All Things for Good

8/14/2019 All Things for Good

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All things for good Billy Sichone 1

1992


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. Romans 8:28, 29

The verse we turn to for consideration are the ones we have first read.St Paul turned to write these verses having talked about lofty and glorious

things in the earlier chapters. In the present chapter, the apostle begins with

the word therefore, implying that he is about to conclude or sum up or

apply the things he has been talking about.

The apostle concludes that all those who are in Christ have no condemnation

whatsoever. He goes further to show how that all natural men are enemies of

God because they do not have the spirit of Christ, In fact, they are hostile to

God!(v 5 8). In the 18th

verse, the apostle looks a head into glory and

cannot help but realize that all our present suffering are not worth comparing

to the glory that awaits all the elect. Indeed, this through ought to warm

every heart that is in Christ. Paul continues talking about creation and how

that he looks forward for a new order and how that the spirit of God helps us

to pray according to Gods will.

Having said all that in our introduction, let us then turn to our text and

consider verse 28 and 29 more in detail I shall seek to divide my text into a

number of points.

i. Firstly then, when we read verse 28, we note how that it was generalknowledge to state that all things were in the hands of God. Weknow, he says, meaning that as for as Paul and all the Christian were

concerned it was not debatable issue as to whether God was sovereign

in all things or not the apostle knew that God was sovereign in all

events even to minutest detail and was totally in control. Through

things may have seemed hard for him at times, sometimes even

despairing of life, yet he knew at back of His mind that God was in

control. Do you know like St Paul knew?

ii. In the second place, we read, that in all things God Not only didPaul know that God was absolutely sovereign in salvation, but it was

clear that God was in absolute control of all events without exception.

This is a truth that is to be held with all our heart. There is nothing

that ever happens in our lives or in the world without the knowledge

of God, whether they be good or bad, evil out right. There is nothing

that can ever take God by surprise, much more in our context, we note


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that the things that ever take place are entirely in the hands of God for

we read in all things God Now why does the apostle say .all

things God? I suggest that he would rather have us note that God is

the first cause of all events in the universe and therefore. Nothing will

ever take place unless he allows it. Let it be note that God is NEVER

the author of sin Men in their own wickedness commit these sins

and are responsible. Are we not told in James 1:13 that God tempts no

one? Are we not told further that we are tempted because of our evil

desires?(v 4). Oh friends in all and every situation God: he does

all things as he decreed then way back in eternity ere time begin.

iii. In the third place we read that God works for the good of those wholove him - It is a blessed thought to know when we enter the Christian

life that though at times things will be rough, yet in the providence of

God, all things are working out for our good. When one reads the

different versions of the bible, one discovers that some seem tosuggest that though things happen at anytime, God is still in control.

But our version (New International Version, NIV) puts it neatly

because it seems to me that God is put in the picture and working all

things actually. Now, God is the first cause of all events and we note

in this part of the verse that all these events in the life of the Christian,

ought to be viewed with a different eye whether good or bad, joyful

or sad or sorrowful They should be viewed as a working out for

good. Sometimes, the cloud is so dark that we cannot see anything

good but evil but the Christian should be patient in the school of

providence and should rather ask the question What will you have

me learn Lord? than to begin to in to ourselves and pity ourselves.

No, No, No! Let us have that eye of faith and take note of these times

and perhaps in future look back. Many a saint has learnt a lot through

this school of providence and has become fine Christian there after.

The frowning providence which had threatened to crush the saint

suddenly was passed through with great safely and having left the

Christian more refined. Is this the way that you view things? Are you

ever conscious that God decreed all things? Therefore, beloved let us

hold on firmly to this truth that God works out all things for our God especially to us who love him those who love him Do you love

him?

We pass to our fourth point to that these things work out for the good

of those who have been called according to his purpose. It is a blessed

thought to know that no one is ever a Christian by accident or because


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he/she chose Christ per say. But it must be noted that God works out

all things for the elect because He has a called them. At one time, you

and I were dead in our sins (Eph 2:1), lost and without hope or God in the

world. But when the tome had fully come, God called us effectually by

His spirit, our claims fell off and were empowered to believe and come to

Christ. In the day of His power, God made us willing (Psalm 110:23).

