Romans 8:28 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. This text is a tonic. It is clear mountain air. Protracted conflicts with self, Satan, the world, adversities and sorrows, often leave us discouraged. Then we need this invigorating truth. It changes the aspect of every conflict of life. We shall not be injured, but benefited; shall not lose, but gain; shall not be defeated, but conquer. This conviction inspires courage, kindles enthusiasm, and girds with strength. I. THE PROMISE IS ONLY TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD. 1. Obedience is the infallible test of this love. To belong to the Church; to be baptized; to be confirmed; to say prayers, is no proof that we love God, unless we keep His commandments; and those who do keep the commandments are known by their fruits. It is not doubtful what the trees are when they are in blossom. That pure white blossom is the cherry; that pink and white one is the apple. But when we eat the fruit we know the tree. That peach never grew on a crab-apple. But, granting that we may be mistaken, God infallibly knows them that love Him. 2. This special graciousness to them that love Him is open to all, but a righteous ruler must limit moral benefits to moral obedience. If God made "all things work together for good" to bad and good alike, there would be no moral principle in His government. Nay! such Divine co-operation would sanction the wickedness of men. His moral government must be consistent with His holiness. 3. As He loves His own eternal purposes of truth and righteousness, He must especially love and honour them who are fulfilling those holy purposes. God simply assures His obedient children that their obedience shall have its reward. Providence is in league with holiness. II. MARK THE WEALTH OF THE PROMISE: "All things." 1. Light is beautiful, but light alone cannot form the picture. Shadows must lie there — a dark background on which the light can pencil its beauty. God cannot form the beautiful rainbow until He has unbraided a beam of white light into the sevenfold colours of the prism, which borrow from and lend to each other enhancing loveliness. Thus also He knows how to blend the bright and dark things in human life to produce the most holy characters. Be patient and trustful, for He is making you after a beautiful pattern, even the image of the Only Begotten. The cutting and polishing of diamonds is done by friction. God puts His jewels on the friction-wheels only to polish them. He knows how to bring out the beauty of holiness. "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth." The darkness that comes across our sky is often but the shadow of a great blessing coming from heaven and passing between us and the sun. The thunderbolt that prostrates some sheltering tree lets heaven shine on a spot of earth where it never shone before. The banishment of John to Patrons seemed cruelty; but when there God revealed to him the visions of the Book of Revelation. 2. There is great force in the original verb, "work together." I once visited a great carpet factory. I saw the wool seized by iron teeth, combed and carded, pressed under huge iron rollers and condensed into rolls, spun into yarn, dipped here in blue, there in black, yonder in crimson, there in orange, till vast piles of bobbins of every colour of yarn met my eye. But I could not see how these piles of coloured yarns could be woven into a carpet of such exquisite pattern. All seemed confusion and without intelligent design. Then the superintendent took me to the next floor, where he showed me a diagram of perforated cardboards, the exact pattern of the carpet designed — a plan unseen by the weavers below, but a plan connected with the looms and controlling all the shuttles of varied hues, thus guiding the weaving of all the threads into a web of beauty. This world is a vast factory; the events and experiences of life are crude materials seized by the iron teeth of trial, combed and carded, pressed under heavy rollers of sorrow, spun into warp and woof by the whirling spindles of duty, dipped here in the bright dyes of joy and prosperity, there in the dark hues of suffering and affliction. Confusion and mystery seemed everywhere. Then the Master took me up into the sanctuary and showed me the beautiful plan of the text, by which, unseen by the weavers below, the apparently random shuttles of life were weaving all the threads into a glorious robe of righteousness for "them that love God." III. THE DOCTRINE IS NOT A PLEASING FANCY, a beautiful dream, BUT A GLORIOUS CERTAINTY: "For we know." How? 1. We know the fact (not the philosophy) because it is the declared purpose and promise of God. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but not one syllable of His Word shall fail. 2. By the experience of them that love God. The breaking up of the family circle on earth has often been the means of re-uniting all the loved ones in heaven. The treachery of earthly friends has often driven us to closer communion with the faithful and true Friend in heaven. The wreck of mortal hopes has often enriched our immortal hopes. The vanity of this world has led us to seek more earnestly the solid realities of the world to come. 3. By the recorded testimony of good men. "Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept Thy word." Take the experience of Paul in this chapter. (J. O. Peck, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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