Calvary Road Baptist Church
“THE PURPOSE OF GOD”
Romans 8.28-30
I want you to know, this evening, that God is good. Do you agree? Not just kinda good. Amen? God is real good. He is glorious. He is magnificent. His mercy endureth forever. Did you hear me? Maybe I should say that again. His mercy endureth forever. I am one of those proponents of worshiping God, not just for what He has done, but for Who He is. Are you in agreement with me, this evening? Do you believe that God is worthy to be praised and that His virtues cry out to be extolled?
When the Lord Jesus Christ rode that little donkey down the shoulder of the Mount of Olives
37 the whole multitude of disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen:
38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.[1]
So, here is what we have. It is good to sing and shout God’s praises for Who He is. It’s wonderful to glorify His wonderful personage. But, my friends, it’s also right and proper and good to praise God for all His mighty works. Amen? It works both ways. Some people (you are probably going to think of some names, but don’t shout them out) are so insistent on remaining silent in a place and during a time of worshipful praise, that if it weren’t for the rest of those around them, they would be the first people who ever lived to hear the stones cry out. Because they are certainly no going to. Those who are not willing to die enough to self to praise God and testify of His greatness have issues they should reflect on and have issues they should seek to resolve while they have time.
Here, in Romans chapter 8, we are in the middle of the greatest treatise on the subject of justification that has ever been written. The Apostle Paul has not only set before his readers an explanation of how God effects the reconciliation of sinful men to Himself following the saving work of Jesus Christ, but He has also explained how our great God dealt with the saints of old before Christ’s sacrifice was paid to remit their sins. And Paul has written these and other things to persuade the Christians in Rome to cooperate with his efforts to go to Spain and preach the Gospel there and plant Churches, with their prayer and financial support.
However, as he describes the ultimate end of justification, which is glorification, he comes to what some people would think is a snag. He deals with the fact that the road to glory, for the justified person, is a pathway through a great deal of suffering. That’s just the way it is. And here is how he deals with the believer’s suffering because believers suffer. Or should I say, here’s how he shows how God deals with the believer’s suffering?
There are three magnificent assurances that have been given to every believer to encourage him, to encourage her, during the suffering of this present time. You will, no doubt, remember the first two: First, there is the provision of hope. And we saw that hope is given to every child of God at the time of his conversion. The person utterly without Biblical hope is really a person who doesn’t know Jesus Christ. Then, there is the person of the Holy Spirit. My goodness sakes alive. What would we do without the Holy Spirit? I know that some people say, “You Baptists don’t believe in the Holy Spirit.” Please. Where would we be without the Holy Spirit? We’d be lost. Amen? Romans 8.9 very definitely declares that anyone who does not possess the indwelling Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit Who is given to every believer at the time of his conversion, is none of His, is lost.
So, to date, we have carefully examined two powerful assurances that God has given to every one of us who know Christ. And the point has been strongly made, has it not, that those who do not have these God-given assurances of ultimate deliverance to glory, ultimate deliverance to heaven, do not really know Jesus Christ as their Savior?
We now take a look at the final assurance that God gives to believers that everything’s going to be all right; that is, the purpose of God. My Christian friend, the fact that you know Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior is evidence that you are part of God’s great purpose for the ages. As we turn in our Bibles to Romans 8.28-30 and stand to read Paul’s summary of God’s great purpose, prepare to receive the most profound assurance that glory awaits you at the end of your earthly suffering:
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.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Paul comments, very briefly, on the purpose of God:
WHICH, INITIALLY, IS THE CULMINATION OF A TEMPORAL PROCESS
A temporal process is a nothing more than a process that takes place during time and over a period of time. If it takes place during time and over a period of time it is temporal. As we read verse 28 again, it becomes obvious that Paul is referring to the purpose of God as it unfolds during your lifetime and mine:
“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.”
What is it that we know? We know two things, according to this oft-quoted verse.
First, we know the objective of this process to which Paul refers, which is declared:
“And we know that all things work together for good.”
I’m not going to get into any arguments with some fellow who has a hypotenuse of a triangle for a forehead over the meaning of the word “all.” I know that “all” means “all.” But the meaning of every word used in the Bible is constrained by the context in which it is used. Context rules when you are trying to understand what a word means. As well, let us remember that this entire section of Paul’s letter is dealing with the issue of a Christian’s suffering, not a lost person’s suffering. “But what about lost people?” He deals with them elsewhere. Therefore, what we can be entirely sure of is that the “all things” mentioned here refers to every type of suffering and hardship that the believer endures. And what is the result of the “all things”? They, the “all things,” all work together, somehow, “for good.” So says the Apostle Paul. The question is, what is the “good” referred to here? Again, I suggest to you that our context reveals what the “good” really is. Does this whole chapter of Romans, part of which deals with suffering, not relate to the glorification which awaits every justified person? Sure it does. So the “good” which every single difficulty and every painful event that we suffer through works toward is our ultimate deliverance from this sinful world into the eternal state in heaven. That’s pretty good. This is the most optimistic, the most encouraging, the most uplifting, thing you can say to someone who is suffering and whose suffering cannot be immediately abated: “Your suffering is not for nothing. It works toward your eventual deliverance from suffering. Deliverance is the objective of your suffering.” But is this true of everyone who suffers?
