Romans 8:28-39
Introduction: Think if a story of a persecuted and suffering Christian. This is the context for our text today!
Romans 8:28 (NASB), “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
• “We know” v28 is a big change from v 26, “we don’t know.”
• These verses are written in times of suffering and persecution to the point where believers don’t even know how or what to pray.
• When we suffer, we must know these five things about God’s Providence:
1. God’s Earthy Providence (Romans 8:28)
A. God is working.
B. God is working for good.
C. God is working for good in all things.
D. God is working for good for those who love God.
E. God is working for those called according to His purpose.
• When we speak of God’s Providence we are acknowledging God’s presence, His immanence – within all the details of our lives. God is our shepherd.
• Ill. Remember the story of Joseph? A lot of bad things happen to him. Jealous brothers, slavery in Egypt, false accusations, prison. But years later Joseph became the VP of Egypt, he saved Egypt and His starving family from famine. In Gen. 50, Joseph says these famous words, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”
Romans 8:29 (NASB), “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
2. God’s Eternal Purpose (Romans 8:29-30)
• These verses explain that God’s purpose is not accidental, or arbitrary, but eternal.
• It has been God’s purpose all along to create a world and grow a Christ-like family.
• God's family is not just the chosen FEW, but MANY brothers and sisters (including Jews and Gentiles united in one family of God).
• God’s family starts with Jesus, but never ends with Jesus.
A. Foreknew – “to know before” or “foreloved”
B. Predestined – to be conformed to Christ
C. Called – to Christ, by faith, through the Gospel
D. Justified - by Christ’s perfect offering on the cross
E. Glorified – believers resurrected in new bodies in a new heaven and earth
Question: But, where is Sanctification?
Answer: God’s purpose is to conform us to Christ. That’s sanctification (or call it Christification). The ultimate work of God for our good in “all things” is to make us more like Christ.
Question: But what about free will and predestination?
Answer: Tim Keller says, “Paul’s main point is not to raise the old determinism vs. free will controversy, which is a philosophical problem. Rather, he is stating firmly that we must face life—not only troubles but even our own sin—with a towering, infallible confidence! The Almighty God of the universe has purposed to make us perfectly holy and gloriously happy (these two things are inseparably linked), and literally nothing can thwart God’s purpose for us!”
Romans 8:31 (NASB), “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”
Romans 8:36 (NASB), “Just as it is written:
‘For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We were regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• Paul raises five questions JUST to make sure, that there is NO QUESTION in our minds that God is for us!
3. God’s Everlasting Love (Romans 8:31-39)
A. If God is for us, who is against us? (31)
B. Will He not also with Him freely give us all things? (32)
C. Who will bring charges against God’s elect? (33)
D. Who is the one who condemns? (34)
E. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? (35)
• John Stott, “The apostle hurls these questions out into space ... defiantly, triumphantly, challenging any creature in heaven or earth or hell to answer them or to deny the truth that is contained in them. But there is no answer...”
CONCLUSION: God is For Us!
1. God’s Earthy Providence – He works all things for our good.
2. God’s Eternal Purpose – He has already planned how our story ends.
3. God’s Everlasting Love – Nothing can ever separate us from His love.
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” - Romans 8:37
