And We Know God Causes All Things
Romans 8:28 serves as one of the most comforting passages in the Bible. It reads, “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.” When Christians are going through difficult times, the Word of God strengthens our faith and gives us hope. In this case, the Apostle Paul wrote to the local church at Rome. After explaining the Christian struggle with the flesh (Rom 7), Paul writes about the Spirit’s work in the believer. The Spirit helps Christians with prayer, and believers need to remember God’s providence in all things. Romans 8:28 can be considered in six sections. Let us be comforted.
First, “And we know.” The conjunction connects us back to the Spirit helping us in prayer (Rom 8:26–27), while we wait for the consummation of our adoption (Rom 8:23). Paul has lamented, and now he offers the Holy Spirit as the solution to the problem conditions endured by saints in the world.
The Holy Spirit bears witness to our sonship in Christ (8:14–17). As sons led by the Spirit, we walk according to the Spirit (8:4), who indwells us (8:9), and gives us the life of God (8:11, 14). The Spirit gives us the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), so that “we know” the deep things of God. To gain the knowledge of Christ was a surpassing value for the Apostle Paul (Phil 3:8), and these things were written for our instruction in the same knowledge. What are some things Paul knew that we need to know?
Second, “God causes all things.” Often, when we can fluidly quote a favorite Bible verse, we lose nuances and meaning. Christians are so excited about the providential benefit that we miss the providence itself. The doctrine of the providence of God is valued by mature Christians, but it can often be embarrassing for new believers. Providence is God causing all things. God is the primary cause of everything. He is the creator, sustainer, and director of all things. Subatomic operations are of interest to Almighty God, as are galactic happenings far, far away. We must refrain from making statements like, “God is big.” It is a blasphemous understatement and dishonoring to God. His existence is all but indescribable. If we are looking for simple statements, then, “God is and God does,” may get the conversation started.
God has decreed all things from eternity, and He executes those things He decrees, for such a time as this, in His providence. As the prime mover, God does not just set things in motion and then leaves them to run by themselves (Deism). He is immanent for every event, and omniscient in a sparrow falling from the sky. Knowledge of God like this offers great comfort and contentment for the child of God. Surely, God is in control.
God is sovereign over all (Ps 115:3; 135:6). He is wise, and He is powerful to accomplish His will (Eph 1:11). His scrutiny is one thing, but we are blessed to have His intimate care. God would be very scary if we did not know His goodness. God is good all the time, even in our bad times. In fact, here we have a promise superseding the experiential chaos around us. God is good, and He works all things for good for His people.
Third, “to work together for good.” The all-compassing nature of the term “all” is altogether good. “All things” means all things, as in “everything.” There is nothing excluded from the omnipresent, all powerful, working out of all things. Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery. God worked it for good. David lusted after Bathsheba, and he had sex with her before killing her husband so he could have her for himself. God worked through David’s debacle in bringing forth Solomon, the wise king. God’s judgment of Israel made life a bit hellish for the prophets, but God worked it for good by proving His Word is true. Paul was imprisoned, but it enhanced his letter writing and gave him access to the Caesar’s household, which ended up for salvation for some. That is good. That is God at work in all of our circumstances. There is hope in the midst of your financial debt crisis, the death of your wife in a home invasion, or your husband shot to death in a police department parking lot. Are you a Christian refugee from a war torn country? God, in His providence, is working something good for you.
Fourth, “to those who love God.” God makes bad things work for the good of His people. God makes good things work for trouble for those who despise Him. God is good to His people. God knows them better than they know themselves. God is ever working His plan and purpose for them (Eph 3:11). It is personal with God. He has sent His Spirit to dwell in them (Rom 8:9, 11).
The Spirit gives us life, leads us, helps us, comforts us, teaches us, prays for us, convicts us, spreads love in our hearts, guides us, and gives us the assurance of God’s love for His children. We are illumined and inspired to love God by His Spirit. The world hates God, but Christians demonstrate their love by bringing honor and glory to His name. We work, and He works in us (Phil 2:12–13). Paul said, “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me (Gal 2:20a).” God’s will for us will be accomplished, that is, our sanctification (1 Thess 4:3).
The fruit of the Spirit is love (Gal 5:22), and we are commanded to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mt 22:37). It is the Holy Spirit who helps us love God and our neighbors. God is teaching us to love Him. This is not natural for us, but it is supernatural when it happens. God is love (1 Jn 4:8), and Christ is God (Jn 1:1), and we are being conformed into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29). The Father loves the Son (Jn 5:20; 17:23–24), and the Son loves the Father (Jn 14:31). God has set His love upon His people (Jn 15:9; 16:27), who love God in return (Jn 13:1; 14:21). Despite all of this loving, the world does not love God (1 Jn 4:8, 20), nor Christ (Jn 7:7), nor Christians (Jn 15:18–19). What separates those who hate God from those who love God?
