All Things Work Together

I recently watched a television show where the mother’s “mantra” was from Romans 8:28, “all things work together for good.” As I watched the show it was revealed that the adult children had issues with her “mantra.” However, after the mother died, the daughter struggled with this because she wanted to honor her mother’s memory but the son, a scientist, was still very critical of it. After some tragic events, the siblings began to embrace it.

However, and that’s a big “however,” in typical Hollywood style, they use the Scripture dangerously out of context. The complete verse reads like this, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (NRSVue). Once the whole verse is presented, we can understand that the out-of-context version used in the show is not only false but is a gross misuse of scripture. The truth is that this verse does not apply to everyone, it is only “for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Thus, the lie is revealed.

The first question we seek the answer to is, to whom does this apply? That person has two traits, the first of which is their love for God. What does it mean to “love God?” Jesus answers this question when he says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, NRSVue). Our love for God isn’t some “warm fuzzy” feeling, it is action, we are to keep his commandments. What are those commandments we are to keep? Jesus also answers this question by saying, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:37-39, NRSVue). In other words, to love God and love others is how we “love God” in Romans 8:28.

The second part of this description identifies those “who are called according to his purpose.” These are the ones who have been identified by meeting the first criteria, love for God. If a person comes to God through Jesus Christ and shows their love for him by keeping his commandments, it is that one who is “called according to [God’s] purpose.” God’s purpose is to save those who will come because he loved us so much that he was willing to sacrifice himself for us.

This brings up the need to define the “good.” The good, according to multiple theologians, is being Christlike. If we are qualified to receive the good, then we understand that this “good” is becoming more like Christ in all our ways and if we are keeping his commands, we are like Christ.

The logical outflow of the second greatest commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” is found in Matthew 28:19-20a, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (NRSVue). If we follow Jesus’ commandments to love God and others, we will make disciples. Jesus was speaking directly to his disciples when he gave these instructions and his disciples carried them out, otherwise, we wouldn’t be believers today. We are Jesus’ disciples today and it is our calling to be like Jesus and make disciples as he did. This is how the church grows, by the church I mean those who follow Christ, not by gimmicks or tricks, but by making disciples as Christ has commanded us.`

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5, NRSVue).