The Real Meaning of All Thing Working For Good (Romans 8:28)

[james1523]

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

What is His good purpose? The next verse gives the answer:

Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

We must grow out of the childish mindset that everything working for the good, means working for the good of our self or for our own gain.

It is common to hear Christians say like "my cat died, but praise the Lord all things work together for good, and He gave us a new puppy dog the next day".

I believe some Christians see their own self profit or gain as "the good" which results from bad circumstances.

But this is not the meaning of Romans 8:28. Reading verse 29 and onwards we can see that the good is to be conformed to the image of the Son.

This is God's highest purpose and intention for all His children, that they would be conformed to Christ's image and be glorified in the Son (verse 30, John 13:32).

This has nothing to do with our own level of comfort, wealth, or fortune. All things therefore, both good and bad, are not for our own prosperity and gain, but for conforming us to Christ's image.

The 12 disciples were not healthy, wealthy or comfortable, so how could Romans 8:28 be true for them? The answer is Romans 8:28 has nothing to do with their personal circumstances and environment, but everything to do with the image of Christ being wrought in our being. With this in mind, a Christian who is enlightened by the true meaning of Romans 8:28, who has just lost their beloved pet cat (to continue to use this eye-rolling example), can now say
"my cat died, but praise the Lord all things work together for good, and this negative experience has helped me turn to the Lord, behold His face, and to grow to be like Him".

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

I understand this is an old thread and the O.P has not been around in years but it had no replies.

I find this post to be misleading so I am simply going to post this Scripture of Romans 8:28 in the context of the writer. 8:26-28
Using the Amp. Version for clarity and simplicity.

26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearningsand groanings too deep for utterance.

27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedesand pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will.

28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together andare [fitting into a plan] for good toand for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

One must be cautious at taking a piece of Scripture and building a doctrine and applying it anywhere they "feel" it fits.

Enjoy your Salvation
Blessings in Christ
Wired

 

[B-A-C]

The thing I notice when people quote this verse, is they only quote half of it.

Rom 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.

It seems there are two requirements here. First to love God. How do we know if we love God?

1 Jn 4:20; If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
1 Jn 5:2; By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.

Mark 12:30; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'

The second "requirement" is to be "called according to His purpose".

Eph 4:1; Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

2 Thes 1:11; To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,

2 Tim 1:9; who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,