Commentaries:
This verse captures the essence of what a Christian absolutely must have faith in if he wants to conduct his life without falling into the same state of mind that Solomon did as shown in the book of Ecclesiastes. We, too, are subject to our own unstable convictions, opinions, and decisions.
In addition, we are subject to decisions and circumstances that others make and over which we have no control, yet which cause us to descend into a blue funk. We seem to be powerless over people making these decisions, so life seems unfair that such things should happen.
But we Christians cannot lose our perspective! Romans 8:28 is the right perspective for a Christian, a wonderfully encouraging and comforting promise. However, it does not automatically apply to everyone. Two conditions must be met.
First, we must respond to God's grace, to His gift, to His calling, to His gift of Christ, to His gift of the Holy Spirit, to His gift of revealing to us knowledge and understanding of what is happening. We must respond—that is, love God in return.
Second, we must be one of "the called according to His purpose," one of the elect. This does not apply to those who have merely received an invitation from God, because that summons goes out to many more than actually respond to it. Just as in advertising, the call, the invitation, may go out over radio, television, or through the newspaper to millions of people, but few respond as compared to the mass of invitees. The calling of God is similar: The invitation goes out to many, but few become part of the elect (Matthew 22:14).
If we meet these conditions, God is with us, and we can be encouraged and take comfort in that assurance.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 1)
Predestination has nothing to do with any particular decision a person will make, or his or her fate—it has only to do with the time of one's calling—whether God calls a person now or later. There is not one word in the entire Bible about anyone being predestined to be lost. God has not predestined or foreordained anyone either to accept or reject Christ—to be saved or lost.
The decision we make regarding our salvation is not predetermined. God has ordained that we make our own decisions. God's purpose is that we develop His character, and character cannot be created by fiat. It must be developed through experience, and experience requires time. Although God tells us which decision we ought to make (Deuteronomy 30:19), the final decision to choose life or death for eternity is still ours!
The only decision that is predetermined is God's. God has predestined some to be called at certain times for a specific purpose. The rest will be called by God to understand the way of salvation later. Predestination simply has to do with when one is called.
Jesus Christ established His church to train the future kings and priests of God's Kingdom—to have a part in teaching the way of salvation to the masses during the Millennium. God knew far in advance that leaders, teachers, and governmental administrators would be needed for His Kingdom, so He planned ahead—predestined—that He would call some to this training, especially in this age.
Staff
Is This the Only Day of Salvation?
Here is God's purpose plainly stated. Those He calls are to be conformed to the image of His Son, clearly tied to the theme of creation where God says in Genesis 1:26, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." We have a small part in this greatest of God's creative works. We must yield to that purpose. We must surrender to it and allow its power to carry us along to perfection. But it requires faith, conviction of its rightness, and devotion to its requirements. This creative process requires sacrificing our former lives with their sinful desires in submission to the details of God's purpose for us. This is our small part in this vast operation ongoing already for about 6,000 years.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part One): Introduction
With such positive statements about our salvation, why should we be hopeless and fearfully doubt that God will supply all our needs? Does He ever fail to succeed in whatever He undertakes? These verses flatly and dogmatically state that, if we want to cooperate in faith to bring God's purpose for us to its intended conclusion, we must, I repeat, must, believe that His watchfulness over us involves every circumstance of our lives.
Verses 31 and 32 put a cap on this issue: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
In verse 30, note that the term "sanctified" is missing from the list of the general stages of God's purpose. Sanctification is the only part of the salvation process in which our cooperation plays a major, consistent, and daily role. Why does Paul exclude it? This was not an oversight; he deliberately leaves "sanctified" out because he wants, for the remainder of this section of this epistle, to focus entirely on the absolute certainty of God's providence, not on any works we may perform in cooperation with Him during the sanctification process.
Paul is not saying that God will always do what we might want Him to do; he is reminding us that He will always do what is right according to His purpose. God has the necessary powers to do as He sees fit for His purpose and us. He is watching, which is even more reason for us to draw on that power.
Nobody can successfully stand in the way of His completing that purpose in each of us, but based on our knowledge of those powers, are we willing to accept His providence? Do we accept what He provides in any given circumstance, even though what He provides might not be what we would like to have?
All of the things Paul writes here are wonderful, but the key to this particular subject is the answer to the question he asks in verse 30: "If God be for us who can be against us?" God has the power and the will, and He does not make mistakes or empty promises. Paul then lists what God has already done for all concerned. Our responsibility is to choose to put these facts to work in our specific circumstances.
The handwriting on the wall for us is this: Terribly difficult times are coming, and they will affect all of us to varying degrees. The only successful way to complete our minute part in God's purpose is to choose to draw on His power. We must begin at once to cultivate the habit of cooperating by faith, accepting whatever He chooses to provide in our circumstances. If this habit is in place through long practice, we will be ready when the pressure really mounts.
