GOD IS AT WORK V28 – 39. MORE THAN CONQUERORS
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE LAKES – THE PEAK DISTRICT - SNOWDONIA NATIONAL PARK YOU BEGIN YOUR WALK IN THE VALLEYS THE SCENERY IS GREEN AND BEAUTIFUL BUT YOU CAN ONLY SEE WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU AS SURROUNDING TRESS OR THE VALLEY ITSELF HAVE HIDDEN WHAT’S OVER THE OTHER SIDE. YET GRADUALLY YOU MAKE YOUR WAY UP THE VALLEY RIDGE ONTO THE MOUNTAIN AT TIMES ITS A STRUGGLE, YOU CONSIDER GIVING UP, YOU DIDN’T REALISE IT WOULD BE SO DIFFICULT. YET EVENTUALLY YOU REACH THE SUMMIT. AND THEN IT HITS YOU, YOUR BREATH IS JUST TAKEN AWAY AS YOU TURN 360 DEGREES – THE AWESOME PANORAMIC VIEW BEFORE YOU. THE BLUE OCEAN TO THE WEST - THE OUTLINE OF THE MOUNTAIN TOPS AND THE VALLEYS TO THE EAST, THE DENSE FOREST OF LUSH GREEN TRESS TO THE NORTH AND A SPECTACULAR CASCADING WATERFALL TO YOUR SOUTH – NO LONGER ARE YOU BLINKERED TO JUST WHAT’S IN FRONT OF YOU THE PRESENT VIEW HAS MADE THE PREVIOUS STRUGGLES WORTHWHILE YOU STAND IN AWE OF WHAT’S BEFORE YOU.
AS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ROMANS WE HAVE BEEN TREATED TO SOME AWESOME THEOLOGICAL TRUTHS WHICH ARE A PRACTICAL REALITY IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER WE HAVE BEEN TOLD OF THE WONDERFUL PRIVILEGES WE HAVE AS JUSTIFED BELIEVERS: PEACE WITH GOD ROM 5:1-11 – UNION WITH CHRIST 5:12 - 6:23 – FREEDOM FROM THE LAW 7:1-25 – AND LIFE IN THE SPIRIT 8:1-27 AND OUR AWESOME FUTURE GLORY ROM 8;18 -27 BUT WE HAVE ALSO HAD TO FACE UP TO SOME REAL PROBLEMS ALONG THE WAY FOR ALL HAVE SINNED ROM 3:23 AND THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH ROM 6:23 THE ONGOING CONFLICT WITH SIN ROM 7 SUFFERING ALONG THE WAY ROM 8:18 – YET HERE WE ARE AT DIVINE HEIGHTS! INDEED PAUL WANTS US TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND. HERE ARE BREATH IS JUST TAKEN AWAY AS HE OPENS UP THE WHOLE PLAN AND PURPOSES OF GOD FOR US FROM ETERNITY PAST TO ETERNITY FUTURE , FROM HIS DIVINE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF US AND OUR PREDESTINATION, TO HIS IMMENSE LOVE FOR US THAT NOTHING WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM NOW ONTO ETERNITY.
1. GOD IS AT WORK IN THE BELIEVER V 28 -30
WHAT IS GODS GOAL FOR US? V28 TELLS US THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. WHAT IS THAT PURPOSE? THE ANSWER IS GIVEN IN V29 WHERE HE ELABORATES HIS PURPOSE V29 TO BE CONFORMED TO THE LIKENESS OF HIS SON. SO GODS GOAL IS THAT WE WILL BECOME LIKE JESUS.
V28 GOD IS AT WORK FOR OUR GOOD IN ALL THINGS. WHATEVER HAPPENS TO US THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE DOWN RIGHT UGLY IN OUR LIVES GOD IS WORKING OUT HIS PURPOSES TO MAKE US LIKE JESUS IN ALL THINGS
ITS IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE, PAUL IS NOT SUGGESTING SOME PIOUS OPTIMISM AS SO MANY LIBERAL CHRISTIANS SPEAK ABOUT THAT GOD IS AT WORK IN ALL THINGS FOR THE GOOD OF EVERYBODY AND EVERYBODY WILL BE SAVED IN THE END.NO WAY! THE SCRIPTURE UTTERLY REFUTES THAT MAN MADE IDEA - GODS GOAL OF CONFORMING PEOPLE TO THE LIKENESS OF HIS HIS SON IN ALL THINGS IS ONLY FOR THOSE PEOPLE V28 WHO LOVE HIM . AND WE CAN ONLY LOVE HIM IF HE HAS FIRST LOVED US.
