All things to work together for good

Romans 8:28 (NASB)

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 my modest preaching career, I have given a sermon perhaps 40 times.  Three of these times, at different churches, I have preached on this verse.  Why?  Because this verse provides a great principle of hope.  Especially when you are dealing with bad experiences, this verse promises and gives the Christian hope that God is at work to use those bad experiences for eventual good in your life.  Note that this Scripture emphasizes “All things”!  Indeed, for the Christian, “all” means all!  Every experience of life, good or bad, God is working for your eventual good!  For the experienced Christian person, as you reflect on your past life and how the Lord has worked during your times of crises, is there any question that this verse is not true?

 

You must love God in both the good and bad times.  Be honest, do you tend to resort to self-pity or discouragement or bitterness in the bad times?  This shows your human weakness.  These negative reactions cut you off from the resource you need most—knowing that God loves you and will help you.  God sends circumstances into your life that “sandpaper” you to be molded to the image of His Son (read Philippians 2:12-14).  Martyn Lloyd-Jones spent 208 pages in his classic publication on the Book of Romans focusing on Romans 8:28-30!  He called these three verses the most comforting statements in Scripture.  They reaffirm the fact that the Christian person was known by God prior to being born, was predestined to become conformed to the image of Christ, was and is called by God to give his/her life to Christ, was then justified (“no condemnation”) and will be glorified in the life to come. 

God changes and molds you by the pressure of His hand guiding all circumstances to enable the stature of your soul to conform more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ. God is your potter: He uses every single revolving day like the potter uses the turning wheel, pressing you on all sides with His own expert fingers wet with your tears and grimed with the useless portions cut away from your life. No circumstance in your life, on any side, within or without, comes upon you by accident: it is all part of the plan of the Master Potter.  You are molded, you are pressed and shaped beyond your will, all for the Master Potter's glory, as a work of His inscrutable art. But in every turn of the wheel, with every pressure brought to bear on you, He is for you, not against you.

However, when reading the context of this verse (all of Romans 8) there is a limitation in this passage……these words apply only to Christians!  Only a Christian can claim this and other promises found especially in Romans 8:26-39.  I think that these 14 verses comprise the most encouraging passage in the entire Bible.  Read through these carefully and decide for yourself.