We Know That All Things Work Good
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
3/18/2018 PM
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Text:
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Romans 8:28,29
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Psalters: |
261, 212, 266, 316 |
Confession of Faith |
- What?
- “All things” refers to absolutely everything in the life of everyone who is called of God, from conception to death.
- The seemingly insignificant (every hair - Matt. 10:30) to that which we think to be the most important and great.
- This implies that God sovereignly controls all things in the whole universe (Eph. 1:10,11; Prov. 16:33).
- All things “work together,” i.e., work cooperatively.
- “For good” in God’s judgment.
- The determination of what is good is that which conforms us spiritually “to the image of His Son” (29a).
- God’s goal in everything He does in our lives is to conform us to “His Son,” i.e., so we “look” like God’s children.
- This wonderful purpose of God is not for our sake, but for Jesus’ sake (29b).
- This work God performs on “them who are the called according to His purpose.”
- We are “the called” (cf. 30; 1:6,7).
- We are called “according to His purpose.”
- This truth is first known and then experienced in the way of our loving God.
- First, this truth is known (not always experienced or felt). “We know:” (3:19; 7:14; 8:22; II Cor. 5:1; I Tim. 1:8).
- This knowledge is ours in the way of our loving God (the Greek word order puts this at the beginning of the sentence).
- Our love for God arises (and grows) from His (first) love for us (I John 4:19).
- Our love takes His Word as truth and trusts Him (especially when we cannot understand).
- Such knowledge, trust and love, is what makes us to be like God’s Son.