GODS GOAL IS TO SAVE A PARTICULAR PEOPLE AND WE SEE FIVES STEPS OF GODS WORK BEFORE US FOR THOSE V28 WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED , V29 WHOM GOD FOREKNEW, ITS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO V29 HE PREDESTINED, ITS ONLY FOR THOSE HE HAS V30 JUSTIFIED, IT IS ONLY FOR THOSE HE WILL V30 GLORIFY.
A. GODS FORE KNOWLEDGE: TWO MISGUIDED ERRORS PEOPLE MAY FALL INTO HERE 1. THAT HERE IN ETERNITY PAST GOD FORE SAW OUR CHOICE IN CHOSING HIM AND SO PREDESTINED US TO BE HIS - THIS CANNOT BE RIGHT BECAUSE GOD FORESEES EVERYBODY, PAUL IS ACTUALLY SPEAKING ABOUT A PARTICULAR GROUP (THOSE WHO LOVE HIM )
THE 2ND PROBLEM IS IF GOD PREDESTINES PEOPLE BECAUSE HE FORE SAW THEY WERE GOING TO BELIEVE IN HIM THEN THE GROUND OF THEIR SALVATION IS IN THEMSELVES, IT MAKES SALVATION WORKS RELATED.(I CHOSE GOD)
CONSIDER WHAT JESUS SAID JHN 15:16. YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME BUT I CHOSE YOU AND APPOINTED YOU TO GO AND BEAR FRUIT. EPH 1:4 FOR HE CHOOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD
GODS FOREKNOWLEDGE ( THE HEBREW VERB ‘TO KNOW’ EXPRESSES MORE THAN MERE INTELLECTUAL COGNITION IT DENOTES A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP OF CARE AND AFFECTION. THUS GOD ‘KNOWS’ PEOPLE HE WATCHES OVER THEM PSALM 1:6 FOR GOD WATCHES OVER THE WAY OF THE RIGHTOUS INDEED ISRAEL ALONE WAS KNOWN BY THE LORD AMOS 3:2 YOU ONLY HAVE I CHOSEN (FORMED A COVENANT WITH).
THE DIVINE SOURCE OF THIS DIVINE ELECTION IS HIS DIVINE LOVE AND NEVER OUR OWN CHOOSING. DEUT 7:7 THE LORD DID NOT SET HIS AFFECTION ON YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE MORE NUMEROUS THAN OTHERS PEOPLES FOR YOU WERE THE FEWEST BUT IT WAS BECAUSE THE LORD LOVED YOU.
SO GODS FOREKNOWLEDGE IS DISTINGUISHED AND MOTIVATED BY LOVE WHICH HE HAS POURED OUT UPON HIS PEOPLE 1JHN 4:10 THIS IS LOVE NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON AS A PROPITION FOR OUR SINS
B) GOD IS AT WORK ALSO IN HIS PREDESTINATING OF US ( MEANS TO DECIDE UPON BEFOREHAND) - HE CHOSE US BEFORE WE COULD EVER MAKE A CHOICE FOR HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST CHOSE US - THIS WAS GODS PLAN, PURPOSE AND PLEASURE – WHEN? EPH 1:4. WHY BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. ITS GOD APPOINTED TASK: JHN 1:13 - ACTS 13:48 ROM 9:16
OTHERS MIGHT ARGUE THAT THERE ARE THOSE BIBLE PASSAGES THAT POINT TO HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY LIKE WHOSOEVER CALLS UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM, AND THIS IS TRUE AND SO WE HAVE TO RECONCILE THIS IN OUR MINDS.