Havent you wondered, dear friend, what it is that moved you to turn to

Christ? It is always a marvel to all those that have come to know this

truth that God calls that are ever saved effectually. How humbling it is

to the saint to know that it was God who called us, made us alive. And

so, in our text the apostle begins to refer to this truth of effectual calling

and tells us that all these things are working out in this manner because

God called to be set apart unto him. This was his purpose that we should

be set apart to glorify him in all things. Friend, do you know that God has

called you because of His own purpose? Do you know that it pleasedGod to call you so that you might fulfill your call? Are you carrying out

your task?

Having shown that the saints are called according to the Divine decree of

God, the apostle begins to open this truth further and goes out side time!

He seeks to show us the genesis of our salvation how that it begins ere

time begun.

Before God ever created anything, He exited alone and had fellowship

with Himself. He was not in any need of anything outside Himself, yet it

pleased Him to create. The baffling truth is that ere time begun, before

He even created, God had all human beings in His eternal mind, All He

could see were a fallen and hell deserving people. Yet out of those many,

he foreknew that is he determined to save them. He foreknew them

or marked them out not because they had anything special about them or

that they could believe of their own freewill in future. No! The eternal

God chose some out of many people and he has determined to save them

Hence the verse these God foreknew, further, the apostle alludes to

predestination. In this instance, He refers to those God foreknew tohaving been predestined to eternal life. Having marked them out, God

determined their path to eternal life. The interesting fact is that God has

not predestined people to enjoy Heaven per say, but that they might

be conformed to the likeness of his Son. This is the end to which all the

elect have been predestined. Oh what a privilege is ours!! to know that

God has seen fit to love such worms as us!! This truth ought to take the


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sinner out of Himself and cause him to praise God forever. It was whilst

we were yet sinners that Christ died for us. Beloved, do you ever thank

God for your salvation? Has it ever occurred to you that God never

needed you in the first place? Are you becoming more like the lord Jesus

Christ each day?

In the last place, we read that we might be conformed to the likeness of

His Son that he might be the first born among many brothers. The lord

Jesus Christ came from Heaven itself and dead. Yet on the third day he

arose from the grave! For it was impossible for the grave to hold him

captive. Thus He became the first born from the dead He was the first

to ever rise alone from the grave. In Colossians 1:15;18 we are told from

Christ was the first born from among the dead. All others that ever rose

were either raised by Christ or by another person. But our Lord rose

triumphantly from the grave on his own. This is what makes us certainthat we too shall rise from the dead because Christ has been raised (1 Cor

15:20). This is a firm foundation for because the father accepted the

sacrifice of Christ (Rom 4:25) Take heart, dear friend, Christ has been

raised and you too shall be raised on that great resurrection morning! No

wonder Paul would say that our present suffering were not worthy to be

compared to the glory that awaits us because he knew that one day his

body would rise and be re united with his soul. All other saviors that

ever rose are miserable saviors because their bones are still here with us!

But our king is no longer dead but alive!

Thus, we have demonstrated that all these things work out for our good

and that they begun in eternity. To that end, the apostle could therefore

safely rest upon God in all his earthly circumstances. Read his life in the

Acts, what made him tick? Isnt it the knowledge of these truths? I

suggest it was.

Allow me then to conclude in applying these lessons, may God help us to

learn something.

1) In whatever circumstance you are in, know that God is behind itall. Never grow weary or tried no matter how bad your situation.

Take comfort in all your circumstances. Has this been your habit?

Is it you practice to read providence?

2) Bless the lord at all time and live a thankful life. Knowing that noamount of goods works can never thank God enough, how ought

this to drive us to be thankful! Is it true of you? How sad in our


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day how that many live as enemies of the cross! God forbid that it

be true of any of you. Are you more like Christ today than when

you first believed?

3) Know this blessed truth and hide it in your heart that we shallrise even as Christ has been raised from the dead. Long for that

great resurrection morning and live as a pilgrim here below!

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you

faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, be glory and

majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever,

Amen!

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All Things for Good