Audio commentary on this verse

Note 7 at Rom. 8:28: This is a very powerful verse with a wonderful promise, but it has been greatly abused and misapplied. This verse is not saying that everything that happens to us is from God and is used by Him to accomplish His purposes in our lives. The Bible doesn't teach that.

Second Peter 3:9 makes a clear statement that the Lord is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Yet many men and women are perishing because they have a choice. So, regarding salvation, God's will is not being done in the lives of many people.

Concerning physical healing, the Bible states that Jesus has already provided healing for us (Isa. 53:5; see note 2 at Mt. 8:17, p. 119; 1 Pet. 2:24) and that it is God's will for us to be healed (3 Jn. 2). Yet not everyone is healed and their sicknesses are not automatically working some redemptive purpose in their lives (see note 2 at Jn. 9:2, p. 296 and note 4 at Jn. 11:4, p. 365).

This twenty-eighth verse begins with the word "and." This means that the statement about everything working together for our good is made after Paul had spoken of the Holy Spirit making intercession for us. If we are not cooperating with the Holy Spirit so that He can make intercession for us (see note 4 at Rom. 8:26, p. 799), then everything will not work together for our good.

This verse also says this happens for those "that love God, to them who are the called." That means this doesn't apply to everyone. However, this verse has been used to try to convince even unbelievers that God is controlling the circumstances of their lives. That is not the message of this verse.

Also this verse did not say that everything that comes our way is from God but rather that the Lord can work it together for our good through the intercession of the Holy Spirit. Romans 6:16 clearly states that if we yield to the devil, we become his slaves. The false teaching that nothing happens to us but what God wills or allows has caused many people to yield to Satan's bondage instead of resisting him (Jas. 4:7).

People may cite experiences where they learned great lessons through tragedy and argue that these negative experiences are the only way the Lord could have accomplished His will in their lives. Again, that is not what the Bible teaches (see note 7 at Rom. 3:4, p. 754).

Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Verse 17 says that God's Word will make us perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. That means we don't have to learn through hardships. God's Word is for correction and reproof.

Although not ordained by God for our good, each of us will experience tribulation. Therefore, we can and should learn from trials, but God's Word could have taught us the same thing with less grief. Anyone who submits to his problems because he believes God has brought them to teach him something is making a great mistake. That mistake is allowing the devil to inflict much pain in his life.

Verse 28 is really promising that when we let the Holy Spirit intercede through us with these groanings that cannot be uttered, then we can rest assured that regardless of what the devil brings across our path, God can turn that situation around and work it together for our good.