; instead he acts before God on our behalf.
A man committed a crime for which he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. After his sentencing, they put him in a holding cell at the courthouse while they waited to transport him. Another prisoner was brought into the holding cell and grabbed the guard’s pistol in an escape attempt. The newly sentenced prisoner, put himself at risk and took the gun away from the other prisoner and calmly handed it back to the guard.
Both the defense attorney and prosecuting attorney were so impressed, they together petitioned the judge to reduce his sentence. The judge reduced his sentence so he would be eligible for parole in 7 years instead of 12.
Prosecuting attorneys do not do things like that, and we cannot do a deed good enough to get our sentence changed. But Jesus acts on our behalf because of what he has done.
(3) Who can separate us from Christ’s love - verses 35-39? Shall all the difficulties we face separate us from Christ’s love? We face enough to the point that Paul says we face death all day long (verse 36).
We can quit, or we can learn this lesson: Once at a sales convention, the corporate sales manager got up in front of all 2,000 of his firm’s salespeople and asked, "Did the Wright Brothers ever quit?" The sales force shouted "No!" He yelled, "Did Charles Lindbergh ever quit?" Again, the sales people shouted, "No!" He yelled a third time, "Did Billy Martin ever quit?" Again, they all shouted, "No!" Finally, "Did Thorndike McKeester ever quit?" There was a long silence. Finally, one lone man stood up and asked, "Who is Thorndike McKeester? We never heard of him." The sales manager snapped back, "Of course you never heard of him because he quit."
We cannot, indeed we should not quit, because we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Nothing can separate us from God’s love. That is how we should respond to God’s work in us.
That will take courage to face whatever comes before us, but we will conqueror even death through Christ, even as we face life’s difficulties.
Ravi Zacharias tells in one of his books about a trip he made to Vietnam in 1971 to travel the country and preach.
Wherever he traveled for a month in Vietnam a Vietnamese man who translated for him accompanied him. They were both young, and they saw many things that shocked them, things neither of them had ever thought they would see in their entire lives. Their preaching, though, had good results, and they saw people respond to the Gospel.
After he left Vietnam, Zacharias did not see his translator again for many years. Then, one day, in 1987, sixteen years later, he received a phone call in his office. When he picked up the phone, the voice on the other end asked him if he knew who this was. Ravi immediately recognized the voice of his translator. The man asked Ravi if he had a few minutes for him to tell what had happened to him, and Ravi said he did.
After the Communists took control of the country, his translator was arrested and spent a great deal of time in prison. They tried every possible means to get him to deny his faith, all without success. He had no Bible, except for the verses he had memorized, and that helped sustain him.
Then one day, he was ordered to clean the commandant’s latrine. While he was cleaning, he found a piece of paper with writing on it that had been used for toilet paper. He noticed it was a page from the Bible. He put it in his pocket and took it back to his cell where he cleaned it off and used it for devotions. He found it was this passage from Romans 8, and the verses sustained him. He then volunteered to clean the commandant’s latrine everyday, and discovered that he was tearing pages out of a Bible to use for toilet paper. He would take them back to his cell, carefully clean them off and used them for his devotions.
Sometime later, he and some other prisoners began to plan an escape. One day, four men came to him and told him he had heard they were planning an escape and wanted to know if they could go along. They were reticent at first, after all they could have been sent there by their Communist captors to test them, but then Ravi sensed the Lord telling him they should take the men, and so they did. He said they would not have survived their escape without those men. They escaped by boat to Thailand, and at times the journey was perilous, but those four men were seasoned seamen, and they kept them all alive.
Now Ravi’s friend operates his own business in Los Angeles. He survived because God sent him a reminder that God always works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.
That is what God is asking of us, because we are more than conquerors. He is working for us.
