Another Bible Study

Last night our Ladies' Bible Study covered Romans 8:28 and I had to share the notes, because I believe this is one of the most misused verses in the entire Bible.  God NEVER promises believers an easy life (nor should we use this verse to promise that to each other...)

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

• Problem - If this is true, why do we suffer?
• Author - Paul
• Formerly Saul: "Pharisee of Pharisees" (Acts 23:6) - extreme persecutor of Christians (Acts 8:1-3)
• Saw Jesus on Road to Damascus and Believed (Acts 9)
• Completed at least 3 missionary journeys reaching as far west as Spain (Acts 13-21_
• Wrote Romans, I & II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus and Philemon -- letters of doctrine and application
• Context - Letter to the Romans
• Written preceding a visit there -- had been hoping to visit for quite some time (Romans 1:10)
• Outline of Letter
• Chapter 1: The Gospel & Perils of Unbelief (Key Verses 1:3-4, 19)
• Chapter 2: No one is any better off than anyone else (Key Verses 2:8-9)
• Chapter 3: All are guilty, but able to be justified by faith (Key Verses 3:10-16, 28)
• Chapter 4: OT Examples
• Chapter 5: Results of Justification (Key Verses 5:1-2)
• Chapter 6: Believers' Victory over Sin (Key Verse 6:11)
• Chapter 7: Unity with Christ and Ongoing Struggles of Believers (Key Verses 7:4-6, 25)
• Chapter 8: No Condemnation for Believers, despite struggles of Chapter 7 (Key Verses 8:1, 26-39)
• Chapter 9: God's Sovereignty (Key Verses 9:19-21)
• Chapter 10: Faith Resulting in Salvation (Key Verses 10:8-11)
• Chapter 11: Jews & Gentiles (Key Verses 11:11-12)
• Chapter 12: Service (Key Verse 12:6-13)
• Chapter 13: Submission to Authority (Key Verse 13:7)
• Chapters 14-15: Purpose of Conscience/Responsibility to One Another (Key Verses 14:13-15)
• Chapter 15: Purpose of Paul's Blunt Approach (Key Verse 15: 15-16)
• Chapter 16: Greetings & Love
• Argument of Romans 8:28
• Jesus was declared God through resurrection (1:3).
• It doesn't matter who you are (2:8-9), all are guilty and deserve death (3:10-16), but God will justify (save) anyone through faith in Jesus (3:28).
• The results of justification (salvation) are peace, hope and glory, the ability to surrender ourselves to the righteousness of God rather than to Sin (6:11) and most importantly, unity with Christ and freedom from the Law (7:4-6).
• Nevertheless, all believers (even Paul!) continue to struggle with sin (7:25), but receive no condemnation (8:1).
• Therefore, "all things work together for good to those who love God" (8:28), because He created justification to save us from our sins and unite us with Christ (Romans 1-7) and despite our inability to live up to that rightesousness (Romans 7-8), "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor lthings present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus"
• Application of "All things [working] together for good"
• Does NOT mean that believers will not suffer (Hebrews 11: 32-40)
• Does mean that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (8:18) (eternal life with God, from whom we deserve to be eternally separated)