That question is answered as we turn, next, to the objects of this process, which are described. There are two descriptions given here. We’ll look at them one at a time: First, believers are described as “them that love God.” All things do not work together for good for everyone, but only for them, that love God. And what kind of person loves God? Certainly not the person who just says he loves God. Second John 6 tells us what the real love of God is:
“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.”
“Oh, I love Jesus.” But you never go to Church. So, you don’t love Jesus. How so? You do not obey. Hebrews 10.25 informs us that real Christians congregate, so the person who does not congregate is not a real Christian. “Them that love God” is a description of the genuinely born-again Christian. It can only be said about such a person that “all things work together for good.” Only in the believer’s case is suffering not a tragic waste. This great scientist, Stephen Hawking, who was afflicted for most of his life with ALS[2], and who divorced his wife because she was a Christian, has recently died. Sadly, tragically, because he died without Christ. But there’s a second description of us given in this same verse:
“Who are called according to His purpose.”
Two brief comments are all that I have time for: First, this word “called.” Friend, there is no such thing as a believer who hasn’t been called. Understand, you aren’t saved when you decide the time is right. And no one is ever saved against his will. “I just don’t think it’s right that God saves people against their will.” That is a hypothetical that never occurs in reality. No one is ever saved against his will. A person trusts Christ when God effectually calls him, by the wooing of the Holy Spirit, and draws him to the cross in repentance and faith believing, John 6.44. The Lord Jesus said,
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
The second comment has to do with this word “purpose,” prothesis. It translates a word that means “setting forth, putting out, presentation.” By extension, the word has come to mean “plan, purpose, resolve, will” in certain contexts.[3] But do you see it? God’s whole purpose is to place us before Him. God’s entire purpose is to present us faultless. Only those of us who have been called to be someday placed before the Father will ever experience suffering that has meaning. And this is the culmination of the temporal process that involves our suffering. Tragically, however, all of the suffering of the lost individual is meaningless and ultimately fruitless.
THE PURPOSE OF GOD, INITIALLY, THE CULMINATION OF A TEMPORAL PROCESS, AND WHICH ALSO, EVENTUALLY, IS THE CULMINATION OF AN ETERNAL PROCESS
There are five distinct acts of God described by the Apostle Paul that span the reach from eternity past to eternity future (if that makes any sense at all in eternity) which affect the believer. Listed in verses 29-30, we can only briefly touch on these acts at present. I will, you can be sure, bring messages someday on each of these acts of God:
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Paul has distilled the eternal purpose of God, and our involvement in God’s eternal purpose, into five distinct acts, I call the Golden Chain, linking eternity past to eternity future through the life of a believer:
Link one of the Golden Chain. First, God foreknew us. If you look this word up in a Greek lexicon, you will see that it means to know ahead of time or to know before. And if you stop right there, you will think you have it. But I must remind you that the meanings of words are determined by the context in which they are used, especially words that are found in the Bible. And though I don’t have time to develop what I am about to say or fully prove it, I will spend time on this word in the future. But for now, let me say that throughout the Old Testament the Hebrew word translated “know” is used with a far broader meaning than simply to have information. It means more than to have access to facts. Whether it has to do with Adam knowing Eve (having facts about a woman does not produce a child) or God knowing Adam or God knowing Jeremiah, the word always has to do with relationship, not just information.[4] It was not information that produced Cain, but a relationship. And it wasn’t information that produced Abel, but a relationship. When we do a thorough study of this word in the Bible, as well as the words that comprise this word, you will see that the idea of God foreknowing someone and God loving someone who does not yet exist (except in the mind of God) is almost indistinguishable. I say that to say this: The notion that foreknowledge is simply God’s realization of who would place their faith in Christ is absurd. We love Him because He first loved us. And a solid case can be made for the fact that He loved us, believers, before the foundation of the world. That’s a good thing.
