In this study, we
will look at the biblical teaching on Romans
8:28 regarding God’s promises. As
in previous studies, we will look at
definitions, scriptures, commentary
evidence for the glorifying of God in how we
live. This promise in Scripture
has always been a favorite.
Scripture Teaching:
“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.” (Romans 8:28)
When
Paul says: “all things work together for
good,” it does not exclude trials and
tribulations. This promise gives great
encouragement during times of trouble. In
times of blessings, the promise gives way to
praise and adoration. There are
many great promises of God’s care for His
people. There are three passages
listed below.
Supporting Passages:
“He
shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he
shall gather the lambs with his arm,
and carry them in his bosom, and shall
gently lead those that are with young.”
(Isaiah 40:11) Protecting
“Fear
not, little flock; for it is your Father's
good pleasure to give you the
kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) Giving
“Having
made known unto us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure
which he hath purposed in himself.”
(Ephesians 1:9) Revealing
Beyond
the qualification of being one of God’s
people, there are no conditions
attached to these promises.
For the reader’s
edification, Romans 8:28 is broken down
word by word:
Digging Deeper from
the Strong's Lexicon:
And
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's
Greek 1161: A primary particle; but, etc.
we
know
Οἴδαμεν (Oidamen)
Verb
- Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person
Plural
Strong's
Greek 1492: To know, remember appreciate.
that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's
Greek 3754: Neuter of hostis
as
conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative,
because.
God
θεὸς (theos)
Noun
- Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's
Greek 2316: A deity, especially the supreme
Divinity; figuratively, a
magistrate, by Hebraism, very.
works
all things together
συνεργεῖ (synergei)
Verb
- Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person
Singular
Strong's
Greek 4903: To cooperate with, work
together. From sunergos, to be a
fellow-worker, i.e. Co-operate.
πάντα (panta)
Adjective
- Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's
Greek 3956: All, the whole, every kind of.
Including all the forms of
declension; apparently a primary word; all,
any, every, the whole.
for
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's
Greek 1519: A primary preposition; to or
into, of place, time, or purpose; also
in adverbial phrases.
[the]
good
ἀγαθόν (agathon)
Adjective
- Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's
Greek 18: A primary word; 'good'.
of
those who
τοῖς (tois)
Article
- Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's
Greek 3588: The, the definite article.
Including the feminine he, and the
neuter to in all their inflections, the
definite article, the.
love
ἀγαπῶσιν (agapōsin)
Verb
- Present Participle Active - Dative
Masculine Plural
Strong's
Greek 25: To love, wish well to, take
pleasure in, long for; denotes the love
of reason, esteem. Perhaps from again, to
love.
[Him],
Θεὸν (Theon)
Noun
- Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's
Greek 2316: A deity, especially the supreme
Divinity; figuratively, a
magistrate, by Hebraism, very.
who
τοῖς (tois)
Article
- Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's
Greek 3588: The, the definite article.
Including the feminine he, and the
neuter to in all their inflections, the
definite article, the.
are
οὖσιν (ousin)
Verb
- Present Participle Active - Dative
Masculine Plural
Strong's
Greek 1510: I am, exist. The first person
singular present indicative; a
prolonged form of a primary and defective
verb; I exist.
called
κλητοῖς (klētois)
Adjective
- Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's
Greek 2822: From the same as klesis,
invited, i.e. Appointed, or, a saint.
according
to
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's
Greek 2596: A primary particle; down, in
varied relations (genitive, dative or
accusative) with which it is joined).
[His]
purpose.
πρόθεσιν (prothesin)
Noun
- Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's
Greek 4286: From protithemai,
a
setting forth, i.e. proposal; specially, the
show-bread as exposed before God.
What exactly is a
promise? The International
Standard Bible
Encyclopedia has an excellent entry:
PROMISE
prom'-is
(most frequently in the Old Testament dabhar,
“speaking,” “speech,” and dabhar,
“to
speak” also 'amar,
“to say,” once in
Psalms 77:8, 'omer,
“speech”; in the
New Testament epaggelia,
and the
verbs epaggellomai,
and compounds):
Promise
holds an important place in the Scriptures
and in the development of the
religion that culminated in Christ. The
Bible is indeed full of “precious and
exceeding great promises” (2Peter 1:4),
although the word "promise"
is not always used in connection with them.
