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. I. WHAT A DIFFERENT THING THIS WORLD IS TO THOSE "THAT LOVE GOD," AND THOSE WHO DO NOT. 1. The circumstances of the world, the general order of nature and providence, the mingled distribution of health, sickness, and accidents, are the same to both. They both share in great public benefits and calamities, and in this more favoured part of the world the Divine revelation shines on both classes alike. This fact would be a most mysterious thing without a light cast upon it from heaven, as was painfully felt by thoughtful men, even under the light of the earlier revelation. 2. To us is granted a light that pierces deeper through this sameness on the surface of things. And then, what an immense difference! The good things in man's condition — what do they do for the enemies of God? What to them is the effect of all nature, with its beauties, its vicissitudes, its productions? What to them the bounties of providence? Or what to them the share of general calamities? What are all these in effect to men who continue still irreligious, thoughtless, unthankful? The other class, however, is so disposed that all things operate towards it beneficially. And that one state of the soul should thus repel the essential, spiritual good of all things, and that an opposite one should attract it is not strange, if we consider the principle that is present or absent — the love of God. That being wanting, how should the soul derive the good of things? The perception, the discriminating faculty, the transmuting power, the principle to repel the evil is wanting; nay, the very will to obtain the good is wanting. The happy adaptation belongs only to "them that love God, who are the called according to His purpose." 3. The latter part of the sentence explains how they come to love God — "not that they first loved Him, but that He loved them." They were the objects of His gracious "purpose." No one that knows anything of the alienated state of our nature can believe that a condition of the soul in which the love of God should prevail, can be created by any less cause than the sovereign operation of the Divine Spirit; i.e., by an effectual "calling." But, then, neither can he imagine that this operation should be as if from a sudden and incidental thought of the Almighty. This, then, is the sacred process; the ancient "purpose," fulfilled at length in "the calling according to that purpose"; and this "calling" being an inspiration of "the love of God" into the renewed soul. And this places the soul in a new system of relations with the world and its events, and that the most advantageous one that is possible. The indwelling of the love of God constitutes a radical change, so that "the working together" of things upon the mind shall be, mainly and predominantly, "for good"; and progressively more so, in proportion as that sacred principle more fully prevails. For the love of God makes the soul quick to perceive, to dislike, and to repel all that is evil; makes it solicitous, vigilant, and active to apprehend and obtain all the most essential good. II. BUT, THEN, BEYOND ALL THIS THE SUPREME SECURITY IS THAT GOD WILL HAVE IT SO. He will make "all things work," etc. They are the most valued objects He has in the world; and it may well be believed that they shall not be left to chances for their welfare. For their sake He has given something incomparably more valuable than all things here, even His beloved Son, who is constituted "to the Church, head over all things." And this cannot be less than a security that "all things" shall be made to minister to them. Strangers and enemies to God are very little aware of all this. They look on the good in the system, in its mere natural, material character of good, but little aware that this is made to impart a far higher, nobler kind of good to "them that love God." And they regard the evil as simply evil; hardly sensible that even this is turned to infinite advantage to the children of God. The proud and mighty ones of the earth are exerting their utmost power and devices to make "all things" serve their interests, never dreaming that the Almighty Potentate is making "all things," and them among the rest, cooperate for the advantage of His friends. And when they are working with all their might against one another, little do they suspect that they are all the while co-operating for the benefit of another class! Would not that, if it could suddenly come on their perception, pacify them at once? "What! working with all this strife and cost for the advantage of those people they call saints!" The very pride that raised the contest would still it! III. UNDER THIS DIVINE SUPERINTENDENCE ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD. A large assertion! but where is the impossibility of its being true? A man whose soul is animated and sanctified by the love of God, what can he see, or hear, or encounter, from which, under the aid of the Divine Spirit, he absolutely cannot extract any good? 1. With this holy affection glowing in his soul, suppose him placed in the very centre of a scene of excessive iniquity — might he not draw from every point of the circuit something salutary? Might he not be struck with a religious horror lest himself should fall into sin? Or, inspired with fervent thankfulness for having been saved or redeemed from it, might he not feel an emotion to implore the interference of Almighty Power? Thus he might, in the very worst field, reap invaluable spiritual advantage. 2. There are the temporal good things. Now it is a mighty thing to say of any mortal that these shall absolutely work for his good. But the prevalent love of God will make them do so; will excite thankful admiration of the Divine bounty, stimulate a zeal to serve God, more benevolent compassion for those who are suffering the contrary of this temporal good, and excite to active charity. 3. But the most animating light of this truth falls on the darker side of human life. But temporal misfortunes may be made the means far more effectually to convince them that "this is not their rest"; that this world will not do for them; to promote their submissive adoration of an all-governing, wise, though mysterious Providence, and to inspire an energy of desire and effort toward a better country. 4. And even the evils of a spiritual kind; the pains of conscience, fears of the Divine wrath, temptation, perplexities concerning religious truth; through these, as a severe discipline, many minds have been drawn and exercised to the attainmeat of a happy elevation of Christian sanctity and peace. (John Foster.) 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. |
    |