Romans 8:28
There are many Christians who claim that Romans 8:28 is their favorite verse in the Bible. There are good reasons for such a claim. Let us explore a few of them. Romans 8:28 reads, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.”
The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at the city of Rome. In his epistle to them, he explained the state of both Gentiles and Jews (Rom 1–2). He presented the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the one way of justification for sinners to stand in righteousness before God. Faith in Christ’s person and work is the key to salvation of sinners from the wrath of God (Rom 4–5; Jude 3).
When a person is baptized into Christ, he or she becomes a beneficiary of what Jesus alone achieved in life and death. Jesus lived without sin. He died as the only acceptable sacrifice for sins. By His finished work, grace goes to work on behalf of His beloved (2 Thess 2:13).
As adopted children of God the Father and also the betrothed of Jesus Christ, by the covenant of grace, God prospers and protects the Christian. The believer loves God because God has demonstrated His love toward His elect, redeemed, regenerated holy nation of people — Christ’s church, the Israel of God (Gal 6:16).
God’s love is evident because it is active. God’s love for those He predestined to adoption was there when He wrote the names of His chosen remnant in the Lamb’s book of life before the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8; 17:8). God’s love was there for His elect when Jesus laid down His life for them at His crucifixion. God’s love was poured out into the hearts of His elect, redeemed when the Holy Spirit was sent to each one to baptize them into Christ’s church (1 Cor 12:13).
The love of God for the saints of God is from everlasting to everlasting. He has made His love known in these ways so that Paul could write, “And we know…” What we (Christians) know is that God causes all things. This is the biblical doctrine of God’s providence.
Whatever “works” works because God creates all things. He also sustains all things. He moves all things to His purposeful ends. Some things have the fragrance of good providence and other things carry the stench of bad providence. The unbeliever objects to bad providence because it does not bode well for him.
All things do not work together for good for the reprobate, unredeemed, unbeliever. There is no room in their hearts for God’s love. Deaf to the words of love uttered by the Spirit of Christ, in the preaching of the Gospel of God’s grace, there is no faith. There is no faith because there is no ownership. There is no ownership because there is no adoption. There is no adoption because it was not predestined to occur. Predestination is God’s prerogative, and it remains hidden in God, for it belongs to the “not revealed” wisdom of God.
Again, the unbeliever judges God, “But that is not fair!” He blames God for being evil, which is blasphemy. Because the Bible gives imperatives for sinners to obey, the preacher may direct the obstinate unbeliever to simply follow the rules God has set forth in His holy Law. Knowing this is not God’s way of salvation, there is both an unwillingness and inability confronting the protesting sinner. He has no will to comply with God’s rules, nor does he have any ability to do so in his sinful flesh. Thus, the sinner hates God as a brutal taskmaster (false accusation) but rejects the very Gospel of grace that exonerates God from the unbeliever’s false charge against the Almighty.
God is merciful and gracious, and His redeemed people know this about Him. They love Him because of all His perfect and glorious attributes. God’s character and actions warrant the praise, honor, and adoration ascribed to Him by His beloved people. In addition, the reality of His working all things together for good for them adds more glory to God.
This is a most remarkable claim by the Apostle Paul. It is also something to be believed from God’s Word. God’s eternal purpose includes His calling His people to come to Christ. In order for this to happen, He first sets His love upon them so they might know the truth about God, being set free from the lies of Satan.
In seeing the events of their lives, God’s beloved come to know that the Scripture is true and God is good. In this, the believer rejoices and the unbeliever scoffs because God is even working faith for us, but not for him. This is humbling for the believer and fires the rage against God in the unbeliever. All of it is in alignment with God’s providence. Glory be to God.
David Norczyk
Missoula, Montana
August 7, 2021
