-
Why Our Good Hopes Are Certain of RealizationThe Watchtower—1980 | April 1
-
-
In Romans 8:28-30, written about 56 C.E., Paul made this affirmation:
8 “Now we know that God makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God,a those who are the ones called according to his purpose;
-
-
Why Our Good Hopes Are Certain of RealizationThe Watchtower—1980 | April 1
-
-
9. How do the King James Version and a number of modern Bible translations render Romans 8:28, but how do other modern versions read similarly to the New World Translation?
9 In the King James Version of the Bible Romans 8:28 reads: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Quite a number of modern translations of this Bible verse read the same way. However, Byington’s The Bible in Living English reads: “And we know that to those who love God, God gives all cooperation for good, to those who, as suited his purpose, are called.” Rotherham’s The Emphasised Bible reads: “We know further that unto them who love God God causeth all things to work together for good.” Lattey’s The New Testament reads: “And we know that for them that love God he worketh all things together for good.”—See also Schonfield’s The Authentic New Testament, p. 338, paragraph 2.
10, 11. (a) What are the works that God makes cooperate together for the good of the called one? (b) What kind of personal actions should not be included among the “all things” mentioned in Romans 8:28?
10 All the things set out in Romans 8:28-30 are God’s works, not man’s. It is God’s works that, according to the record, he makes cooperate together for the good of the called ones who love him, because he wants them to gain the Kingdom to which he has called them. But if anyone who claims to be a baptized Christian in line for the heavenly kingdom acts out of harmony with his heavenly calling, we cannot expect God to make such action work good for the offender, or even that his action will automatically work for his good. For instance, if a professed Christian with the heavenly calling engages too vigorously in a sport during his recreation and breaks a leg or fractures his ankle, does God make that injury work for the sportsman’s good? Or if, in a period of weakness and wrong leanings, a called Christian chooses to pass through a red-light district out of curiosity or to see other men being lured into immorality with prostitutes and he himself falls victim to the solicitations of a harlot and commits fornication, can God be expected to make that experience work for the sinner’s good? Does such putting of God to the test work for good?
11 The outcome of such a physical or moral injury all depends upon the individual affected as to how he reacts to the consequences of his ill-advised course. He might learn a lesson from such a hard experience. But does his learning a lesson make the whole affair one of God’s works, especially because He may exercise mercy in the matter? Certainly not! It should not be included among the “all things” mentioned by Paul in Romans 8:28.
-
-
Why Our Good Hopes Are Certain of RealizationThe Watchtower—1980 | April 1
-
-
16. (a) How does each of “all his works” as narrated in Romans 8:28-30 perform its part? (b) So what is certain for all those “called according to his purpose”?
16 Hence, from start to finish, whose are the “works” that are detailed for us in Romans 8:28-30? They are God’s “works.” And since he is a consistent God, in perfect harmony with himself in all his dealings, he “makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God.” Not one of “all his works” is out of line, out of accord, with all his other purposeful works. These works proceed orderly, the one leading up to the other and preparing for it. God’s purpose is magnificent, and he knows exactly how to carry it out successfully.
-