Of the more outstanding promises of
the Old Testament may be mentioned:
(1)
The proto-evangelium
(Genesis 3:15);
(2)
The promise to Noah no more to curse the
ground, etc. (Genesis 8:21, 22;
9:1-17);
(3)
most influential, the promise to Abraham to
make of him a great nation in whom
all families of the earth should be blessed,
to give to him and his seed the
land of Canaan (Genesis 12:2,7, etc.), often
referred to in the Old Testament
(Exodus 12:25; Deuteronomy 1:8,11; 6:3;
9:28, etc.);
(4)
The promise to David to continue his house
on the throne (2 Samuel 7:12, 13, 18;
1Kings 2:24, etc.);
(5)
the promise of restoration of Israel, of the
Messiah, of the new and
everlasting kingdom, of the new covenant and
outpouring of the Spirit (Isaiah
2:2-5; 4:2; 55:5; 66:13; Jeremiah 31:31-34;
32:37-42; 33:14; Ezekiel 36:22-31;
37:11; 39:25, etc.).
In
the New Testament these promises are founded
on, and regarded as having their
true fulfillment in, Christ and those who
are His (2Corinthians 1:20; Ephesians
3:6). The promise of the Spirit is spoken of
by Jesus as “the promise of my
Father” (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4), and this was
regarded as fulfilled at
Pentecost. The promise of a Saviour of the
seed of David is regarded as
fulfilled in Christ (Acts 13:23, 32; 26:6;
Romans 1:2; 4:13; 9:4). Paul argues
that the promise to Abraham that he should
be “heir of the world,” made to him
before circumcision, is not confined to
Israel, but is open to all who are
children of Abraham by faith (Romans
4:13-16; compare Galatians 3:16,19, 29).
In like manner the writer to the Hebrews
goes back to the original promises,
giving them a spiritual and eternal
significance (4:1; 6:17; 11:9, etc.). The
New Testament promises include manifold
blessings and hopes, among them “life,”
“eternal life” (1Timothy 4:8; 6:19; 2Timothy
1:1; James 1:12), the “kingdom”
(James 2:5), Christ's “coming” (2Peter 3:9,
etc.), “new heavens and a new earth”
(2Peter 3:13), etc. For “promise” and
“promised” in the King James Version, the
Revised Version (British and American) has
frequently other terms, as “word”
(Psalms 105:42), “spake,” “spoken”
(Deuteronomy 10:9; Joshua 9:21; 22:4;
23:5,15, etc.), “consented” (Luke 22:6),
etc. References to the promises occur
repeatedly in the Apocrypha (Baruch 2:34; 2
Macc. 2:18; The Wisdom of Solomon
12:21; compare 2Esdras 3:15; 5:29). W. L.
Walker (1)
Matthew
Poole's Commentary on Roman’s
8:28 is most edifying:
“Another
argument to comfort us under the cross, from
the benefits of it;
We
know that all things, &c. It is not
matter of guess only and conjecture,
but of certainty and assurance.
How is this known?
1.
By the testimony of God, the Scripture tells
us as much, Psalm 128:1, 2 Isa
3:10.
2.
By our own experience; we are assured of it
by the event and effects of all
things, both upon ourselves and others.
All
things, even sin itself, because from their
falls, God’s children arise more
humble and careful. Afflictions are chiefly
intended; the worst and crossest
providences, those things that are evil in
themselves, they work for good to
the children of God.
Work
together; here is their operation, and their
co-operation: First, they work
together with God. What the apostle says of
himself and others in the ministry,
2 Corinthians 6:1 that may be said of other
things, especially of afflictions;
they are workers together with God. Some
read the words thus, God co-operates
all to good. Again, they work together with
us; we ourselves must concur, and
be active herein; we must labour and
endeavor to get good out of every
providence. Once more, they work together
amongst themselves, or one with
another. Take this or that providence
singly, or by itself, and you shall not
see the good it doth; but take it in its
conjunction and connexion with others,
and then you may perceive it. One
exemplifies it thus: As in matter of physic,
if you take such and such simples alone,
they may poison rather than cure; but
then take them in their composition, as they
are made up by the direction of a skillful
physician, and so they prove an excellent
medicine.
For
good, sometimes for temporal good, Genesis
1:20, always for spiritual and
eternal good, which is best of all. All
occurrences of providence shall serve
to bring them nearer to God here and to
heaven hereafter.
According
to his purpose: these words are added to
show the ground and reason of God’s
calling us; which is nothing else but his
own purpose and good pleasure; it is
not according to our worthiness, but his
purpose: see 2 Timothy 1:9.” (2)
John Calvin on Romans
8:28 continues to illuminate us:
“28.
And we know, etc. He now draws this
conclusion from what had been said, that so
far are the troubles of this life from
hindering our salvation, that, on the
contrary, they are helps to it. It is no
objection that he sets down an
illative particle, for it is no new thing
with him to make somewhat an
indiscriminate use of adverbs, and yet this
conclusion includes what
anticipates an objection. For the judgment
of the flesh in this case exclaims,
that it by no means appears that God hears
our prayers, since our afflictions
continue the same. Hence, the Apostle
anticipates this and says, that though
God does not immediately succour his people,
he yet does not forsake them, for
by a wonderful contrivance he turns those
things, which seem to be evils in
such a way as to promote their salvation. If
anyone prefers to read this verse
by itself, as though Paul proceeded to a new
argument in order to show that adversities,
which assist our salvation, ought not to be
borne as hard and grievous things,
I do not object. At the same time, the
design of Paul is not doubtful: “Though
the elect and the reprobate are
indiscriminately exposed to similar evils,
there is yet a great, difference; for God
trains up the faithful by
afflictions, and thereby promotes their
salvation.”
