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.
Romans 8:28
There are two things in this verse and its context: God’s sovereignty and effectual calling. First, while the Bible does not use the phrase “God’s sovereignty,” it is saturated with the concept of it. To be sovereign means to have absolute power and control over something. Thus, it is a biblical principle that God is sovereign over His creation, which is everything. Specific to this verse, “God causes all things to work together for good” would imply that some things are not good.
The general principle here is that God is sovereign either by decree or by permission.
Consequently, His ultimate power and authority do not eliminate free will. A couple of biblical examples of this understanding come from Job and Genesis with the accounts of Joseph. So, when Paul writes, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God,” he emphasizes that the will of humanity is always secondary to the will of God. Thus, there is never a moment when God is not sovereign. I am fond of a quote from R.C. Sproul that I believe is appropriate, “If God is not sovereign, then He is not God.”
The second is effectual calling, which goes hand in hand with sovereignty. Because if God is
sovereign, then whatever his purpose is in calling will come to pass; “. . .to those who are called according to His purpose.” If God is, in fact, who the Bible claims He is, then absolutely nothing can resist His will. Now, this doesn’t mean we do not possess the capacity to resist; I am pretty sure the whole concept of sin puts that to rest. But God’s sovereignty always overrides our limited ability to resist. This is not just some outward summons when I speak of an effectual call, this is a calling that cuts deep through flesh and bone and into the soul. Take, for example, what Paul writes in his epistle to the Galatians, “Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through human agency, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead).” In other words, this effectual call comes from the same source that said, “Let there be light,” called out to the storm, “Quiet, be still,” and raised Christ from the dead. I can say with absolute confidence that whoever God calls according to His purpose, whether it is the hard way or the easy way, they are coming.
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