Do ALL Things Work Together?

I was listening to a devotional this morning. It mentions the Bible promise found in 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.”

This is a Bible promise used by almost everyone as an encouragement to hang on in tough times. It’s a wonderful promise. I use it myself when I feel like tossing in the towel.

What most people ignore though, is the condition of the promise.

Every one of God’s promises come with a condition.

What is the condition here?

‘Those that love God.’

So the question remains if it appears that things are NOT working for the good of someone, do they love God?

‘Oh, of course, I love God.’ I can hear the majority of people saying to themselves.

But do you? Truly?

How do you show your love for God?

By going to church each week?

By returning your tithes?

By helping those in need?

By giving Bible studies?

How do you show your love for God?

 

 

These are all good and fine, but they do not necessarily fulfill the requirements Jesus gave in John 14:15 regarding showing love to Him.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

This is the way we show love to God.

By walking in obedience to His law (both moral and health laws).

In fact, John tells us in 1 John 2:3 that walking in obedience is the way we ‘know’ God also. Can you love someone if you do not know Him?

If you follow on in that chapter (verses 3-6), you will see that those who CLAIM to be a child of God, but do not walk in obedience to His law is a liar. That’s pretty strong language.

Next we are told that those who abides (lives in Christ; ie: vine and branches), should walk as He walked.

Jesus tells us in John 15:10 that He kept His Father’s commandments. This is how we know He lived a sinless life. 1 John 3:4 tells us that sin is a transgression of the law. To avoid sin, it is necessary for us to walk in obedience to the law.

Keeping the law does not save us. (Eph 2:8) Rather, it is the PROOF that we are saved. It’s the outward sign of being saved. In Heb 10:16 and Jer 31:33, we are told that God wishes to write His law in our hearts. We know that it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (2 Cor 8:14).

I could give numerous other verses regarding the importance of the ‘whole duty of man,’ etc., but I want to leave this thought here with you today. IF things are not ‘working for our good,’ maybe it is because we have not been demonstrating love to God in the proper manner.

 

**We must remember that OUR sense of things working for the good is not necessarily God’s knowledge. He knows what we need to develop characters that are fit for heaven. It is through tribulation that this occurs, like silver being purified in the flames.

Something to think about.