But
we must remember that Paul speaks here only
of adversities, as though he had
said, “All things which happen to the saints
are so overruled by God, that what
the world regards as evil, the issue shows
to be good.” For though what
Augustine says is true, that even the sins
of the saints are, through the
guiding providence of God, so far from doing
harm to them, that, on the
contrary, they serve to advance their
salvation; yet this belongs not to this
passage, the subject of which is the cross.
It
must also be observed, that he includes the
whole of true religion in the love
of God, as on it depends the whole practice
of righteousness.
Even
to them who according to his purpose, etc.
This clause seems to have been added
as a modification, lest anyone should think
that the faithful, because they
love God, obtain by their own merit the
advantage of deriving such fruit from
their adversities. We indeed know that when
salvation is the subject, men are
disposed to begin with themselves, and to
imagine certain preparations by which
they would anticipate the favor of God.
Hence, Paul teaches us, that those whom
he had spoken of as loving God, had been
previously chosen by him. For it is
certain that the order is thus pointed out,
that we may know that it proceeds
from the gratuitous adoption of God, as from
the first cause, that all things
happen to the saints for their salvation.
Nay, Paul shows that the faithful do
not love God before they are called by him,
as in another place he reminds us
that the Galatians were known of God before
they knew him. (Galatians 4:9.) It
is indeed true what Paul intimates, that
afflictions avail not to advance the
salvation of any but of those who love God;
but that saying of John is equally
true, that then only he is begun to be loved
by us, when he anticipates us by
his gratuitous love.
But
the calling of which Paul speaks here, has a
wide meaning, for it is not to be
confined to the manifestation of election,
of which mention is presently made,
but is to be set simply in opposition to the
course pursued by men; as though
Paul had said, - “The faithful attain not
religion by their own efforts, but
are, on the contrary led by the hand of God,
inasmuch as he has chosen them to
be a peculiar people to himself.” The word
purpose distinctly excludes whatever
is imagined to be adduced mutually by men;
as though Paul had denied, that the
causes of our election are to be sought
anywhere else, except in the secret
good pleasure of God; which subject is more
fully handled in the first chapter
to the Ephesians, and in the first of the
Second Epistle to Timothy; where also
the contrast between this purpose and human
righteousness is more distinctly
set forth. Paul, however, no doubt made here
this express declaration, - that
our salvation is based on the election of
God, in order that he might make a
transition
to that which he immediately subjoined,
namely, that by the same celestial
decree, the afflictions, which conform us to
Christ, have been appointed; and
he did this for the purpose of connecting,
as by a kind of necessary chain, our
salvation with the bearing of the cross.” (3)
In closing:
Another relevant area
when studying God’s promises is known as
conditional and unconditional promises.
Studying these distinctions of promises is
beyond the scope of this present study.
In short, God's promises fall
into two
categories, unconditional and conditional:
·An
unconditional promise is one that God
guarantees without any conditions
attached (Genesis 15:18-21)
·A
conditional covenant is an agreement between
two or more parties that requires
certain terms to be met (Isaiah 5:1-7)
“Study to shew
thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy
2:15)
Notes:
1.Orr,
James, M.A., D.D. General Editor, “Entry for
'PROMISE,'” International
Standard
Bible Encyclopedia, (Grand Rapids,
Michigan, Eerdmans, reprinted
1986), p. 2459.
2.Matthew
Poole's Commentary
on the Holy Bible,
vol. 3, (Peabody, Massachusetts, Hendrickson
Publishers, 1985) p. 506-507.
3.John
Calvin, Calvin's
Commentaries, Romans,
Volume XIX, (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker
Book House Reprinted 1979), pp.
314-316.
“To God, only wise,
be glory through Jesus Christ forever.
Amen.” (Romans 16:27) and “heirs
according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:28,
29)
Mr. Kettler has
previously published articles in the Chalcedon
Report and Contra
Mundum. He and his wife Marea attend
the Westminster, CO, RPCNA Church. Mr.
Kettler is the author of the book defending
the Reformed Faith against attacks,
titled: The Religion That Started in
a Hat. Available at:
www.TheReligionThatStartedInAHat.com
For more study:
The
Saint's
Pocket Book of Promises by
Joseph Alleinehttp://www.onthewing.org/user/Alleine%20-%20The%20Saints%20Pocket-Book.pdf