The ‘All Things’ of Romans 8.28: Are they about how God turns adversity into something good?

Feb 27, 2024 by Dave Doveton

By Rollin Grams, Bible and Mission.

Romans 8.28 in the ESV translation reads,

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

After considering the translation, the question that begs for an answer is whether the common interpretation of this verse is correct. That is, is Paul saying that God turns adversity into something good for those who love Him, or does his point lie elsewhere?

First, the verse could be translated differently, as the NIV does:

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.

The meaning is very close however the passage is translated. The difference is whether ‘all things’ or ‘God’ is the subject. Do all things work together for good, or does God work all things together for good? The Greek grammar could go either way. My preference in translation lies with the NIV, however, as it captures the meaning of the verse read in light of the whole chapter better. The interpretation of the verse, however, does not depend on how we translate the verse.

Moving on, then, we need to ask, ‘What does Paul mean by “all things”?’ The popular interpretation of the verse needs to answer that he is intentionally general: whatever happens, things will work out for good. Things are determined by God, even the bad things, and we just need to trust Him. When something bad happens, God can and does turn this into something good. Determinism is not, however, Paul’s point in this verse.

The immediate context in vv. 29-30, the entire chapter 8, and the parallel in Ephesians 1 all point in a different direction. One wanting to take the route of the popular interpretation might find some assistance with Romans 5.3-4, where Paul appreciates that suffering produces perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope. Similarly, James says, ‘Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness’ (1.2-3). These texts do not lead us to determinism, but they do speak of adversity that God uses to bring some good.

Be that as it may, I would suggest the better understanding of Romans 8.28 lies with the view Paul expresses in Ephesians:

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will… (1.11).

Note that God is the one working all things. The passage is also close to Romans 8 in that the notion of predestination is in view: the ‘all things’ that God is working is for those He has predestined, that is, who are in His salvation plan, and they are the things He works out according to His purpose and by His will. Ephesians 1 brings out nicely the point that God works out His plan so that we ‘might be to the praise of His glory’ (v. 12). The parallel with Romans also brings out this goal of our being glorified (Romans 8.30). We see, too, that ‘all things’ in Ephesians 1.11 relate to God’s plan, and this helps us further with Romans. The ‘all things’ are not things that happen to us but the salvation that God is working according to His plan.

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