Sermon: Verse 28
by Chris Cumming
 

Since your baptism and entrance into the Salvation Process, you have probably come to the overwhelming conclusion that the life of the Christian is not always easy.  We see this reality confirmed in Acts 14 and 1 Peter 4:12.

Acts 14:22 
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

1 Peter 4:12 
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

In light of these scriptures, most all of us have a very favorite verse we go to.  I know this to be a favorite of many of you, because I hear this verse quoted so many times.  I have literally heard it quoted thousands of times in my 50 years in the faith.  Let us read this verse now.

Turn to Romans 8 and the title of this sermon, verse 28.

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 sometimes believe that this verse is so familiar to us, such a comfort in times of trial that we don’t really think about what this verse is telling us.  For instance:

1] What is this verse really about?
2] Who is this verse for?
3] How does this verse work?
4] Clearly this verse holds a promise, but is anything required of those individuals involved? 
5] What exactly is required if one expects to claim and experience this promise?

My purpose today will be to answer all these questions as I encourage all of us to be the Verse 28 person.

Be the Verse 28 person

One commentary I read stated that if we are to fully understand this verse, we must read beginning in Chapter 7.  Let us do that now.  As we do, I will begin making a list of the descriptions we find here of the Verse 28 person and the admonitions God is giving to anyone who wishes to claim this promise.

Romans 7:1-25
1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Admonition:  A Verse 28 person must allow the Law of God to rule them.

The next two verses are an illustration to get a point across in verses that follow.

2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Note:  The law of the illustration is the law binding the wife to the husband.  Once he dies, the law, though still on the books, is no longer binding on her.  She is now free to marry herself to another.

4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Note: The sacrifice of Christ now makes us able to marry ourselves to Christ in the Salvation Process where we make dead the works of the flesh and make alive the spiritual works.  A Verse 28 person is doing this on a continual basis.  The next verses continue in this thought and principle.
 
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Note:  Verse 28 individuals are delivered from the law.  They are serving Christ in the Salvation Process.

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Note:  For firstfruits, the law is holy, just and good.

In the next set of verses here in Romans 7 we see discussed the fact that sin resides in the mind of the human.  Some people both in and outside the church see these verses as an excuse to sin.  Such is not the case.  These verses are actually showing the difference between an unconverted person and a true Christian regarding sin.

13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent [to be of the same mind or opinion] unto the law that it is good.

Note: The firstfruit consents unto the law.  Even when they sin, they go to the law and repentance.  To love the law and commandments is to hate sin.  Hence the response firstfruits have when they do sin.  When we do a good work by the power of the Holy Spirit, that Spirit tells us that the action was a good one.

17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Note:  Notice Paul’s narrative here.  He is describing what is going on in his mind regarding sin.  Firstfruits are totally different from the sinner.  The sinner does not have thoughts such as Paul is giving here.  These thoughts are natural to the firstfruit.  When he/she sins, they immediately acknowledge the sin and the fact they hate the sin and the action they just took.  They repent, they put more energy into overcoming the sin and they keep moving forward in the Salvation Process which is according to the purpose of God.

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Note: Verse 22 here goes along with verse 16 and “consenting” to the law.  The commentary tells us that the word, “delight” indicates not only intellectual assent, but emotion, an emotion of pleasure in the contemplation of the Law.  Barnes Notes says, “ the word ‘law’ here is used in a large sense, to denote all the communications which God had made to control man. The sense is, that the apostle was pleased with the whole. One mark of genuine piety is to be pleased with the whole of the divine requirements.”

For the, “Inward man” Barnes Notes goes on to say, “The “inward man” is called elsewhere ‘the new man’ Ephesians 4:24; and denotes not the mere intellect, or conscience, but is a personification of the principles of action by which a Christian is governed; the new nature; the holy disposition; the inclination of the heart that is renewed.”

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Note:  Whereas we, as humans are subject to sin and may sin from time to time, albeit in lesser amounts as we near perfection, we, with our minds serve the law of God through Jesus Christ.  This is the Verse 28 person.

In that last commentary you see a reference to Ephesians 4:24.  Let me read there beginning in verse 22.  This is mostly admonition to the Verse 28 person…the person who wants all things to work together for the good.

Ephesians 4:22-32
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Therefore a verse 28 person is one who:

1] puts off the old man.
2] is constantly renewed in the mind.
3] puts on the new man.
4] puts away lying.
5] lets not the sun go down on their wrath.
6] does not give place to Satan.
7] does not steal in any form.
8] works the good thing [good works] so he can give to those who need.
9] speaks edifying things.
10] never grieves the Holy Spirit.  More about this in a moment.
11] puts away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour and evil speaking.
12] is kind, tenderhearted and forgiving just as God is.

On the subject of grieving or otherwise smothering the Holy Spirit:  It is important you know what grieves the Holy Spirit.  It is also important that you know that what you see next is speaking of someone totally taken over by these elements.  We are not talking about someone who slipped and sinned a sin.  We are talking about a person in severe backsliding and going into the falling away process.  We are talking about a person who has allowed his/her mind to be transformed back to its original state…in darkness.  The Holy Spirit cannot exist in a human mind that has transformed back to total darkness.