Because He is the Source of our deliverance in every circumstance, it is crucial for us to know God as well as we can. Our relationship with Him through Jesus Christ is the key that gives us access to the deliverance He provides. He has the power, and it is His will to meet our every need. It is incumbent upon us, therefore, to use our time now to build on our present relationship with Him, making it stronger and more intimate.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Power Belongs to God (Part Two)
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Psalms 103:1-22
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
Ecclesiastes 7:11-14
Ecclesiastes 11:1-10
Isaiah 45:9-14
Habakkuk 2:2
Matthew 13:44
Matthew 13:47
Romans 8:28
Galatians 3:4
Titus 1:15-16
Hebrews 2:10
1 Peter 1:3
1 Peter 1:21
1 John 4:8
Library resources that contain this verse:
Articles |  |
Ask, Seek, Knock |
Discouraged? Why? |
Does Scripture Allow for Self-Defense? |
Faith to Face Our Trials |
Faith to Face Our Trials |
Faith—What Is It? |
Fear the Lord's Goodness! |
God's Sovereignty and the Church's Condition (Part One) |
In the Grip of Distrust |
Learning to Love One Another |
Legacy |
Living Stones in God's House |
Peer-Pressure: A Challenge for All |
Power Belongs to God (Part One) |
Power Belongs to God (Part Two) |
Sharing Our Lives at the Feast |
Sovereignty and Its Fruit: Part Ten |
Thanksgiving or Self-Indulgence? |
The Elements of Motivation (Part Three): Hope |
The Elements of Motivation (Part Two): Vision |
The Fruit of the Spirit: Peace |
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Eight): Conclusion (Part One) |
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Nine): Conclusion (Part Two) |
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part One): Introduction |
The Sovereignty of God: Introduction |
The Sovereignty of God: Part Two |
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Christians? |
Why Do the Wicked Prosper? |
Bible Studies | |
Biblical Symbolism: Symbols of the Church |
God's Master Plan |
Is This the Only Day of Salvation? |
The Parables of Matthew 13 (Part Eight): The Parable of the Dragnet |
The Parables of Matthew 13 (Part Six): The Parable of the Hidden Treasure |
Booklets | |
For the Perfecting of the Saints |
Sermon Transcripts | |
A Search for Identity |
Antidotes to Fear and Depression |
Are You an Israelite? |
As Much as Depends on You (2) |
Balaam and the End-Time Church (Part 1) |
Church History (Part 5) AD 1934 - Present (2) |
Contentment |
Dating Outside the Church |
Defining Logos (Part Two) |
Does Doctrine Really Matter? (Part 12) |
Don't Be a Prudent Agnostic |
Don't Be a Prudent Agnostic |
Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 1) (2) |
Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 2) (2) |
Elements of Motivation (Part 2) |
Glorifying God |
God the Father (Part 3) |
God the Father (Part 3) |
God's Workmanship (Part 3) |
Growing Into Liberty |
He Who Overcomes |
James and Unleavened Bread (Part 1) (2) |
Joseph: A Saga of Excellence (Part 3) (4) |
Knowing God: Formality and Customs (Part 7) |
Love's Basic Definition |
Love's Importance and Source |
Maintaining Good Health (Part 10) (2) |
Maintaining Good Health (Part 14) |
Mercy, Pilgrimage, and Providence (2) |
Our Awesome Destiny |
Overcoming Discouragement and Depression |
Passover and Hope |
Power Belongs to God (Part 2) |
Psalm 23 (Part 2) |
Remember the Christians |
Sovereignty, Election, and Grace (Part 4) |
Sovereignty, Election, and Grace (Part 6) (3) |
Sovereignty, Election, and Grace (Part 6) |
The Great White Throne |
The Handwriting Is on the Wall (1996) |
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part 7) |
The Mystery of Goodness |
The Prayers of Jesus |
The Promises of God |
The Providence of God (Part 1) |
The Providence of God (Part 1) |
The Providence of God (Part 2) (3) |
The Providence of God (Part 2) |
The Providence of God (Part 3) (2) |
The Providence of God (Part 5) |
The Sacrifices of Leviticus (Part 2) |
The Sacrifices of Leviticus (Part 3) |
The Sovereignty of God (Part 1) |
These Things We Know |
These Things We Know |
Trial by Fire (2) |
Trumpets Is a Day of Hope |
We Shall Be God! (Part 1) |
What Does God Really Want? (Part 5) (2) |
What the Holy Spirit Does |
Whatever We Ask |
Why Are We Afflicted? |
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