God's Assurance: Love, Calling, and Redemption
Summary
In Romans 8:28-30, we find one of the most profound assurances of our faith: that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. This passage is not just a theological statement but a practical assurance for believers. It guarantees the completion of our redemption and the ultimate glory that awaits us. The Apostle Paul, in his pastoral wisdom, emphasizes that this promise is not universal but specific to those who love God and are called by Him.
To love God is more than an intellectual assent or a mere emotional experience. It is a total commitment involving our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love for God is demonstrated through obedience to His commandments and a desire to live for His glory. It is a love that persists even in adversity, revealing itself in our reactions to trials and tribulations. Like Job, who worshiped God despite his suffering, true love for God remains steadfast, trusting in His goodness even when circumstances are challenging.
The concept of being "called" is crucial. It distinguishes between a general call, which everyone hears, and an effectual call, which transforms and draws individuals to God. This effectual call is evidenced by a profound sense of God's intervention in our lives, leading to conviction of sin, recognition of our helplessness, and a deep-seated belief in the sufficiency of Christ's work. Those who are called experience an ongoing relationship with God, marked by a desire to know Him more and a recognition of His hand in their lives.
Ultimately, the assurance that all things work together for good is rooted in God's love for us, which is evidenced by our love for Him. This love is not self-generated but a response to His initiating love. As we examine our lives, we find that even the trials and challenges serve to deepen our faith and conform us to the image of Christ. This assurance is a source of comfort and strength, enabling us to face life's uncertainties with confidence in God's unchanging purpose.
Key Takeaways:
- Assurance of Salvation: The assurance that all things work together for good is a profound promise for believers, rooted in God's love and purpose. It is not a general promise but specific to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. This assurance guarantees the completion of our redemption and our ultimate glorification. [01:28]
- Love for God: True love for God is comprehensive, involving our heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is demonstrated through obedience and a desire to live for His glory. This love persists even in adversity, revealing itself in our reactions to trials and tribulations, much like Job's unwavering faith. [12:34]
- Effectual Calling: The distinction between a general call and an effectual call is crucial. The effectual call transforms and draws individuals to God, evidenced by a profound sense of His intervention, conviction of sin, and belief in Christ's sufficiency. This calling leads to an ongoing relationship with God. [25:57]
- God's Love and Our Response: Our love for God is a response to His initiating love. It is not self-generated but a result of His love for us. This love assures us that all things work together for our good, as it is rooted in His unchanging purpose and love. [21:01]
- Experiencing God's Hand: Believers experience God's ongoing work in their lives, marked by a desire to know Him more and a recognition of His hand in their circumstances. Even trials and challenges serve to deepen our faith and conform us to the image of Christ, providing comfort and strength. [42:01]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction to Romans 8:28-30
- [01:08] - Assurance of Salvation
- [02:00] - All Things Work for Good
- [03:15] - Scriptural and Experiential Evidence
- [04:00] - Personal Application
- [06:28] - Loving God
- [08:18] - Contrast with Unbelievers
- [10:19] - Beyond Belief
- [12:34] - Total Love for God
- [14:21] - Love and Obedience
- [16:02] - Trials as a Test of Love
- [19:24] - Job's Example
- [22:10] - The Called According to His Purpose
- [25:57] - Effectual Calling
- [30:00] - Practical Examination
- [33:47] - God's Intervention in Our Lives
- [39:37] - Assurance in Experience
- [46:29] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Romans 8:28-30
- Job 1:20-22
- John 14:21
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Romans 8:28, who are the people for whom all things work together for good? How does this relate to the concept of being "called" as discussed in the sermon? [02:00]
2. In the sermon, how is the love for God described beyond just an emotional feeling? What biblical example is used to illustrate this kind of love? [13:35]
3. What distinction does the sermon make between a general call and an effectual call, and how is this supported by Romans 8:30? [25:57]
4. How does the sermon use the story of Job to illustrate the persistence of love for God in adversity? [19:24]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. The sermon emphasizes that true love for God involves obedience and a desire to live for His glory. How does this understanding of love challenge common perceptions of what it means to love God? [14:21]
2. How does the concept of being "called" according to God's purpose provide assurance to believers, and what role does this play in the believer's life according to the sermon? [22:10]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that trials and tribulations serve to deepen a believer's faith and conform them to the image of Christ? [42:01]
4. How does the sermon explain the relationship between God's initiating love and our response to it? What implications does this have for understanding our own faith journey? [21:01]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent trial or challenge in your life. How did your reaction to it reveal your love for God? What might you do differently next time to demonstrate a steadfast love like Job's? [19:24]
2. Consider the idea of being "called" by God. Can you identify moments in your life where you felt God's intervention or calling? How did these moments shape your faith? [33:47]
3. The sermon suggests that true love for God involves obedience. Identify one area in your life where you struggle with obedience to God's commandments. What steps can you take this week to address this? [14:21]
4. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God, marked by a desire to know Him more? What practical steps can you take to prioritize this relationship in your daily life? [39:19]
5. Reflect on the assurance that all things work together for good for those who love God. How does this promise impact your perspective on current or future challenges? [02:00]
6. The sermon mentions that our love for God is a response to His initiating love. How can you remind yourself of God's love in your daily routine, especially during difficult times? [21:01]
7. Think about a time when you felt convicted of sin or recognized your helplessness. How did this experience lead you to a deeper understanding of Christ's sufficiency? How can you share this understanding with others? [37:05]
Devotional
Day 1: Assurance in God's Purpose
The assurance that all things work together for good is a profound promise for believers, rooted in God's love and purpose. This assurance is not a general promise but is specific to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. It guarantees the completion of our redemption and our ultimate glorification. This promise provides a deep sense of security and hope, knowing that every aspect of our lives is under God's sovereign control. Believers can rest in the knowledge that their lives are part of a divine plan that leads to eternal glory. [01:28]
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to see God's purpose? How can you trust Him more in that area today?
