Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In my opinion, to say that all events have a good purpose takes responsibility and accountability away from those who perform actions with evil intent. Although Christians should forgive those perpetrators (as Christ commands them to), they will still be judged for those actions by God unless they repent of them and seek His forgiveness.

I would consider it more accurate to say (as noted in Romans 8:28) that God is capable of bringing ultimate good for His followers out of even the worst of such actions that they may experience (although that "good" may not necessarily correspond to what we (who lack God's omnisicence, and who, as mortal beings, are more inclined to think in temporal terms) might think it should be).

August 28 2020 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

In all things God can work and He does work, good and bad. What was meant for a bad event by Joseph’s brothers harming him, God used to bring about tremendous good (Genesis 50:20, the classic or the primary Old Testament illustration of Romans 8:28). 

Genesis 50:20 says "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."

August 29 2020 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt Supporter

It is not true that all bad events have a good purpose. That would wrongly make God the creator of evil. Death and disasters are not good. Job suffered through bad events, the loss of property and family. God did not cause them but allowed Satan to test Job. 

Luke 13:1-5 mentions “the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices” and eighteen people killed when the tower of Siloam fell. If there was any good purpose in these events, this would have been the time for the Lord to talk about it, but the Lord does not touch upon it. Instead, He called on them to repent lest they likewise perish.

But God does turn some evil events into blessings. Pharaoh schemed to kill male babies, but his own daughter cared for the baby Moses, the deliverer of Israel. Joseph’s brothers sold Joseph into Egypt, but Joseph, eventually promoted as prime minister, provided for his people. 

But Romans 8:28 is about something else. Here Paul speaks of a special class of believers and not about all believers. They are “those who love God.” They walk according to the Spirit, Romans 8:1. They are led by the Spirit and thus called the sons of God, as being more mature, Romans 8:14. They are joint heirs with Christ because they suffer with Him, Romans 8:17, and will share in future glory with Him, 8:17–18. This description does not include all believers, but those who fully identify with Christ. Upon these, God has special things in store.

“All things work together for good” refers to God’s working His plan and purpose for this special group. This passage is not about salvation but the full reward for them. They are foreknown as those God will have rule with His Son. They are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, sharing with Him as in co-rulership. They are called to serve, having suffered. They are justified in that their actions will be vindicated at the Judgment Seat of Christ. They are glorified and honored with the Lord Jesus Christ, ruling with Him. 

God guarantees this for them, the choicest and the elite (true sense of the word “elect”). Nothing shall interfere with His plan or separate them from the love of God. They “are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

The sufferings that these go through are not just any pain, discomfort or trial, but only those things that come by identifying with Christ and suffering for Him. Both creation and the faithful Christian wait for freedom and liberty. The groaning of the believers who suffer for the Lord and the groaning of creation in bondage of corruption will cease when Christ’s kingdom is set up and the sons of God are then revealed.

Those who are victorious will one day realize the precious truth that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

6 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report