All Things

 Excerpt - Articles on Romans by E. J. Waggoner Chapter 8

Romans 8:26-28

 

26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning which can not be uttered. 27 And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

All Things Work for Good. 

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God."  

Without this knowledge we could not have that confidence in prayer that we ought to have and that is indicated in the preceding verses. Whoever knows the Lord must love him, for he is love. And the Spirit reveals him to us.  Whoever knows that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," can not fail to love him. And then all things work together for good to him.

Take notice that the text does not say that all things shall work together for good to them that love God, but that they do so work now in this present time. Everything as it comes is good to those who love and trust the Lord.  

Many people lose the blessing of this assurance by reading it as though it were for the future. 

They try to be resigned to troubles that come by thinking that by and by some good will come from them; but in that case they do not get the good that God gives them.

Note further that the text does not say that we know how all things work together for good to them that love God. People in trouble often sigh piously and say, "Well, I suppose that it is all for good, but I can't see how." Of course not; and they have no business to see how. It is God that makes them work good, because he alone has the power.

Therefore it is not necessary for us to know anything about how it is done. The fact is knowledge enough for us.  God can overrule all the plans of the devil, and can make the wrath of man to praise him. 

Our part is to believe.  

There is no trust in the Lord if we must see how he does everything.

Those who must be able to see how the Lord works, show that they can not trust him out of sight, and thus they give him a bad name to the world.

Called of God. God has called everybody to come to him. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."  Rev. 22:17. God is no respecter of persons; he desires that all men shall be saved, and so he calls them all.

Not only does he call us, but he draws us. No man can come to him without being drawn, and so Christ is lifted up to draw all to God. He tasted death for every man (Heb. 2:9), and through him all men have access to God. He has destroyed in his own body the enmity, the wall that separates men from God, so that nothing can keep any man from God unless that man builds up again the barrier.

The Lord draws us, but does not employ force. He calls, but does not drive. It remains therefore for us to make our "calling and election sure" by yielding to the influence that God throws round us. He says, "Follow me," and we must make the calling effectual by following him.