Fifth, “to those who are called.” Christians are called out of the world and into Christ (Mt 11:28). They are transferred from the domain of darkness (Col 1:13), called into His marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9), which is the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. Christians are called of Christ (Rom 1:6), called as saints (Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:2). We are predestined to be called (Rom 8:30), and then called to spiritual life (Eph 2:5; Col 2:13), from being dead in our trespasses and sins (Rom 4:17; Eph 2:1), as He called Jacob not Esau (Rom 9:11). Christians are called out Jews and Gentiles (Rom 9:24–26). God’s calling a Christian into existence is an irrevocable call (Rom 11:29), a holy calling (2 Tim 1:9), and honorable calling (Heb 5:4), and a heavenly calling (Heb 3:1). We might say, “once called, always called.” We are called into fellowship with God’s Son (1 Cor 1:9), according to God’s purpose and grace (2 Tim 1:9).
Those who receive a calling from God are known by the fact that they themselves call upon the name of the Lord (1 Cor 1:2). Christians are called through the gospel (2 Thess 2:14), and the called are given the promise of an eternal inheritance (Heb 9:15; 1 Pet 3:9; 1 Pet 5:10). Not many who have nobility, wisdom, and riches are called, but frequently poor slaves (1 Cor 1:26; 1 Cor 7:21–24). Christians are called by God’s grace (Gal 1:6), called to peace (1 Cor 7:15), called to freedom (Gal 5:13); called to hope (Eph 1:18; 4:4); called to eternal life (1 Tim 6:12). God calls his people to holiness (1 Pet 1:15). Christians are to walk in a manner worthy of their calling (Eph 4:1), which is not a calling to impurity (1 Thess 4:7). We are called upward to Christ (Phil 3:14), called into His body (Phil 3:15), called by His glory and excellence (2 Pet 1:3), called into His kingdom and glory (1 Thess 2:12; 2 Thess 2:14).
Clearly, this idea of a Christian being called by God out of the world and into Christ is a voluminous topic in the New Testament. Christians are called to be children of God by His love (1 Jn 3:1), and we must be sure of our calling and election (2 Pet 1:10). In love, God has purposed this to happen, and it is part of the good He bestows on His chosen children.
Sixth, “according to His purpose.” All that is stated in this passage is according to God’s eternal will and purpose. God’s will is imbedded in His decrees. God’s will is known by the revelation of His Word. His purpose is always to bring glory to Himself. Any glory ascribed to anyone else is an abomination because of who God is and what He has done. He causes all things to work. His purpose is to will and to work all things for His glory.
Jesus said one purpose in His coming was to preach the kingdom of God (Lk 4:43). God is glorified when we preach Christ, our King, and His kingdom. The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of Christ because of His purpose in destroying the works of the devil (1 Jn 3:8). God’s purpose is predestined (Acts 4:28), and like David, we all fulfill the purpose of God in our generation (Acts 13:36), which includes declaring the whole purpose of God to others (Acts 27:13).
God’s purpose in salvation of some (Rom 9:11; 2 Tim 1:9) is His will for them in Christ (Eph 1:9). His purpose in predestination (Eph 1:11) aligns with His will, which also includes His purposed judgment in others (Rom 9:17; Rev 17:17). God’s purpose is eternal (Eph 3:11) in Christ (2 Tim 1:9), and therefore God’s purpose is unchangeable (Heb 6:17). God’s purpose is for His people to follow Christ (1 Pet 2:21), and then to inherit a blessing (1 Pet 3:9).
In summary, we have explored the depth of the riches of one small text of the Bible. Our study was hardly exhaustive, but our consideration is to fulfill a part of the purpose of this passage, which we have said is to bring comfort to God’s people. It is a knowledge given to us by God grace. We have seen our sovereign Lord causing all things, including love, and calling, and purpose to work together for good. All of it granted for those who love God. We, of course, love Him because He first loved us (1 Jn 4:19).
In conclusion, we must live in light of these truths. We must increase our knowledge of God and His workings. We must study His purposes, including our calling to be saints. We must love God all the more as a result. The writer of Hebrews (13:20–21) blesses us as we finish, “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
David E. Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
January 18, 2021
