God's Promise Concerning The Greater Good
Romans 8:28
There is an old story about a shipwreck where many men died, in fact there was only one survivor. When the sole survivor reached a small, uninhabited island, he prayed for God to rescue him, but help didn’t come. Eventually he built a hut out of driftwood for protection from the elements. One day he returned from scavenging for food and found his hut in flames, the smoke rising into the sky. Angrily he cried, “God, how could You do this to me?” The next morning he was awakened by rescuers. “How did you know I was here?” he asked. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied. (Source:https://momentswiththelord.wordpress.com/2015/01/18/trust-in-him/)
What that man thought was a horrific tragedy was actually a blessing in disguise. God never tells us that things will work together when we want. Nor does He promise us that things will work out how we want. But through His Word God promises us that God says that "all things work together for good"
Romans 8:28 (says) ...we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Often when you are going through a time of great trouble someone may seek to encourage you by quoting this verse. But if we are honest, sometimes we just don't want to hear it! Sometimes we may not even believe that "all things work together for good". Sometimes we enjoy wallowing around in self pity and at times we just want to feel sorry for ourselves.
Then there are times we look at situations and ask, "HOW CAN ANY GOOD COME OUT OF THIS?" You may not see any way that it is possible for good to come out of your situation when you are laid off from work, or when the repo man has come for the car, or when the eviction/foreclosure notice has been served.
When you receive the divorce papers in the mail you may seriously question how any good can come from such heartache. When your child has become a drug addict or an alcoholic you may ask "how is it that all things work together for good?" When the test results come back and you have a terminal illness you may cry to God and ask "how is it that all things work together for good?" It may be hard to see how God is going to bring good from you losing a spouse, parent or child.
Often when we face these very trying times we tend to go beyond questioning God and begin to blame Him for our circumstances.
It is important for us to understand that God's idea of "good" is not the same as what we would call "good". God is working the events of our life together for our final, eternal, ultimate good. We tend to focus on the here and now, God focuses on the here AND the hereafter!
Sometimes troubles come directly from God for the purpose of strengthening our faith. Other times troubles come as a result of sin in our lives, our Heavenly Father will chasten His own. (Ref: Hebrews 12) There are many reasons that we face times of difficulty. Regardless of why you are facing troubles... the good news is God can use these things for our good.
Some of you are facing extremely difficult situations at this very moment. It has often been said that you are either in a storm, coming out of a storm or headed into a storm.
Many of our brethren have turned from God. Troubles came and they began to face doubt and discouragement as a result they became bitter and even angry with God. Perhaps you are on the verge of reaching that place as we speak. I hope that before you leave here you can find encouragement through God's Word.
There are others who are not bitter or angry with God but you just want some answers. You just want to know WHY??? Some would say that there is no answer to this question.... THEY ARE WRONG! There is an answer, in fact there are several answers and they are found in the Word of God.
Romans 5:3 ...we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 and patience, experience; and experience, hope:
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
I believe that Romans 8:28 is one of those passages that answer the question, "why?" But this verse does more than answer the question, this verse gives us a promise. I would like to examine this verse and consider the thought "God's Promise Concerning The Greater Good". - Let's begin by examining:
I. The Certainty Of This Promise - “And we know”
Notice that Paul does not say “we think”, “we hope” or “we pray”. He states a fact…. “We know!” Paul possessed full assurance that “all things work together for good”. We can "know" this truth as well? How? By looking at what God has already brought us through. Notice:
A. Past Experiences Assure Us That All Things Work Together For Good
Consider what Paul said in - 2 Corinthians 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
Paul had been through more than any of us can imagine. He had been in prison, He had been shipwrecked, persecuted, beaten, stoned, and betrayed. Through it all God had proved himself faithful.
Take a moment and remember where you were and then remember how far God has brought you from and then trust Him to carry you through. Also, think about all of those times that God has been with you through storms and valleys. Consider this, if God loves you enough to save you (and He did) then He loves you enough to sustain you. He knows what you are facing and He cares for you. Not only does He know what you are facing, HE KNOWS WHY. Every aspect of your current trouble is part of His greater plan!
- Past experiences assist our faith and remind us that we can cling to God's promise. Notice also that:
B. A Proper Perspective Assures Us That All Things Work Together For Good
Paul did not live life focused on the problems of the present. Instead he was focused on glories of the future. He was assured that regardless of the troubles he faced in this life, nothing could separate him from the love of Christ. Notice: - Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It is imperative that we keep the proper perspective. People often fall away during times of tribulation because they do not have the correct outlook. They are focused on the temporal rather than the eternal. The severity of their problems blind them to the sovereignty of the Savior. When trouble comes in your life just remember... there is a reason. God has a plan... and His plan will work together for good!
- Let's move a little further and consider:
II. The Context Of This Promise - v28 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.
This verse is often oversimplified. The common application of Romans 8:28 is "Don’t let life get you down... God’s going to make everything better.” This is not the case at all! God did not remove Paul's thorn in the flesh, but He did assure him that "His grace was sufficient". (2 Corinthians 12:9)
God is always working in our lives to bring about His will. Many of the things that we endure in this life are simply part of the sanctification process.
John MacArthur says "God is working out our good during this present life as well as ultimately in the life to come. No matter what happens in our lives as His children, the providence of God uses it for our temporal as well as our eternal benefit, sometimes by saving us from tragedies and sometimes by sending us through them in order to draw us closer to Him. (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Romans 1-8 {Chicago: Moody Press, 1991} 473-474.)
