We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.Great, great verse. But ... just what does it mean?
Lots of people like to pull this one out of the pocket whenever something bad happens. "Oh," they'll tell you warmly, "all things work together for good", as if that's going to make the mother whose child was just hit by a car feel better. As if "it's all good" is a helpful thing to say at a moment like that. But that's not what it says.
Lots of us think the text is saying that everything is good. It isn't saying that. It's saying that God works everything for good. Indeed, the "good" for which God works everything is specific. It is specifically good "to them that love God" and it is specifically the good of being "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom 8:29).
How do I know that this is not saying that everything is good? It's because of the unavoidable "all things" in that verse. Pick a translation, any translation, and you'll find that while word orders and word selections vary slightly from one to another, the term "all things" is a constant. That's because that's exactly what the Greek word behind it means: ALL THINGS. So, how does that tell me that it is not saying that everything is good? Because "all things" has a meaning. It means "all things". It means "black things" and "white things" and all shades in between. It means "happy things" and "sad things", "pleasant things" and "unpleasant things", "good things" and "bad things". That is, if the intent was "good things" and only that, then "all things" makes no sense. For it to make sense, "all things" must mean "all kinds of things, whether good or bad."
Thus, the text is not telling the husband whose wife just died of cancer, "Don't worry, fella, consider that event a good thing." No. It's not good. The text is saying that it's bad, but God will work it for good. It's like Joseph says to his brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." (Gen 50:20). Not "It was good", but "It was meant as evil, but God planned to use it for good."
Every day we hear or read about bad things happening. Even to Christians. The health-and-wealth gospel is a lie. Bad things happen ... to everyone. And we must "weep with those who weep" (Rom 12:15). This favorite verse, then, is not telling believers that bad things are good. This verse gives those who love God the reassurance that despite the worst that can come your way, God can use it. He can and He will. And it will all be used for your good. In the short run, it's bad. In the long run, He'll weave a tapestry of beauty out of it. Just you wait and see.
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