Day 2: Total Commitment in Love for God
True love for God is comprehensive, involving our heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is demonstrated through obedience and a desire to live for His glory. This love persists even in adversity, revealing itself in our reactions to trials and tribulations, much like Job's unwavering faith. To love God is more than an intellectual assent or a mere emotional experience; it is a total commitment. This love is steadfast, trusting in God's goodness even when circumstances are challenging. [12:34]
"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." (Deuteronomy 6:5, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you demonstrate your love for God through obedience today, especially in challenging situations?
Day 3: The Transformative Power of Effectual Calling
The distinction between a general call and an effectual call is crucial. The effectual call transforms and draws individuals to God, evidenced by a profound sense of His intervention, conviction of sin, and belief in Christ's sufficiency. This calling leads to an ongoing relationship with God, marked by a desire to know Him more and a recognition of His hand in their lives. Those who are called experience a transformation that is both profound and personal, leading to a life of faith and obedience. [25:57]
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a moment when you felt God's call in your life. How did it transform your relationship with Him?
Day 4: Responding to God's Initiating Love
Our love for God is a response to His initiating love. It is not self-generated but a result of His love for us. This love assures us that all things work together for our good, as it is rooted in His unchanging purpose and love. As we examine our lives, we find that even the trials and challenges serve to deepen our faith and conform us to the image of Christ. This assurance is a source of comfort and strength, enabling us to face life's uncertainties with confidence in God's unchanging purpose. [21:01]
"We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively respond to God's love today in a way that reflects His initiating love towards you?
Day 5: Recognizing God's Hand in Our Lives
Believers experience God's ongoing work in their lives, marked by a desire to know Him more and a recognition of His hand in their circumstances. Even trials and challenges serve to deepen our faith and conform us to the image of Christ, providing comfort and strength. This recognition of God's hand in our lives is a testament to His faithfulness and love, encouraging us to trust Him more deeply. [42:01]
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent challenge you faced. How can you see God's hand at work in that situation, and how does it encourage you to trust Him more?
Quotes
We are reminding ourselves that the Apostle here is continuing the great theme of the chapter, namely Assurance of Salvation, giving us an absolute guarantee of the final completion in glory of our total Redemption from everything that sin and evil have done to us. [00:01:31]
The Apostle never fell into the error that so many of his followers and even his admirers have often fallen into of divorcing Theory from practice. Never. He always blends them. He always has a practical intention, and indeed he brings out these great theological statements of his in order to help people in a practical sense. [00:05:10]
The first thing we are told about them is that they love God. All things work together for good to them that love God. Now here is an interesting expression. Why do you think he describes Christian people here in these terms? Why doesn't he say all things work together for good to them who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? [00:06:47]
Love is all-inclusive. When you love, well, every part of you is involved in it. You can't love in sections of your personality. Love is always totalitarian. Love is always totalitarian in its demand. It wants the whole of us, not parts of us. It's the same with God. [00:12:35]
Our Lord has settled this for us once and forever in many places, but there's an illustration of it in the 14th chapter of John's gospel. He asks the question, who is it, who is he that loveth me? And he answers his own question, even he, he that keepeth my Commandments. [00:14:12]
One of the best ways whereby we can decide immediately as to whether we love God or not is to discover what our reaction is to adversity. What is our reaction to the trials and the troubles of life? Here's a thing, I suppose, which of everything else brings us most quickly to know exactly whether we love God or not. [00:16:00]
The Christian is a man who's conscious that God has been dealing with him. That's what it is to be called, that you've been in your life as it were has been interrupted, that God has done something to you. You don't call yourself. God who calls, called according to his purpose. [00:33:12]
Are you aware of the fact that God is entered into your life and has disturbed your life? Do you know something of the experience of Francis Thompson and others in The Hound of Heaven? He chased me down the night and down the day, days down the Labyrinth and ways of my own mind. [00:33:39]
The Christian, the man to whom the promise applies, is a man who can say, yes, I know in my personal experience that this is true, that all things work together for good to them that love God. What do I mean? Well, I mean something like this. Do you still have the feeling that God is dealing with you? [00:42:01]
Do you find that you can't be happy in sin? You may have tried it. Has it proved to be a failure? A child of God can't be happy in sin. I'm not saying that he may not sin. I'm not even saying that he may not sin for some time. That's what I mean by backsliding. [00:43:30]
Can you say from your own experience that all these things that work against you quite clearly are working for you and working for your good? And you bow your head with the psalmist and you thank God for it and say it was good for me that I have been afflicted. [00:45:04]
All things work together for good. All things are overruled by God for our good because we love God, because we are the called. [00:46:29]
Chatbot
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