sovereignty

Romans 8:28: Short, Trustworthy Reads to Understand “All Things Work Together for Good”

Romans 8:28 is one of the most quoted promises in Scripture, and one of the most misunderstood. These short readings are chosen to keep the verse anchored to its context in Romans 8, where “good” is shaped by God’s saving purpose and Christlike conformity, not circumstantial ease.

Desiring God (John Piper) – All Things Work Together for Good (Romans 8:28)

https://www.desiringgod.org/labs/all-things-work-together-for-good

A concise, accessible treatment of what “good” means in context.

“Romans 8:28 does not say that all things are good, but that God works all things together for good.”

Desiring God (John Piper) – All Things for Good, Part 1 (Message)

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/all-things-for-good-part-1

A sermon-length exposition focusing on who the promise is for and why it is certain.

“The promise is for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.”

Ligonier – God’s Work for Our Good (Devotional)

https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/gods-work-our-good

Short devotional reflection emphasizing final good and future inheritance.

“God works together every circumstance of life for our final good.”

Ligonier – What Does Romans 8:28 Mean? (Short Article)

https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/what-does-romans-8-mean

A brief explanation designed to correct common misunderstandings of the verse.

“Romans 8:28 can be misunderstood, so we must read it in context.”

Gospel in Life (Tim Keller) – Love, Patience, and Suffering (Romans 8)

https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/love-patience-and-suffering/

Keller’s pastoral framing of suffering and hope from Romans 8.

“Romans 8 shows the unique Christian view of suffering and the resources we receive to face it.”

The Gospel Coalition – Life Without Romans 8:28

https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/life-without-romans-828/

A short meditation on why Romans 8:28 matters in suffering and endurance.

“Without Romans 8:28 our suffering would be intolerable and our sorrows could feel meaningless.”

Teaching and Devotional Summary

Romans 8:28 teaches that God is actively at work in every circumstance of the believer’s life. The promise is not that every event is good in itself, but that God governs and weaves all things toward His good, wise, and saving ends for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

In the immediate context (Romans 8:29–30), the “good” is anchored in God’s eternal plan: conforming His people to the image of His Son and bringing them to final glory. That makes Romans 8:28 a promise of God’s purposeful providence, grounded in His initiative, not ours.

Ezekiel 29 and Psalm 78:1-39

Ezekiel

In Ezekiel 29, Egypt is the next nation to receive God’s judgment for her sin. Egypt was guilty of offering refugee to Israel when she could not deliver it (Ezek. 29:6; cf. Isa. 36:6 = 2 Kings 18:21).

Egypt is told that she will never again be a great power. Some nations that received judgment ceased to continue to exist (the Assyrians, the Hittites, etc.). Egypt is still here today, but she has not since been the great power that she once was.

Finally, God will allow Nebuchadnezzar to conquer Egypt to pay for his previous war against Tyre. It is an amazing display of the sovereignty of God that He controls the affairs of men and nations. It is something worthwhile to remember today when we find ourselves fretting about politics and the current events in the news. Carson reminds us,

Not for a moment should one think that any of the nations acted out of conscious obedience to the Lord (cf. Isa. 10:5ff!). But the Lord is no one’s debtor, and these are the arrangements that Almighty God is making.

We would not know these things apart from revelation, of course. But they warn us against pontificating too loudly about what is going on in our day, when we see so little of the big picture as to what God himself is doing.1

Psalms

Psalm 78 begins with a reminder of the critical importance of passing the testimony of our faith down to our children and grandchildren. Psalm 78:4,

We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.

While a lot of our faith is “caught” by our children, we must also be deliberate about verbalizing our faith too them. The old phrase,“Daddy never told us he loved us, but we knew it by his actions” is not only deficient, but it does not cut it when it comes to teaching our children and grandchildren about God and faith. We must be verbal fathers and mothers!

The rest of today’s reading from this Psalm is a recounting of the failure of Israel to obey God and trust Him when they left Egypt and wandered in the wilderness. it it’s a reminder of the consequences of their rebellion. When we reflect on God’s goodness and faithfulness to future generations, then they will have better context with which to process the working of God in their lives.

1 D. A. Carson, For the Love of God: a Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word., vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998).