• DURING HIS DAYS AS GUEST LECTURER AT CALVIN SEMINARY, R.B.KUIPER ONCE USED THE FOLLOWING ILLUSTRATION OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AND HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY: I LIKEN THEM TO TWO ROPES GOING THROUGH TWO HOLES IN THE CEILING AND OVER A PULLEY ABOVE. IF I WISH TO SUPPORT MYSELF BY THEM, I MUST CLING TO THEM BOTH. IF I CLING ONLY TO ONE AND NOT THE OTHER, I GO DOWN. I READ THE MANY TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE REGARDING GOD’S ELECTION, PREDESTINATION, HIS CHOSEN, AND SO ON. I READ ALSO THE MANY TEACHINGS REGARDING ’WHOSOEVER WILL MAY COME’ AND URGING PEOPLE TO EXERCISE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS HUMAN BEINGS. THESE SEEMING CONTRADICTIONS CANNOT BE RECONCILED BY THE PUNY HUMAN MIND. WITH CHILDLIKE FAITH, I CLING TO BOTH ROPES, FULLY CONFIDENT THAT IN ETERNITY I WILL SEE THAT BOTH STRANDS OF TRUTH ARE, AFTER ALL, OF ONE PIECE.
C) THOSE HE PREDESTINED - HE ALSO CALLED V30 – THIS COMES TO US THROUGH THE GOSPEL 2 THES:2:13-14. BECAUSE WHEN THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED WITH POWER 1THES 1:4 AND THE RESPOND WITH FAITH WE KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN CALLED OF GOD. SO THROUGH THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL IT IS HOW GOD CALLS PEOPLE – SO PREACHING IS THE VERY MEANS OF GODS CALL AND CONFIRMATION OF HIS PREDESTINATING. THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL IS THE VEHICLE FOR THAT GOD BRINGS HIS PREDESTINATION CALL.
D) THOSE HE CALLED HE ALSO JUSTIFIED V30 – THIS IS GOD ACT OF DECLARING – ITS MUCH MORE THAN JUST BEING FORGIVEN -ACQUITTED AND ACCEPTED ALL THOSE ARE TRUE BUT ITS MUCH MORE IT IS A COMPLETE DECLARATION THAT WE SINNERS ARE NOW RIGHTEOUS IN GODS SIGHT THROUGH THE MERITS AND RIGHTOUSNES OF CHRIST IMPUTED TO US. IF CHRIST BECAME SIN WITH OUR SIN, SO THAT WE MIGHT BECOME RIGHTEOUS WITH HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS 2:COR.5:21
E) THOSE HE JUSTIFIED HE ALSO GLORIFIED V30 THIS IS SOMETHING AT PRESENT WE FALL SHORT OF HIS GLORY ROM 3:23 BUT WHICH WE GROAN FOR ROM 5:2 8:18,23 OUR DESTINY IS NEW BODIES UPON A NEW EARTH WITH THE GLORY OF GOD WE WILL BE TRANSFIGURED WITH THE GORY OF GOD. MARK 9: 1 TRANSFIGURATION.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY WHERE IS THE PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION IN ALL THIS? PAUL HAS MISSED IT OUT, OH BUT HE HAS’NT ITS RIGHT HERE IN THE ALL THINGS.
2. GOD IS AT WORK IN ‘ ALL THINGS’ FOR THE BELIEVER V28 (SANCTIFICATION)
SO EVEN IN OUR TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS GOD IS AT WORK FOR OUR GOOD - SO GOD IS AT WORK IN OUR SICKNESS, GOD IS AT WORK IN OUR BEREAVEMENT, GOD IS AT WORK IN OUR BACKSLIDING - GOD IS AT WORK IN OUR ACHIEVEMENTS, GOD IS AT WORK IN OUR FAILURES. IF YOU ARE A BELIEVER GOD IS AT WORK IN ALL THINGS FOR YOUR GOOD IN YOUR LIFE. DO YOU BELIEVE IT?
A. v28 “WE KNOW” ONLY A CHRISTIAN CAN ECHO THESE WORDS ‘WE KNOW’ ASK ANYBODY WHO ISN’T THEY WOULD SOONER BLAME GOD FOR THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES. FOR MANY GOD IS THE ONE TO BLAME WHEN THINGS GO WRONG.
BUT A MATURE BELIEVER SEES THAT GOD IS ULTIMATELY AT WORK FOR THEIR GOOD THEY MIGHT NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THIS SIDE OF ETERNITY BUT WILL ULTIMATELY TRUST IN THE SOVEREIGN PURPOSES OF GOD. PAUL IS ECHOING THE UNIVERSAL EXPERIENCE NOT OF EVERY PERSON BUT EVERY BELIEVER OF GOD THAT GOD IS IN SOVEREIGN CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES.