Here are those elements that can and do grieve and smother the Holy Spirit:

1] Open and gross sins on a continual basis without any bit of repentance.
2] Anger on a continual basis.
3] Licentious thoughts and desires on a continual basis.  Total corrupt imaginings.
4] Ingratitude on a continual basis.
5] Neglect.  How many times have we discussed this subject.  Neglecting the elements of the Salvation Process.

One commentary says: “We neglect those favored moments of our piety, and lose those happy seasons for becoming like God.”

6] Resistance.  Here we are talking about resistance or rebellion to the will of God.  We are talking about those who resist the plan of God in their lives.  They resist their Godly Calling.

We have completed our discussion of Romans 7 but there are still 27 verses between here and our Verse 28.  Let’s read those to see more descriptions of and admonitions to the Verse 28 person who is counting on and praying to God that all things work together for good.

Romans 8:1-27
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Fact: There is no condemnation to those in the Salvation Process.
Admonition:  Walk not after the flesh.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

 Fact: Firstfruits are in the Salvation Process which puts them free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Admonitions: Be righteous.  Again the scripture tells us not to walk after the flesh.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Admonition:  Put your mind on spiritual things.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Fact: If we focus on spiritual things and processes, we reap peace and eternal life.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Fact:  Those in the flesh cannot please God.
 
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Facts:  The Verse 28 person is not in the flesh.  Without Christ in us, we are none of His.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Facts:  Christ is in us.  Therefore our body is dead to sin.  We will be changed into spirit beings by virtue of the Holy Spirit in us.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Admonition:  Mortify the deeds of the body.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Fact and Admonition:  Be led by the Spirit of God in your life.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Fact:  We know by the Holy Spirit in us that we are children of God.
Admonition:  Be that child of God.

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Fact:  If you are a child of God, then you are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
Fact:  We are glorified through sufferings until the ultimate glory of entering the Kingdom of God.

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.

Admonition:  Do not allow sufferings to get you down.  Keep your eye on the Kingdom of God.

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Admonition:  Our hearts are looking to the Kingdom and the end of this age.  This is our hope.  With every passing day, we are looking for the return of Christ and His Kingdom.
 
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Fact:  Our hope is not seen.  We are waiting for a promised event that has not yet taken place.  The more we look for Christ to appear in the air, the harder we work the elements of the Salvation Process.

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 groanings which cannot be uttered.

Admonitions:  Pray to God continually.  Give everything over to God.
Fact and Promise:  God, by power of the Holy Spirit helps us in trials, sufferings and infirmities.

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.

Facts:  God know our thoughts.  He knows who has the Holy Spirit.  He knows this because He makes intercession for Verse 28 people.

So now we see that Verse 28 is not a verse for just anyone.  It is for forward-moving firstfruits that are living by every word of God, who put all things in His hands, who are totally dependent on Him and who embrace all the admonitions we have listed today.  It is for firstfruits who know all these facts and promises of God we have discussed so far.

Let’s get into verse 28 now.

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.

Let’s go to the commentaries:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God - To understand this verse aright, let us observe:

1. That the persons in whose behalf all things work for good are they who love God, and, consequently, who live in the spirit of obedience.

2. It is not said that all things shall work for good, but that συνεργει, they work now in the behalf of him who loveth now, αγαπωσι; for both verbs are in the present tense. All these things work together; while they are working, God’s providence is working, his Spirit is working, and they are working Together with him. And whatever troubles, or afflictions, or persecutions may arise, God presses them into their service; and they make a part of the general working, and are caused to contribute to the general good of the person who now loves God, and who is working by faith and love under the influence and operation of the Holy Spirit. They who say sin works for good to them that love God speak blasphemous nonsense. A man who now loves God is not now sinning against God; and the promise belongs only to the present time: and as love is the true incentive to obedience, the man who is entitled to the promise can never, while thus entitled, (loving God), be found in the commission of sin. But though this be a good general sense for these words, yet the all things mentioned here by the apostle seem more particularly to mean those things mentioned in Romans 8:28-30. ~Adam Clarke

Look at the end of verse 28 again.  It reads, “to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Verses 29 and 30 continue this thought:

Romans 8:29-30
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

These verses take us to the heart of the Verse 28 person.  The person for which all things work to the good are:

1] Them that love God.
2] Are called according to His purpose.
3] Those whom He predestinated to be called to conform to the image of Jesus Christ.
4] Those He called to be firstfruits.
5] Those He justified.
6] Those He will glorify.

Do we see what is being said here?  Clearly God can and does work things out for us in the here and now.  He provides for us, He guides us and He heals us.  But more important here is the fact that ultimately all things [including trials, tribulations, persecutions, devastations, famine, earthquakes, pestilence, betrayal by falling away brethren, smiting by our brothers in the faith, being turned into authorities, torture and even death] work together for good, if we do all that we have discussed here.

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