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Romans 8:28
| Bro Roy Soffe (Fareham, UK)
W
hilst I was reading a commentary on this
verse, I was reminded of the times when
people reassure a hospital patient or someone
who has been in an accident, that they were
not to worry as everything would be alright.
On a First Aid Course we are told to comfort
the patient. If we were to see that they may
lose a limb or that they had severe heart prob-
lems, although we may know
nothing about surgery, our
words are meant to instil
confidence knowing that soon
the surgeons would do their
best. We wouldn’t be so cruel as to say, “You
may lose a leg,” or “You may not recover from
your heart attack.” To give words of comfort
is the best thing to do, knowing that the
patient will soon be in safe hands, although
the outcome could be serious.
Although we may not know anything about the
injuries, nevertheless we have done our best
under the circumstances. But here in Romans
Chapter 8 Paul is giving 100% assurance to
Christians verse 28 “And we know that all
things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose”.
Unlike ourselves at the scene of an accident,
Paul spoke with authority. He was a man called
by God and well aware of the blessings
brought about through the sacrifice of our
Lord. Because of his knowledge he could say
with confidence, “All things work together for
good to them that love God”. If you love God,
then there is a relationship “For as many as
are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons
of God” (Romans 8:14).
The assurance that Paul gives
in verse 28 cannot apply to
everyone. It is directed at
those who love God, and to those who are
called according to his purpose. What does it
mean to LOVE GOD? It means to be obedient
to Him and obey His commandments. The
scriptures tell us: “In all thy ways acknowl-
edge Him and He shall direct thy paths.”
Throughout his life, Paul was no stranger to
suffering – persecutions and hunger. He
accepted these things because he loved God
and through his conversion he had been called
to God’s purpose, which is that all the earth
should be filled with His glory in a Divine,
Eternal Kingdom. So, for those who are called
of God and are baptized into the saving name
Be Patient in Tribulation
| Bro Goodwell Mubanga (Chinsali, Zambia)
A
s spiritual darkness in our world increases,
so too does the prospect of difficult times.
As a result, our faith, our conviction of things
that are unseen (2 Corinthians 4:18) must also
increase. A significant factor in this is our
prayerful reading of, and meditation on, God’s
word. It is not enough to develop intellectual
knowledge of what is written: it is vital to
become more and more conscious of the fact
that “in him we live and move and have our
being” (Acts 17:28). Our minds must become
more alive to the wonder of eternal realities:
hence genuine faith.
With this spirit in our minds, we can be calm
or, rather, patient in tribulation when others
are overwhelmed by anxieties. Paul has many
valuable points to make in writing to the
Romans about this need. After his exposition
about God’s plan for both Jews and Gentiles,
the power of his appeal to all believers in
chapter 12 needs to be fully absorbed into our
minds.
These are soul-stirring words of encourage-
ment on Christ-like daily living in the eleven
verses. These are the foundation on which all
must live and work together. Do they stir us?
It sounds simple to say “Let love be genuine”
(verse 9) but love has to be demonstrated by
actions, not just by talk.
What does it mean
to LOVE GOD ?