In Romans 8:28 we read:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

This really is a powerful passage. It suggests that we can always maintain a sense of hope, regardless of what adverse circumstances come our way.

I have some concerns however about the way in which this verse is often interpreted.

First, I’m concerned that many people claim the powerful promise presented in Romans 8:28 who really have no business doing so.

Many people firmly believe that the Bible teaches that God causes all things to work for the good of all people regardless of the level of their commitment to Jesus Christ.

Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, but this just isn’t so. A careful look at the context in which this verse is located indicates that Paul didn’t have everyone in mind when he penned this powerful promise; Romans 8:28 really only applies to fully-devoted, Spirit-filled followers of Jesus.

Paul’s goal in writing Romans 8 was to emphasize how radically important the Holy Spirit is to the Christian discipleship. I count 22 references to the Spirit in a passage that contains only twenty-eight verses. A quick read of just the verses that contain references to the Spirit indicate that Paul was saying some serious stuff to some serious Christian disciples:

…because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

…in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. {5} Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. {6} The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; (Romans 8:4-6)

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. {10} But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your Spirit is alive because of righteousness. {11} And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:9-11)

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, {14} because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. {15} For you did not receive a Spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” {16} The Spirit himself testifies with our Spirit that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:13-16)

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:23)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. {27} And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (Romans 8:26-27)

This quick read is just one way of establishing the fact that Romans 8 was written with the serious Christian disciple in mind.

But perhaps more important is the fact that Romans 8:28 itself qualifies its powerful promise, saying specifically that God works for the good of those . . . who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

And what is God’s ultimate purpose for everyone who belongs to him? Verse 29 goes on to say:

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:29)

Unfortunately, this qualification simply does not hold true for everyone on the planet. The sad fact is that not everyone loves God, and not everyone has responded to God’s call to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The bottom line is that the promise contained in Romans 8:28 really doesn’t apply to everyone. It only applies to the fully-devoted, Spirit-filled follower of Jesus Christ! The promise can be thought of as one of the many powerful perks that come to those who make the decision to take the message of Jesus Christ with the seriousness it deserves.

It’s not that I’m trying to stingy or territorial, I’m just pointing out a qualification of Romans 8:28 which the text itself delivers. We need to be dedicated to the truth, right? So, the next time you hear someone who makes no claim of allegiance to Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives trying to claim the powerful promise contained in Romans 8:28, perhaps you should encourage them to take another look at the promise’s literary context.

Second, I’m concerned that many people trivialize this powerful promise by trying to suggest that it’s behind every fortuitous event that takes place in their lives.

Christine Wilson of Eureka, California submitted this anecdote to the Christian Reader magazine and got it published. She wrote:

            I stood dismayed in the kitchen of our newly acquired country home—I had accidentally submerged my left foot in a tray of fresh wall paint. A few minutes later, as I took off my comfortable, hole-in-the-toe painting sneakers, I regretted that I hadn’t brought along another pair of socks. I would have to sport a “Country Orange” big toe in my sandals when I picked up my four little sons from the sitter’s.

            When I arrived at her home, she suggested that since they were still napping, I do a little shopping and stop back for them later. I don’t often get an offer like that, so I wasted no time in heading for the department store.

            On the way, I remembered my toe. It would have been embarrassing to explain my clumsiness, my orange toe, and my toeless sneaker. At the store, however, I quickly made my way to the house wares department. There I found that all things really do “work together for good.” I was able to perfectly match the new kitchen dish cloths and towels to my Country Orange toe.

Now, I’m hopeful that Wilson was writing tongue-in-cheek here. However, on the basis of many conversations and counseling sessions I’ve had with people over the years, I’m saddened to say that some people really do interpret and apply the promise in Romans 8:28 in this sort of cavalier manner.

I’m not suggesting that God doesn’t care about helping us match our dish cloths and towels with the color of our walls. But I am concerned that many people, even some church members, tend only to think of Romans 8:28 when things work out in trivial situations like this. My experience over the years as a pastoral counselor has been that while many church members are quick to refer to Romans 8:28 when they experience some serendipity such as a parking space close to the mall entrance, when they find themselves in a truly serious, adverse set of circumstances, they don’t think of Romans 8:28 at all; they give in to panic, worry and despair instead!

I’m just saying that we need to understand that Paul’s purpose in enunciating the powerful promise that is Romans 8:28 wasn’t simply to encourage people to give God credit when they experience unexpected but convenient turns of events. Paul’s purpose was to encourage committed Christians to keep hoping in God when absolutely devastating circumstances come their way, maintaining a rock-solid confidence that God can be counted on to cause all things to work together for their good.

Third, I’m concerned that many Christians don’t recognize the possible connection between this powerful promise and the spiritual practice known as “praying in the Spirit.”

Let’s back up and look at the two verses that immediately precede the promise presented in Romans 8:28:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. {27} And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (Romans 8:26-27)

Paul seems to be saying two key things here:

• When we face circumstances so severe that we don’t even know how to pray about them, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us as we agonize before God in prayer. (I’m assuming that the Spirit doesn’t pray for us apart from our engagement in prayer. He prays through us, not despite us.)
• This kind of praying is supremely effective because the Holy Spirit knows how to pray for us according to God’s will.

It’s at this point that we read:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

I’m about to suggest something really controversial. Could it be that there is a connection between the promise presented in Romans 8:28 and the practice of praying in the Spirit described in Romans 8:26-27? Could it be that Paul was saying that it’s precisely because of our allowing the Spirit to intercede for us according to God’s will that God can be counted on to work all things together for our good?   

If this is true, then it yields this powerful insight:

The promise in Romans 8:28 is to some degree conditional—it’s to the degree that we pray in the Spirit that God is willing and able to cause all things to work together for our ultimate good!

If this is even granted as a possibility, it prompts the question: Are we doing it: are we allowing the Holy Spirit to intercede for us in accordance with God’s will?

Given the tremendous importance of the promise contained in Romans 8:28, I can’t think of very many spiritual practices more important than this one. Especially when we take into consideration that: 

• according to Jude 1:20 praying in the Spirit is a means by which we can build ourselves up in our most holy faith; and that
• according to Ephesians 6:18 praying in the Spirit is a means by which we can intercede for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Pastor John B. McGarvey of Cochranton, Pennsylvania, once used the following helpful analogy in order to illustrate the nature and underscore the importance of this spiritual practice:

            One day our church copier broke down. I’m not mechanically minded, but I called the repair shop to see if they could tell me what the problem was and if I could do anything about it. I quickly discovered, however, that I didn’t even know how to describe what was broken. I didn’t know the names of the parts or what was specifically wrong. I just knew the copy machine didn’t work.

            So the repair shop sent out a technician. While working on our machine, he also called the shop. Unlike me, he knew how to describe what was needed. He used words I didn’t understand, but the person at the shop did, and soon the copier was repaired.  My need was met because someone came and communicated to headquarters in words I could not express. The apostle Paul teaches in Romans 8 that this is also what the Holy Spirit does for us. When we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit knows precisely what we need and prays in a language the Father perfectly understands.

I realize that this blog, suggesting as it does that perhaps some qualifications of Romans 8:28 are in order, will prove to be somewhat controversial. Still, I humbly offer it to my readers for their prayerful consideration. Could it be that these three qualifications are valid? Most importantly, could it be that the spiritual practice referred to in Romans 8:26-27 really is crucial to a full experience of the powerful promise presented in Romans 8:28 … for ourselves and those for whom we intercede?

Something to think about.