The next Golden Link in the chain. Second, God predestined us. Predestination, which involves the determination of someone’s destiny, needs explanation. I have had people approach me and ask, “Do you believe in predestination?” My response is always, “I have to believe in predestination.” When they ask me “Why so?” I say, “Because predestination is in the Bible. How can I not believe in something that is clearly in the Bible?” We can have differences in understanding its meaning and implications, but we have to believe in predestination: First, the people who are predestined. Only those who are foreknown are predestined. That fact, and the fact that our context deals only with the suffering and ultimate destiny of believers, means that this whole concept of predestination simply has no application to lost people. Paul is not referring to lost people in this chapter of Romans. Next, the process which is predestined. What was predetermined by God was the process of taking someone who was lost and on his way to Hell, saving His soul, and conforming him to the image of Jesus Christ. And how does that process fit the notion that someone who has been born-again can lose his salvation? It doesn’t. My, you have to go through mental gymnastics to go through this and still believe someone can lose his salvation. If someone can lose his salvation then something that God has decided ahead of time to happen will not happen. But if what God decides to happen does not happen then God isn’t God. Predestination is the best friend a Christian ever had. Predestination means that you will get to heaven someday and you will be like Jesus Christ when you get there. Period. How can that be a bad thing? Some people like to make it a bad thing, like Democrats trying to make a great jobs report bad news in some way.[5] This is not bad news. This is great news. Third, the Person Who is pre-eminent. Understand that this whole purpose of God is not for us. His intermediate goal is to bless us, but it is not His ultimate goal. Ultimately, God seeks to glorify and give pre-eminence to His Son, Jesus Christ. And with that goal we are in full agreement. Amen? God is of the opinion that Jesus Christ’s pre-eminence should be fully displayed when we are conformed to His image, #1, and when He is the first of many who are raised up in resurrection glory, #2.
The next Golden Link in the chain. Third, God called us. Keep in mind the fact that the foreknowing of God and the predestinating of God both took place before the foundation of the world. This all happened in eternity past. The calling of God, on the other hand, is something that takes place in time. I was called on March 31, 1974. It is not necessary for anyone to remember the date of his conversion. Remember, also, that this is an effectual call that’s referred to here. There is no such thing, in this context, as someone who is called but who does not respond. How can we be sure of this? Paul is telling us about God’s purpose for believers in this passage. Each of you Christians here today was called. You weren’t called when I was called, but you were called. And how do I know? Because Paul is talking about what happens to Christians in these two verses. Only Christians. Christian? In eternity past God foreknew you. He didn’t just know things about you. He had a relationship with you, in a sense, in eternity past. It was one-sided, to be sure. But it was there. And because He loved you He decided what your destiny was going to be. You see, His love is not passive, but active. So He decided long ago that He would conform you to the image of His Son. But you were born dead in trespasses and sins, were you not? You were conceived on your way to Hell, a sinner condemned and unclean in the sight of God. So, to accomplish His purpose God had to call you. On March 31, 1974 my call went out. You lost sinner, here this evening on your way to Hell, who will someday be a Christian. Your call hasn’t gone out, yet. But it will. And you will be convicted of your sins by the Holy Spirit. And you will be drawn to meet Christ at the cross where you will trust Him.
The next Golden Link in the chain. Fourth, God justified us. This also takes place in time. This is what happens when the sinner who is called responds with heartfelt repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 5.1 reads,
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Though God foreknew you and predestined you, it wasn’t until He called you and your response by faith resulted in justification that He could do anything to you. That’s because, until you were justified you were guilty of sin in the sight of God. But now you stand before God without condemnation. And how is that possible?
Jesus paid it all.
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain.
He washed it white as snow.
So, here you and I stand. As believers who are caught up in the purpose of God, we know that four things have already happened to us: God has foreknown us. God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of Christ. God has called us. God has justified us. We are now in the present, the here and now. What’s next?
The final link in the Golden Chain. God glorified us. What? How can the Bible say that God glorified us, when, as we understand what glorification is, we have not yet been glorified? Simple. Just like everything else that God purposes to accomplish, it will come to pass. This is what Paul is leading up to. The provision of hope points toward our glorification. The person of the Holy Spirit assures that, despite our infirmities, there is competent help along the road toward our glorification. And verses 28 and 29 deal with the purpose of God. We know that God’s purpose is focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. And we are excited about that. But we also know that for Him to be the first-born among many brethren, as God has purposed Him to be, we have to be glorified. If we are not glorified He is not the firstborn among many brethren; He is the only One raised up. That means we are going to be glorified because nothing will stop, delay, or in any way impede, progress toward the accomplishment of God’s purpose.
Three magnificent assurances are given to you to give you confidence and encouragement in the face of suffering. They are assurances that your suffering is not meaningless. They are assurances that your suffering will not interfere with your ultimate salvation from the presence of sin and your glorious presentation before the Father in heaven.
But you know what these assurances do for us in addition to comforting us in our suffering? They also convince us, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that the child of God will inevitably and invariably go to heaven . . . no matter what happens here on earth, and no matter what your response to suffering is. You will go to heaven, Christian. Period.
Our hope is based on that assurance. The Holy Spirit guarantees that assurance. God’s purpose provides that assurance. So, what about the Christian who does not and cannot have that assurance? He is a Christian who, for some reason unknown to me, I guess does not want that assurance. But I want it, and I like it. And I think it is good for me and for you to know that in the final analysis, God is in control.
__________
[1] Luke 19.37b-40
[2] http://www.alsa.org/about-als/what-is-als.html
[3] Bauer, Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, (Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 2000), page 869.
[4] Genesis 4.1; Jeremiah 1.5
[5] https://www.democraticleader.gov/newsroom/6118/
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Pastor@CalvaryRoadBaptist.Church