What is the 'ALL THINGS' work together of our good in Rom.8:28?

What is the 'ALL THINGS' work together of our good in Rom.8:28?

Rom 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 verse has been abused by prosperity teachers who pull this verse out of its true context and use it falsely and according to their own vain imaginations. There is so much more to this verse than putting people under the hope that the "all things" represents the tomorrow, when all things are supposed to suddenly work out better based on today's problems and challenges. This verse is not about tomorrow, or today, or even in our lifetime. This verse spans the ALL THINGS from when we were called in Christ before the world began, up until the hope of the measure of the glory of Christ we will have in the ages to come. God is working out all things, things in His intricate plan, across this great span of time, together for the good of the Body of Christ when it is in its glorified state in the coming age.

Let's take a closer look at what this verse truly means.

Before Genesis 1:1, there was a wisdom ordained by God unto our glory out in our future. God ordained wisdom before the world unto our glory. You know what that means? God has been working all things together for our good since before the world began.

In order to find joy and peace in this present time you have to understand what God is doing and understand this future hope of glory we have. The source of joy and peace presently is not in your circumstances; it’s in the hope that God has subjected us to. Paul said in 1Cor.2:7, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:”.

Paul writes in Eph.1:11 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh ALL THINGS after the counsel of his own will:". So, when we talk about the working together of all things for our good in accordance with God’s will and purpose, we’re talking about much more than what happened to you yesterday or what you hope for tomorrow.

I’m not trying to hurt peoples hope for good things. I'm not saying you can't trust God to help you in your circumstances. However, it is of great importance that we understand and apply our faith to what God's Word truly says. I want you to open up and see the vastness of this so you can begin to comprehend the love of Christ for something far greater than what you can hope for.

Today, God's grace is sufficient for us. God will never leave us or forsake us. We can never be separated from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In this dispensation, we can ask for God's help, protection, and provision, but then we should rest in the grace of God, irrespective of the answers to those prayers.

What I want you to understand is when you read the context, Paul is doing something. Look at Romans 8:18: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Do you see the contrast? Sufferings and glory. Where are you at in the process? You’re in the sufferings; the glory is future.

Now look at verse 20: “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.” Do you see the contrast again? You’re living in both realities right now. You are subject to vanity and hope. This is what’s going to be responsible for your groaning (v23) because there’s a part of you that’s been subjected in hope, and it now indwells what’s been subject to vanity.

What I want you to see is what Paul is contrasting here: sufferings and glory, vanity and hope. Look at verse 21: “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” You see the contrast? Right now, you’re in the bondage of corruption. Right now, you’re in the present time of sufferings. Right now, you are part of a creation that’s been subject to vanity. So, guess what? The present circumstances of your life aren’t going to be, nor are supposed to be a bed of roses all the time, and it doesn’t mean God doesn’t love you when they’re not. If you’re going to comprehend the love of Christ, you have to stop looking at the present circumstances and look beyond to what God is doing on an unseen level.

So, back to the "all things". If you read Romans chapter 8 with an honest heart, you’ll see that there’s no way Paul could be saying that everything’s going to work out in your present time. We have a sure promise of God that is FAR greater than just our hope for our present time, or even for our lifetime. Our hope of glory far outweighs our current circumstances. The context of Rom.8:28 is that God is working out all things for the Body of Christ, which God has planned from before the world began, and spanning the millennia of time until our glorification in the ages to come. This is the true context of 'all things'. This is a far greater blessing and of much more value than our light afflictions and the short span of our temporal lives in this world. Let me end with additional encouragement according to Paul's writings,

2Co 4:17-18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  (18)  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.