Romans 8.28 in the ESV
translation reads,
And we know that
for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are
called according to his purpose.
After considering the
translation, the question that begs for an answer is whether the common
interpretation of this verse is correct. That is, is Paul saying that God
turns adversity into something good for those who love Him, or does his point
lie elsewhere?
First, the verse could be
translated differently, as the NIV does:
And we know that
in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose.
The meaning is very close however
the passage is translated. The difference is whether ‘all things’ or
‘God’ is the subject in the verse. Do all things work together for good,
or does God work all things together for good? The Greek grammar could go
either way, so we will not find a solution to this merely by the grammar.
My preference in translation lies with the NIV, however, as it captures the
meaning of the verse read in light of the whole chapter better. The
interpretation of the verse, however, does not depend on how we translate the
verse.
Moving on, then, we need to ask,
‘What does Paul mean by “all things”?’ The popular interpretation of the
verse is intentionally general: whatever happens, things will work out for
good. Things are determined by God, even the bad things, and we just need
to trust Him. Thus, the popular interpretation is that, when something
bad happens, God can and does turn this into something good. On this
view, the things mentioned in verse 35 are the focus of "all things":
"tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
danger, or sword". Determinism is not, however, Paul’s point in this
verse. "All things" refers to what God does and accomplishes despite the
challenges we face.
The immediate context in vv.
29-30, the entire chapter 8, and the parallel in Ephesians 1 all point in a
different direction from the popular interpretation. Let us pause in our
pursuit of the right interpretation to note that one wanting to take the route
of the popular interpretation might find some assistance with Romans 5.3-4,
where Paul appreciates that suffering produces perseverance, which produces
character, which produces hope. Similarly, James says, ‘Count it all
joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for
you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness’ (1.2-3).
These texts do not lead us to determinism, but they do speak of adversity that
God uses to bring some good.
Be that as it may, I would
suggest the better understanding of Romans 8.28 lies with the view Paul
expresses in Ephesians:
In him we have
obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of
him who works all things according to the counsel of his will… (1.11).
Note that God is
the one working all things. The 'all things' is what He does to affirm
our inheritance, our predestined end, His will. The passage is also close
to Romans 8 in that the notion of predestination is in view: the ‘all things’
that God is working is for those He has predestined, that is, who are in His
salvation plan, and He works things out according to His purpose and by His
will. Ephesians 1 brings out nicely the point that God works out His plan
so that we ‘might be to the praise of His glory’ (v. 12). The parallel
with Romans also brings out this goal of our being glorified (Romans
8.30). We see, too, that ‘all things’ in Ephesians 1.11 relate to God’s
plan, and this helps us further with Romans. The ‘all things’ are not
things that happen to us but the salvation that God is working according to His
plan.
I might suggest as another aside
that the focus is not on a personal predestination but on God's plan.
Ephesians 1 is not about personal or individual matters but about God's plan
and the Church, His people. Just as in the Old Testament individual
people, despite participation in God's people and covenant, could reject
everything and deny God, as many did. God's plan remains, despite whether
individuals fit in or fall out. What we are considering, then, is not
that individuals are either elect or not or whether they can lose their
salvation or not (eternal security). The individual theological
discussion is not in view. Predestination is God's plan; it is the
inheritance that God has planned for His people.
Romans 8.29-30 lays this plan out
in full:
For those whom
he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in
order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And
those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also
justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Thus, the ‘all things’ that God
works out for those who love Him are His plans of predestination to be
conformed to Christ’s image, His calling, His work of justification, and His
glorification of us.
In the Ephesians parallel, we see
the same theological thought. In Ephesians 1.3-14, the following words
lay out the dimensions of God’s plan: we are blessed in Christ with every
spiritual blessing, chosen in Christ to be holy and blameless, predestined for
adoption as God’s sons through Jesus Christ, redeemed through Christ’s blood,
forgiven of our trespasses, enlightened as to the mystery of God’s will, made
beneficiaries of an inheritance, and sealed with the promised Holy
Spirit. These are the ‘all things’ that God works for us, the body of
Christ, the Church.
In Romans 8, ‘all things’ is not
only explained in the immediate context of v. 28 by vv. 29-30 but also by the
whole chapter. As with Ephesians, Paul has in mind what God is doing for
us according to His plan. Thus, despite our sin, He has worked out a plan
on Christ Jesus so that we will not be condemned (8.1). He has a plan
that frees us from slavery to sin and death (8.2). Where the Law failed,
God succeeded in accomplishing righteousness in us through Jesus Christ
(8.3-4). He has given us His empowering Spirit so that, by walking in
accordance with Him, we might obtain life and peace (8.5-11). By the
Spirit, we obtain sonship and inheritance (8.12-17). Despite suffering, a
greater glory awaits us in God’s plan, the redemption of our bodies
(8.18-23). Thus, we have salvation and hope, as well as help in our
weakness, for the Spirit intercedes for us according to God’s will (8.24-27).
This litany of things—the ‘all
things’—that God works for us is what Paul has in mind in the next verse, v.
28, the verse at the centre of our scrutiny. We have already noted the
terms describing God’s plan in the next two verses. God’s plan is
complete from beginning to end—all things God works for those He loves.
Then Paul asks, ‘What then shall we say to these things?’ (v. 31). The
answer: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ There is no part of
God’s plan that escapes His working for our good. He has it all
covered. He asks, ‘He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for
us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?’ (v.
32). There is that word again—ta panta, all things. The all
things that God graciously gives are all things necessary for our salvation.
Paul covers ground already
covered to draw out His point in the conclusion. If someone brings a
charge against us, God justifies (v. 33). If someone condemns us, Jesus
intercedes for us (v. 34). If something threatens to separate us from
God’s love, such as tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness,
danger, or a sword, the One who has loved us makes us to be more than
conquerors. Not anything—death or life, angels or rulers, things present or
future, powers, height, depth, anything in all creation—can separate us from
the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (vv. 35-39).
We might also note in these
verses the repetition of 'all things' such that the meaning in verse 28 is
definitively clarified. The 'all things' of verse 28 is opposed
to the 'all things' of verse 37, the latter having the sense of ‘despite
all these things’. All that God provides
(vv. 28-29) is accomplished despite all these other things. Let us, then, read the whole passage with an
eye toward this repetition:
What then shall
we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He
who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also
with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who
shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who
is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was
raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As
it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all
the day long;
we are regarded as
sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved
us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor
angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So we conclude: Romans 8.28
is not about how God turns adversity into something good for
us. Rather, it is about how God has worked a great salvation in so
many dimensions—all things—for us in Christ Jesus and through the Holy
Spirit. It is an impeccable salvation that is not subject to flaws
or failure. Paul does believe that suffering can be and is used by
God for some good, but this is not His point in Romans 8.28. The
‘all things’ God works for our good are the plan He accomplishes for those who
love Him and are called into that plan according to His purposes.
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