For Our Benefit

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Really, doesn’t this seem a little narrow? Can you tell the God-loving Christian, whose son died in a car wreck, that it will work for good? What about the person who spends their life serving God and are then diagnosed with cancer, only to die three months later? Or who loses their job? Or who loses their house? Or who is wrongfully accused, only to end up suffering the punishment for a crime they did not commit? All things work together for good? How does that work?

This verse is a wonderful promise that can encourage believers in the worst of times, but understanding what it means is often an elusive mystery. To fully understand this verse, as with any verse, we must look at it in the context of the passage. Romans 8 is a passage about salvation and the ultimate glory that is given to believers. Verses 16 and 17 tell us that we are heirs with Christ, that we will be joint beneficiaries of all the glory of God. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Rom 8:16). This verse tells us that we are going to enjoy God as His children. What an amazing claim that believers will enjoy the benefits as children of the one true God. John 1:12-13 tells us, [b]ut as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

We are children of God himself, and according to Romans 8:17, “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” This means that we, as believers in Christ, stand to inherit all of the richness of the glory, of the power, and the authority of God himself. Charles Spurgeon, a well-known preacher from the 1800’s, said in his sermon entitled, The Joint Heirs and Their Divine Portion,

I would invite you, my brethren in Christ Jesus, this morning, to do three things; first, let us consider the terms of the will—”joint heirs with Christ;” secondly, let us go forth and view the estates—what it is of which we are joint heirs; and when we have done so, let us proceed at once to administer, for God hath made his children administrators as well as heirs. (Spurgeon, July 28, 1861)

Consider this, if we are heirs to God himself, children of the king, how should that change the way we look at life today? Does the news of devastation or fear or hardship in my life today seem as powerful in the light of eternal glory with Christ? I am not trying to discount the hardships in this world today, or the pain and suffering that many people go through. I am not trying to say that we should minimize these rather that the Glory of God and the promises that He has made to us are far greater than any suffering or hardship that we will endure in this world. II Corinthians 4:16-18 tells us

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

So, in light of this knowledge, we can say that all things work together for Good. God is weaving our lives through a maze of learning and experiences to cause us to love Him more. God is bringing us on a journey through this life that will lead to our resting in Him as joint heirs with Christ. All things in this life work together for the believer for Good. The end of the journey is life with God.

I once heard a preacher say, in referring to the ultimate outcome of the Bible and the struggle of good against evil in this world, “I read the end of the book, and we win!” The outcome of every believer’s life is not just good, but amazing! In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul tells his readers that the afflictions they were going through, some of them extremely severe persecution, were light and momentary, compared to the eternal reward that God had for them in Jesus Christ. This world will seem small and insignificant when we see Jesus.

Words and music: Esther K. Rusthoi

Sometimes the day seems long, Our trials hard to bear. We´re tempted to complain, to murmur and despair. But Christ will soon appear to catch his bride away! All tears forever over in God’s eternal day!

CHORUS: It will be worth it all when we see Jesus! Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrow will erase. So, bravely run the race till we see Christ.

2. At times the sky seems dark, with not a ray of light; We’re tossed and driven on, no human help in sight. But there is One in heaven, Who knows our deepest care; Let Jesus solve your problems, just go to him in prayer.

3. Life’s day will soon be o’re, all storms forever past; We’ll cross the great divide to Glory, safe at last! We’ll share the joys of heaven: a harp, a home, a crown; The tempter will be banished, We’ll lay our burdens down

References

Rusthoi, E. K.. It Will be Worth it All. Taken from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/Esther-Kerr-Rushthoi-It-Will-Be-Worth-It-All-lyrics.html#ixzz2vSnvVQ00

Spurgeon, C. H. (July 28, 1861). The Joint Heirs and their Devine Portion. http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0402.html

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Romans 8:28 study guide

Romans 8:28 Review Questions