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of the Lord Jesus, all things work together
for good. Good is the objective and reward.
However, it is wrong to think that our life will
be without difficulties and disappointments.
Let us look at some passages of Scripture
“Confirming the souls of the disciples and
exhorting them to continue in the faith, and
that we must through much tribulation enter
into the Kingdom of God”
(Acts 14:22).
“These things I have spoken
unto you, that in me you
might have peace. In the
world ye shall have tribulations, but be of
good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John
16:33).
The “Good” of Romans 8:28 is not how much
wealth we have, or our comfortable home or
good health. It is conformity to Christ and
acceptance at his hand to a place in the
Kingdom of God. “For I reckon that the suffer-
ings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us” v18. The good is summarized
in vs29-30; “For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the
image of His Son, that he might be the first-
born among many brethren. Moreover whom
he did predestinate, them he
also called; and whom he
called, them he also justi-
fied; and whom he justified,
them he also glorified.”
We have examples in the scriptures of the
glories ahead. Consider the last words of David
in 2 Sam 23:4-5 “And he shall be as the light
of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a
morning without clouds; as the tender grass
springing out of the earth by clear shining
after rain. Although my house be not so with
God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting
covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for
this is all my salvation and all my desire,
although he make it not to grow.” There are
two key words in v5: although and yet. We
remember how David had sinned before God
and the punishment he received, so he says
that although his house was not perfect, yet
God made a covenant with him. “All things
work together for those who love God.”
Another example is Habakkuk 3:17-19 which
records a disaster “Although the fig tree shall
not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the
vines; the labour of the olives shall fail and
the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall
be cut off from the fold and there shall be no
herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the
Lord, I will joy in the God of
my salvation” The key word
is yet. “The Lord God is my
strength, and he will make
my feet like hinds’ feet, and
he will make me to walk
upon mine high places. To the chief singer on
my stringed instrument.”
Hebrews 12:1 is a great example we have of
truly understanding that all things work
together for good. “Wherefore seeing we also
are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let
us run with patience the race that is set
before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and
finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was
set before him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God.”
Very briefly, the writer to the
Hebrews is exhorting us to
prepare ourselves fully as in
a race, to follow the Lord
Jesus Christ. He lists only
some of the dreadful things
that our Lord endured, until he was put to
death upon the cross. During his life, he
endured the shame of it all; and he did it by
faith in the promise of God, by which he saw
the joy before him; and encouraged by this
prospect, he was sustained and triumphed and
is now at his Father’s side.
We may not be asked to give our lives, but we
do have the example of the Lord Jesus to
follow, and if we do this faithfully, then when
our Lord returns to establish his Father’s
kingdom, we pray that we may be invited to
share in the glories that will be revealed. We
will then fully understand that all things will
work together for good to those who love God.
... It means to be
obedient to Him and
obey His commandments
All things will work
together for good to
those who love God