Romans 8:28

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28)

On numerous occasions, the Lord spoke of painful trials coming upon those who follow Him. Some of these sufferings would be intentional, others, incidental. Either way, they would hurt and, sometimes, perplex. Romans 8:28 is one of scripture’s most quoted texts about painful trials in life. In our current time of Covid 19 crisis and challenge, it is important to see what it means and how it can help.

By the millions, we are hurting. Not all in the same ways, but still hurting. But our hurting did not originate with the current pandemic. Romans 8:28 is a word of PERSPECTIVE from God on it all. (How I look at a thing affects how I deal with it, right?) Now, it is a weighty thing to suppose oneself to wholly have the mind of God on a matter. Knowing that limitation, it is yet my hope that the following will do a little justice to what He is saying about life’s hardships and heartaches.

First, consider the CONTEXT of Romans 8:28. Context ALWAYS is critical in drawing out (exegeting) the meaning God poured into a thing. Biblical truths do not exist in a vacuum.  You may want to open your Book to this. The larger immediate context is 6:1-8:39. Its emphasis is upon the sanctified (holy) life of the believer as an outgrowth of being justified by faith in Christ Jesus. Since God in the holy Christ has, by His grace, made things right between the sinner and Himself, certain things should follow. Those things include a holy mindset shaped by the same cross which gives eternal life.

Now, in the latter part of that context, Paul speaks in chapter 8 of two areas of tension for the believer. One is the battle/tension on the INSIDE between the flesh and the Spirit, and how God has equipped us to win that thing. That is 8:1-16, more or less (Chapter 6 also speaks to it, as does Galatians 5). The other stressor mentioned by the apostle is that which emanates from the OUTSIDE: “the sufferings of this present time” – v. 18. We are not sure about precisely what he was talking with the Roman church, but you can be sure that they knew (or would soon know). Paul expounds upon how God has provided for us to win against whatever comes at us, painful though it may be. In 8:31-39, he celebrates that with an overflowing exuberance about how God has provided victory in any and all circumstances. (The preceding is more or less a drum roll to the consummation of the unstoppable redemptive purpose of God for all things. You do yourself a favor in reading it.) That is the context of 8:18-39, in which is nestled our 8:28:

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. 

What are we to make of this? Well, first, what are we to make of 8:18-25: the immediate context of 8:28? At the least, we see that the world (creation) in which we live is a broken and suffering system. How else can v.20-22 be understood? The good news is that God has established a hopeful outcome for His once-perfect physical creation. (You can check it out. He did choose that word: hope! Maybe we should do more thinking on our ideas about II Peter 3, huh?) The creation, this world, was His, right? And still is, regardless of how broken it is, right? So, He still can do what He wants with it, right? (He already has willed to curse it, at the Fall account of early Genesis, right?) Well, it seems that He also wills (wants) to deliver it from its bondage and brokenness. At least, that is what He SAYS, right? (Yes, I know how some have sought to “explain” these words. But is it not possible that the Lord has it here that we might know and believe it? Hmmm.) You see, the events of the cross affected more than the sin of man. They triggered a cosmic shock wave that had far-reaching effects upon the outcome of the physical creation. That outcome now is a hopeful thing – v.20. And, more so, it includes hope for those in Jesus – vv. 24,25.

But our focus is the current state of things in our world, life as we know it. You know how we say it: “Stuff happens.” “Life happens.” So forth. Because we live in a sin-broken and suffering world-system, it is inevitable that we will suffer. Bad things will happen simply because of where we are. Things can turn south in a heartbeat. On the other hand, there is the grind: unrelenting chronic trials of those who virtually never know an easy day. All that because of where we are, not counting the fact that we are, at best, sinners worthy of no good from God. Don’t forget that. In Jesus, we have received good – and good news – from God. But that is by grace, right?

Now, here are some things which may help us with the grand truth of 8:28:

1. It is best to know and love that truth BEFORE we need it. (Which is true of anything God says about anything, but our focus is this particular thing of suffering and perspective.) Mark it ahead of time, for your own sake.
2. Remember that 8:28 is preceded by some assurances that God is moving His entire creation (believers included) toward an inevitable glorious outcome. That is 8:18f.
3. Because of the immense pain of our trials, we may not even be able to articulate how we feel in prayer. Because of weakness, we don’t know what to say to God Himself. We try. We feel guilty in our failure to do so. But we are so hurting that we can’t even think right much less pray right. Well, the Lord also has help in that event. That help is the Holy Spirit. He will do our thinking and praying for us during times when we are shut down. Is that not wonderful? That is 8:26-27. Read it without dissecting it. And why all this? BECAUSE GOD INTENDS US TO MAKE IT! No matter how painful the situation, He has planned and provided for His own in the Son to persevere and win in the end.
4. Due to the severity of my trial, there is something I may NOT KNOW: how to pray as I should (8:26 says that). But 8:28 points me to something beyond that: something which I CAN KNOW. Note the contrast: NOT KNOW and WE KNOW. I may be in such pain that I do not know how to pray. But I still can know how to think. I can know what I already knew: that I love and trust God regardless of how my plight unfolds. And because of that, I also KNOW that He will have the last word on the outcome of things for me, that the sufferings of THIS time are not worthy to be compared to the glory of THAT time! How can you beat that?
5. Think on this, friend. It is no mere pep talk, no “Don’t worry, it will be fine.” Hogwash! My situation may never be “fine,” but God will be faithful in His plan for me, in and through and beyond all of it.

We will have to pick this up later, don’t you think? Maybe one of you can say it better.

Just keep this mind. Regardless (and I know this may sound elementary but it is so very critical), regardless of what Covid 19 has done or will do to you or yours, if you will trust the God of Romans 8:28, the score will be:  God 1  –  covid 19 O. You don’t have to understand all of it. Just trust it. There is more.

robert