Yes, God is working "all things together for good" but remember this is not merely for the temporal, God is focused on the eternal. --- Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
I hate to disappoint you, but chances are pretty good that this verse does not mean what you have always thought it meant. Romans 8:28 is not a promise that God is going to remove your troubles. It is not a promise that God is going to make you happy. It is not a promise that the doctor's report is going to be good. It is not a promise that your marriage will survive. It is not a promise that you will have enough money at the end of the month. This verse is not a guarantee of health and/or wealth. This context of this verse is this... God does what He does in your life to make you more like His Son.
- God will use good things, bad things and things in-between to conform you into the image of Jesus Christ. With that being said, God can use anything He chooses to accomplish this task. Let's examine:
I. The Comprehensiveness Of This Promise - "all things"
Simply stated... "all things" is all inclusive. There is nothing that God cannot use to mold you into the image of His Son. According to the Word, everything that happens... happens for our good.The things that we don’t like, and the things that we do, the things we don’t understand, and those that we do, the things that hurt, and the things that don't, the things that break our hearts, and those that bring us joy, the things that make us cry, and the things that make us smile, the things that make us want to quit, and the things that make us press on, ....EVERYTHING works for our good!!
- Consider the fact that:
A. Bountiful Blessings Work For Our Good
God has blessed us with some amazing things. Our homes, our possessions, our health, our family, our friends... all of these are pleasant things that bring good into our lives. God has also provided us with many spiritual blessings. He has secured our salvation, given us a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, provided an abundant life here and promised us eternal life and a home in Heaven. It is easy to see how these things work together for good in our lives.
- But sometimes it is more difficult to see how sorrowful things can be beneficial for us. Notice that:
B. Troublesome Times Work Together For Our Good
When trouble comes into our lives our first reaction is probably not to rejoice. But the bible says that we can... in fact, we should! --- 1 Peter 1:6 ¶Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Troublesome times strengthen our faith. In those times when we cannot handle things on our own... those times when we have no where else to turn but to God... those times are faith building experiences. Though you may not see it at the time, tough times work together for our good! I don't know what you are facing right now, but I do know that God can use your troubles to work out something great in your life!
- As we move further I would submit to you that:
C. Satan's Schemes Work Together For Our Good
- When Satan plots against us he seeks to do us harm, but God can use Satan's schemes for good! This is seen in the life of Job:
Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
God using Satan to fulfill His plan is seen throughout the Old and New Testaments. He continues to work this way in our lives. God can use the Devil to work things together for good.
- It is also true that:
D. Wicked Ways Work Together For Our Good
Bare with me for a moment because I know this doesn't sound possible. But it is a fact that God can take our sins and use them to work things for good in our lives. First and foremost let me say Christians should not sin. There is never an excuse or justification for sin in the life of a child of God. But we will fail, and when we do God can take our sin and use it for our good.
The life of King David illustrates this truth. David sinned greatly. He lusted after Bathsheba, committed adultery with her and had her husband killed. Let me also remind you that David suffered greatly due to the consequences of his sin. In fact his life was never the same again. But after David repented and returned unto the Lord, God blessed David & Bathsheba with a son named Solomon. Solomon would eventually become heir to the throne and the wisest man who ever lived.
Many of us can testify that God can take our failures and bring some great things into our lives as a result. He may be doing that kind of work in your life as we speak. You may not see the good right now, but God has a plan for your life. And that plan is for your to be "conformed into the image of Jesus Christ"!
- God's promise concerning the greater good is not a promise that we will never face suffering, but it does give us comfort in the midst of that suffering. Consider if you will:
III. The Comfort In This Promise "all things work together for good".
God is all-powerful, all-knowing and ever present. He is able to take control of every situation in life. He is sovereign and He cares for you. When you face those difficult times of life just remember that God is behind every circumstance you encounter. He can use the difficulties of your life to strengthen your faith in Him. He can use the trials that you face to mature you spiritually. He can use you to reach other people and He can use your life to bring glory to His name.
- No matter how bad things may be, no matter how difficult your situation is, remember…… ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD. Romans 8:28 contains a wonderful promise from God. It is comforting and encouraging, but the fact is this promise does not apply to everyone. The final truth about this promise that I would like to consider is:
IV. The Condition Of This Promise - “to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”
We have already noted that this verse is often misused and commonly oversimplified. It is also regularly shortened. In most cases all you hear is "all things work together for good". The last half of the verse shows us who can actually claim this promise. This verse is a promise to 'those who love God and those who are called according to His purpose".
This is a passage that refers to the born again Child of God. If you are not born again, your temporary troubles and sufferings pale in comparison to the horrors of an eternity separated from God in the Lake of Fire. I encourage you and invite you to turn to Jesus today! Then you can claim the wonderful promise of Romans 8:28.
Those who are born again can rest in the fact that ...neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
What a great promise... what great assurance we have that God is sovereign and His way is better than anything we could think, dream or imagine.
The story of hymn writer Fanny Crosby is a classic example of how God works. The world is the beneficiary of her memorable hymns, yet what worked together for good was born out of her personal tragedy, for she became blind at the age of 5. At only age 8, she began to write poetry and hymns. Writing over 8,000 sacred songs and hymns, she blessed the world with such popular songs as “Blessed Assurance,” “Safe in the Arms of Jesus,” and “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.” God used her difficulty to bring good for her and for us and glory for Him. {Source: Our Daily Bread online devotional} (https://808bo.com/2015/08/25/our-daily-bread-when-things-dont-go-well/amp/)
I know for a fact that some of you are facing devastating circumstances. I hope you are encouraged by the fact that God has a great plan for you. When the world closes in around you and your troubles seem to hard to bear, look to God's Word. Trust in His many promises, and remember "God's Promise Concerning The Greater Good".
