Rom 8:29 | KingComments | STEP | . There are only three verses this time. They are so full of blessings that you must read them carefully and let them speak to you. Again this portion starts with “we know” (see ). It indicates a contrast with . There it said we don’t know how to pray. If you feel in your body and spirit how much everything is corrupted by sin, it results in a sense of powerlessness, of not being able to cope. It could even make you feel depressed, but then come those encouraging words “we know”. This is the language of faith. If you see everything around you decaying and that your body is so vulnerable, you may know that “all things … work together for good to those who love God”. What a rich comfort to know God is above all change. He even uses it to make those who are His own richer, that is, richer in their life of faith. Haven’t you experienced that when something miserable happened to you, it brought you nearer to God? Notice “those who love God”. It’s not true to say that all things work together for good. You can only say that if you love God . Your love of God will affect you so you will not doubt Him, even with the disappointments that will come in your life. He really makes everything work together for good. This doesn’t allow for any exceptions. Would it hold as well for the sins you do? Yes! Peter experienced this. Three times he denied the Lord. He repented of it and thus received forgiveness. This is a necessity, but as a result of this he came to love the Lord Jesus more when he saw the Lord hadn’t let go of him. He had a better understanding of himself and of the Lord. But in the first place, “all things” have to do with everyday life. God makes all things that take place in it to work together for good. He uses all things, including sickness, joblessness, poverty, disability, an accident, even death to loosen you from the things around you and to direct your desire to eternal things. How real are those eternal things to you? Do you know that in eternity past God had the purpose of calling you? God was thinking of you long before you came into being. . What is written in is called “the golden chain”. This chain consists of the following five links: 1. foreknown, 2. predestined, 3. called, 4. justified and 5. glorified. He knew you all along as someone for whom He had a magnificent destination in mind. Isn’t it wonderful that He wants to transform you into the image of His Son? This is incredible, but God says it is so. He had this idea when nothing had yet been created and when sin had not yet entered the world. And what God thinks of and says, He will do. He is able to make people who are nothing but poor, tiny, rebellious, lost creatures look like His Son. This makes an enormous change in their situation. This change has come through what the Lord Jesus has done. Therefore, among all those people who are like Him, He will have the first place, the place of honor and respect. This is what matters to God. He wants His Son to be the radiant center of all the redeemed ones, among whom you may count yourself. . What becomes clear to you through these verses is that God works according to His own purposes. What you have done as a sinner isn’t mentioned in these verses. You can have a look into God’s heart here, knowing He doesn’t lose control of anything, even if everything around you seems contrary to this. He has a purpose with your life and He will reach it. In you can see how He reaches this purpose. You can see what He has done. He destined you for this purpose (from ) before you were even born. When you were born you turned out to be a sinner who couldn’t participate in God’s glory. Then God called you to Himself to make clear He didn’t want you to perish. Instead of perishing, He had a plan to which you belonged. He couldn’t execute that plan with you being as you were. Therefore He justified you. In the previous chapters of Romans you have read about this. You are someone who belongs to God because everything of you that didn’t belong to God has been put away by the work of the Lord Jesus. In its place you have received the new life that is at home with God. And to make this complete, God sees you as glorified. To Him, it is already finished. What God purposes to do will happen. If He is the Guarantor, would you doubt the outcome? Now read Romans 8:28-30 again. Reflection: Thank God for His counsel.

‏ Romans 8:29

Called According to God’s Purpose

Rom 8:28. There are only three verses this time. They are so full of blessings that you must read them carefully and let them speak to you.

Again this portion starts with “we know” (see Rom 8:22). It indicates a contrast with Rom 8:26. There it said we don’t know how to pray. If you feel in your body and spirit how much everything is corrupted by sin, it results in a sense of powerlessness, of not being able to cope. It could even make you feel depressed, but then come those encouraging words “we know”. This is the language of faith. If you see everything around you decaying and that your body is so vulnerable, you may know that “all things … work together for good to those who love God”.

What a rich comfort to know God is above all change. He even uses it to make those who are His own richer, that is, richer in their life of faith. Haven’t you experienced that when something miserable happened to you, it brought you nearer to God? Notice “those who love God”. It’s not true to say that all things work together for good. You can only say that if you love God.

Your love of God will affect you so you will not doubt Him, even with the disappointments that will come in your life. He really makes everything work together for good. This doesn’t allow for any exceptions. Would it hold as well for the sins you do? Yes! Peter experienced this. Three times he denied the Lord. He repented of it and thus received forgiveness. This is a necessity, but as a result of this he came to love the Lord Jesus more when he saw the Lord hadn’t let go of him. He had a better understanding of himself and of the Lord.

But in the first place, “all things” have to do with everyday life. God makes all things that take place in it to work together for good. He uses all things, including sickness, joblessness, poverty, disability, an accident, even death to loosen you from the things around you and to direct your desire to eternal things.

How real are those eternal things to you? Do you know that in eternity past God had the purpose of calling you? God was thinking of you long before you came into being.

Rom 8:29. What is written in Rom 8:29-30 is called “the golden chain”. This chain consists of the following five links:

1. foreknown,

2. predestined,

3. called,

4. justified and

5. glorified.

He knew you all along as someone for whom He had a magnificent destination in mind. Isn’t it wonderful that He wants to transform you into the image of His Son? This is incredible, but God says it is so. He had this idea when nothing had yet been created and when sin had not yet entered the world. And what God thinks of and says, He will do.

He is able to make people who are nothing but poor, tiny, rebellious, lost creatures look like His Son. This makes an enormous change in their situation. This change has come through what the Lord Jesus has done. Therefore, among all those people who are like Him, He will have the first place, the place of honor and respect. This is what matters to God. He wants His Son to be the radiant center of all the redeemed ones, among whom you may count yourself.

Rom 8:30. What becomes clear to you through these verses is that God works according to His own purposes. What you have done as a sinner isn’t mentioned in these verses. You can have a look into God’s heart here, knowing He doesn’t lose control of anything, even if everything around you seems contrary to this. He has a purpose with your life and He will reach it. In Rom 8:30 you can see how He reaches this purpose. You can see what He has done.

He destined you for this purpose (from Rom 8:29) before you were even born. When you were born you turned out to be a sinner who couldn’t participate in God’s glory. Then God called you to Himself to make clear He didn’t want you to perish. Instead of perishing, He had a plan to which you belonged.

He couldn’t execute that plan with you being as you were. Therefore He justified you. In the previous chapters of Romans you have read about this. You are someone who belongs to God because everything of you that didn’t belong to God has been put away by the work of the Lord Jesus. In its place you have received the new life that is at home with God. And to make this complete, God sees you as glorified. To Him, it is already finished. What God purposes to do will happen. If He is the Guarantor, would you doubt the outcome?

Now read Romans 8:28-30 again.

Reflection: Thank God for His counsel.