Eternity Daily Bible Study: No. 542 Romans 1-8 - A Righteousness That Is By Faith Verses: Romans 8:28 Topic: All Things Work Together For Good Date: 16th November 2005 Romans 8:28 HCSB We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. Does God really work everything for good? What about birth defects and AIDS and natural disasters and betrayal and divorce just to name a few? There are two sets of answers to that question - the long-term answer and the short-term answer. The long-term answer is that no human suffering can permanently scar our eternal inner being. Even if we are killed, in the resurrection we will be glorified and transformed. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We will always end up dwelling in eternal goodness and light. Romans 8:35-39 HCSB Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (36) As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. (37) No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. (38) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! To use a rough analogy, sufferings may put a few dents in the car but in the end it will arrive at a glorious mansion where we will live forever. The journey is not about the car, it is about the destination. Since we are wonderful eternal beings, who will be radiant with glory as sons of God, no pain or sorrow on this earth has the final say. For us God always has the final say and He always brings us through to the point where we have joy in His Presence. The journey may be rough but at the end of the pilgrimage lies the goodness of God. Not only that but God redeems every point in the process: Trials and tribulations work patience which gives rise to proven character and this in turn develops hope and the sense of God's love. (Romans 5:1-5) Our temporary afflictions give rise to an eternal weight of glory. (2 Corinthians 4:17) Persecution means our reward in Heaven is great. (Matthew 5:10-13) Enduring trials turns us into mature saints who lack nothing. (James 1:2-4) If we suffer with Christ we will also reign with Him. (Romans 8:17,18 2 Timothy 2:12) Suffering causes us to be able to rejoice in the end when Christ returns. (1 Peter 4:13) Suffering for Christ means the Spirit of glory and of God rests on us. (1 Peter 4:14) Suffering for Christ is even a privilege and a gift from God. (Philippians 1:29) If we share in the sufferings we shall also share in the comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7) As someone once said "Suffering either makes us bitter or better". So God can turn the scars into stars and the mud into diamonds! Now for the short-term answer. God can use individual circumstances to form a life tapestry of love and grace that blesses many other people and which makes us better not bitter. God also makes all things work together for good in the short to medium term. This goodness involves making us better people, and the world a better place and bringing glory to God. The goodness that God is working out is very good indeed. It is a deeper and more lasting kind of goodness than just being rich and famous. Now as I write this I have the 'flu and I am wondering "What good can God work from this, it is just slowing me down." Who knows, but He will work good from it somewhere along the line. Perhaps I will increase in patience, perhaps I just need a rest. But good will come of it. Now that is just a "small thing". It is often hard to see God working good out of the death of a child, or a divorce or some great natural disaster or personal tragedy. But God does work good, though it may take years to see it, the faithful saint will see good in the end. God works "all things together", that is He weaves the events of our life into a tapestry. So that an event in our past may be used years later to comfort someone else in the same situation. Nothing in the saints life is ever wasted. Both our mistakes and our training, our failure and our success can be used by God. It is only now as I am turning 50 that I am seeing some of the "circles" beginning to close and to connect the threads of my most unusual and at times difficult life. Just a few minutes ago I saw a photo essay of tornado damage in Tennessee and Kentucky, homes were destroyed but people were consoling one another and helping one another. You could sense an attitude of folks being determined to bring good out of evil. This is a fully Christian attitude- that of digging for the gold, trying to find the nugget of hope in the midst of trying circumstances. Romans 8:28 assures us that the "nugget of hope" is always there for believers. We are "called according to His purpose" - God has purposes for us and they are good and loving purposes. God's general purposes for us go from being called to being justified, and from being justified to being sanctified and then to being glorified. (Romans 8:29-31). God also has individual purposes and callings, every one of which is "for good" and "for hope". Jeremiah 29:11-13 HCSB For I know the plans I have for you"--this is the LORD's declaration--"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (12) You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. (13) You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. But Romans 8:28 only applies to those who love God. The God-seekers ultimately find good but the pleasure seekers ultimately find Hell. It is only as we seek Him with all our heart that Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11-13 come into effect. The wicked have no such consolation. There is no peace for the wicked says the Lord! (Isaiah 48:22, 57:21) In the dark and difficult moments persist in hope for God will work it for good in the end. This holy and hopeful persistence requires that rare quality called endurance: Hebrews 10:35-39 HCSB So don't throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. (36) For you need endurance, so that after you have done God's will, you may receive what was promised. (37) For in yet a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. (38) But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. (39) But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life. 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