In Romans chapter 8, verse 28 we read the words of Paul, "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." I suppose that I have heard this preached many times during the years of my ministry and have tried to preach on it myself a few times.

At one time I took the all things as meaning everything that God does, than at other times I took it as the things listed below in this text. Some down through the years, took it as everything that happens to a person works for his good, rather it be good or evil that the Lord in the end makes it all work to his or her good.

Saying this I realize that there are some things that seems to be all wrong, it seems to be evil and yet we find that the Lord sometimes takes the evil works of men, such as Joseph being sold in to slavery and years later bringing him to be the deliverer of the very ones that sold him.

I feel that the only safe ground is to keep it in the context in which it is written. I want you to notice that verse 28 mentions the all things and then in verses 31 and 34 Paul says, "what shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." It seems to me by the context that the all things in verse 28 are the same as these things in verse 31 and whatever these all things are is freely given to us in verse 32. Then verse 33 brings in election.

Do you realize as we look at this text that verse 28 when Paul says, "Who are the called according to his purpose." That the calling is dealing with us being called in a covenant sense and all that are called, the all things work together for good to them that love God. Then in verse 29 & 30 he starts out by saying, "o whom he did foreknow, still dealing with the ones in verse 28, the word, foreknow carries the thought of whom he has an intimate relationship with, that is those that he called in covenant.

Then he lists 5 things. "For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

So in verse 28 he says, all things, then in verses 29 & 30 he tells us what the all things are, then in verse 31 says, What shall we then say to these things? then in verse 32 tells us that these all things are freely given to us. We are dealing with what the Lord has done for us that we might be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

He called us in covenant, he predestinated us, he called us from a dead state in sin into a life in Jesus Christ, he justified us and he glorified us. This is what it took for a wicked sinner to reach heaven. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. This is a wonderful doctrine that Paul is teaching and ends up in this chapter saying that we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

AMEN

By Elder George Walker ... Article from Banner of Love