CHARLES SPURGEON, THE 19TH CENTURY EVANGELIST, WRITES THIS ABOUT THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD— THERE IS NO ATTRIBUTE MORE COMFORTING TO HIS CHILDREN THAN THAT OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY. UNDER THE MOST ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES, IN THE MOST SEVERE TRIALS, THEY BELIEVE THAT SOVEREIGNTY HAS ORDAINED THEIR AFFLICTIONS THAT SOVEREIGNTY OVERRULES THEM, AND THAT SOVEREIGNTY WILL SANCTIFY THEM ALL. THERE IS NOTHING FOR WHICH THE CHILDREN OUGHT TO MORE EARNESTLY CONTEND TO THAN THE DOCTRINE OF THEIR MASTER OVER ALL CREATION—THE KINGSHIP OF GOD OVER ALL THE WORKS OF HIS OWN HANDS—THE THRONE OF GOD AND HIS RIGHT TO SIT UPON THAT THRONE...FOR IT IS GOD UPON THE THRONE WHOM WE TRUST.”
THE APOSTLE WHO PENNED THESE WORDS UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF GOD WROTE FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HERE WAS A BELIEVER WHO WAS BEATEN TO A PULP, SHIPWRECKED, RIDICULED IMPRISONED, AND ULTIMATELY BEHEADED IN ROME. HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS TO SUFFER – YET IN ALL THINGS HE SAW THAT GOD WAS WORKING OUT HIS PURPOSE IN HIS LIFE. THESE ARENT YOUR AVERAGE PROBLEMS FACING CHRISTIANS IN THE WEST AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME YET PAUL WAS HUMAN JUST LIKE US AND HIS BODY WAS DECAYI NG JUST LIKE OURS....
SO IN THE CONTEXT OF AILMENTS PAUL SUFFERED AS WE SUFFER WITH OURSELVES 2COR12:7 TO KEEP ME FROM BECOMING CONCEITED BECAUSE OF THESE SURPASSING GREAT REVELATIONS THERE WAS GIVEN ME A THORN IN MY FLESH A MESSENGER FROM SATAN, TO TORMENT ME. V8 THIS CALLED PAUL TO ASK THE LORD TO REMOVE THIS PROBLEM IN FACT THREE TIMES HE ASKED, YET THE LORD WOULD SAY TO HIM MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS. MANY COMMENTATORS BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SOME KIND OF PHYSICAL AILMENT HE RECEIVED WHICH WAS THEIR TO HUMBLE HIM.
A SUFFERING SAINT ONCE BITTERLY ASKED HER PASTOR, “WHY HAS GOD MADE ME THIS WAY?” GENTLY HE REPLIED”GOD HAS NOT MADE YOU – HE IS MAKING YOU.” HOW TRUE! IN ALL THINGS HE IS CONFORMING US TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON!
ROY CAMPANELLA WAS ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS TO PLAY IN THE US BASEBALL MAJOR LEAGUES. IN A DISTINGUISHED CAREER HE WON THE BROOKLYN DODGERS MOST VALUED PLAYER AWARD MANY TIMES, AND IN 1955 WAS IN THE TEAM THAT WON THE WORLD SERIES. BUT IN JANUARY 1958 HIS CAREER WAS CUT SHORT AFTER A CAR CRASH LEFT HIM A QUADRIPLEGIC. AFTER HE WAS INJURED HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE INSTITUTE OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION IN NEW YORK CITY. ONE DAY HE STOPPED TO READ A GOLD PLAQUE UPON ONE OF THE WALLS, AND FOR SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN BLESSED WITH SUCH ATHLETIC GIFTS IT RESONATED DEEPLY WITHIN HIM:
"I ASKED GOD FOR STRENGTH, THAT I MIGHT ACHIEVE. I WAS MADE WEAK, THAT I MIGHT LEARN TO HUMBLY OBEY…I ASKED FOR HEALTH THAT I MIGHT DO GREAT THINGS. I WAS GIVEN INFIRMITY THAT MIGHT DO BETTER THINGS…I ASKED FOR RICHES THAT I MIGHT BE HAPPY, I WAS GIVEN POVERTY THAT I MIGHT BE WISE… I ASKED FOR POWER, THAT I MIGHT HAVE THE PRAISE OF OTHERS. I WAS GIVEN WEAKNESS THAT I MIGHT FEEL THE NEED OF GOD… I ASKED FOR ALL THINGS, THAT I MIGHT ENJOY LIFE. I WAS GIVEN LIFE THAT I MIGHT ENJOY ALL THINGS…I GOT NOTHING I ASKED FOR, BUT EVERYTHING I HAD HOPED FOR. ALMOST DESPITE MYSELF, MY UNSPOKEN PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED. I AM, AMONG MEN, MOST RICHLY BLESSED!
CONSIDER THE LIFE OF JOSEPH: GEN 50:20 JOSEPH KNEW AT SOME POINT CAME TO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT GOD WAS WORKING OUT HIS PURPOSES IN HIS LIFE, “YOU MEANT TO HARM ME BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR THE SAVING OF MANY LIVES.”
CONSIDER THE NATION OF JUDAH: JER 29:11. JEREMIAH WROTE TO THE CAPTIVES IN BABYLON AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM THAT GOD HAD PLANS FOR THEM. “I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU DECLARES THE LORD”
CONSIDER THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST. ACTS 2:23 JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED AT THE HANDS OF WICKED MEN BUT UNDER THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD. “THIS MAN WAS HANDED OVER TO YOU BY GODS SET PURPOSE HIS FORE KNOWLEDGE.
THERE IS A PAINTING CALLED “THE SUFFERING OF THE TRINITY” IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART IN LONDON THERE’S A PICTURE OF THE CRUCIFIXION THAT IS SO DARK THAT WHEN YOU FIRST LOOK AT IT, YOU CAN’T SEE ANYTHING. BUT IF YOU STAND AND PONDER IT, AND IF YOU DO NOT PERMIT YOUR GAZE TO FALTER, EVENTUALLY YOU WILL SEE IN THE DARKNESS A VERY DIM FIGURE OF THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST. IF YOU LOOK LONGER AND DO NOT ALLOW YOUR ATTENTION TO BE DIVERTED, YOU THEN BEGIN TO DISCERN BEHIND THE FIGURE OF CHRIST THE PRESENCE OF GOD THE FATHER, WHOSE HANDS ARE HOLDING UP HIS SON, AND ON HIS FACE IS A LOOK OF UNIMAGINABLE GRIEF. THERE, IN THOSE FIVE HOURS, NO MATTER WHAT THE DEPTHS TO WHICH HE WENT, JESUS KNEW HIS FATHER WAS WITH HIM. THE TRINITY--FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT--SUFFERING TOGETHER. THAT’S A MYSTERY. I CANNOT EXPLAIN IT. BUT IT IS TRUE. SOURCE: BRUCE W. THIELEMANN, "THE CRY OF MYSTERY," PREACHING TODAY, TAPE NO. 66. (LESS)
SO NOW CONSIDER YOUR OWN SITUATION. IN ALL THINGS WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE THERE IS A PURPOSE FOR GOOD. IF YOU LOVE GOD AND HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. THE WORK OF SANCTIFICATION TAKES PLACE THROUGH ALL THINGS
FINALLY
3. GODS AT WORK BRINGS GREAT ASSURANCE TO THE BELIEVER.
• WE KNOW V28
• GOD IS FOR US V31
• GOD WILL GIVE US ALL THINGS V32 (HE WILL GLORIFY US)
• NO CONDEMNATION V33 – 34
• THE IMMENSE LOVE OF THE TRIUNE GOD TOWARDS US V35 – 39
WE ALL NEED TO REST IN GODS SOVEREIGN WORK FOR OUR LIVES AS HIS PEOPLE AND BE ASSURRED AND CONFIDENT NOT IN OURSELVES BUT IN GOD WHOLM IS AT WORK IN OUR LIVES FOR GOOD WHATEVER. AT WORK FOR YOUR GOOD “FOR WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM , WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. BECAUSE IN ‘ALL THINGS’ HE IS V29 CONFORMING US TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON.
V37 PAUL CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE IN ALL THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS – THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US AND NOTHING IN THIS WHOLE WIDE WORLD CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVED OF GOD FOR US.
FRIENDS STAND IN AWE – TAKE IN THE VIEW AT THESE DIVINE HEIGHTS TAKE IN THESE SPIRITUAL TRUTHS,– GOD IS AT WORK – AND ITS AWESOME – AND IT ALL FOR YOUR GOOD TO CONFORM YOU TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON!
HOW WILL YOU RESPOND?
