Rom 8:28

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to the purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren. And whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.”

“Even opposition and disappointment are turned into good, which is exactly what happened with this remarkable man, the apostle Paul.”

“Here he seems to me to have mooted this whole topic with a view to those who were in danger; or, rather, not this only, but also what was said a little before this. For the words, "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us;" and those, that "the whole creation groaneth;" and the saying, that "we are saved by hope;" and the phrase, "we with patience wait for;" and that, "we know not what we should pray for as we ought;" are all of them said to these. For he instructs them not to choose just what they may think, themselves, to be useful, but what the Spirit may suggest; for many things that seem to one's self profitable, do sometimes even cause much harm. Now when he speaks of "all things," he mentions even the things that seem painful. For should even tribulation, or poverty, or imprisonment, or famines, or deaths, or anything else whatsoever come upon us, God is able to change all these things into the opposite. For this is quite an instance of His unspeakable power, His making things seemingly painful to be lightsome to us, and turning them into that which is helpful to us. And so he does not say, that "them that love God," no grievance approacheth, but, that it "works together for good," that is to say, that He useth the grievous things themselves to make the persons so plotted against approved. And this is a much greater thing than hindering the approach of such grievances, or stopping them when they have come. And this is why He did even with the furnace at Babylon. For He did not either prevent their falling into it, or extinguish the flame after those saints were cast into it, but let it burn on, and made them by this very flame greater objects of wonder, and with the Apostles too He wrought other like wonders continually. For if men who have learnt to be philosophic can use the things of nature to the opposite of their intention, and appear even when living in poverty in easier circumstances than the rich, and shine through disgrace: much more will God work for those that love Him both these and also greater things by far. For one needs only one thing, a genuine love of Him, and all things follow that.”

“When Job lost all his wealth, when he lost his sons, everything seemed to militate against him, but since he loved the Lord, the evils that befell him worked together for his good. The vermin of his body were preparing for him the crown of heaven. Before the time he is tempted, God has never spoken to him; after he is tempted, however, God comes to him and speaks familiarly with him, as a friend with his friend. Let calamity strike, let every kind of disaster fall, as long as after the catastrophe Christ comes.”

“Whatever we do or suffer out of love for God will grow into a reward for us.”

“We must not worry if we find that things which we expect to turn out for our good are unexpectedly evil in the present life, because we know that in the end everything works together for good for those who love God.”

“There is, in the foreknowledge of God, a predetermined limit and number of saints who love God as he has given them to do through the Holy Spirit poured forth in their hearts, and for them everything works together for good.”

“To be called according to God's purpose is to be called according to the will. But is this the will of the one who calls or the will of those who are called? Naturally, every impulse which leads to righteousness comes from God the Father. Christ himself once said: "No one can come to me unless the Father draws him." Nevertheless it is not wrong to say that some are called according to God's purpose and according to their own intentions as well.”

“This is not true of everyone but only of believers. Nor do things simply work together—they work together for good. If someone asks for something which will not contribute to his good, he will not get it, because it is not good for him to get it.”

“What was said before, namely: "the creation was subjected to vanity" (Rom. 8:20), also: "shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption" (Rom. 8:21), and further: "we do not know what we should pray for" (Rom. 8:26) — all of this, as we have noted, served as encouragement for those being persecuted in Rome. But what is now added is clearest of all. To those who love God, he says, all things, even those that seem unpleasant and grievous, work together for good. He did not say that no misfortunes befall those who love God, but that although they do befall them, God uses these misfortunes for the benefit of those who undergo them. Then, since this seemed incredible, he confirms it by the past, saying: "to those who are called according to His purpose." God, he says, called you when you were far away and made you His own: will He not all the more help the one who has been called? And a person becomes called "according to His purpose," that is, also according to his own free will. For the calling alone is not sufficient (because in that case all would have been saved, since all are called), but free will is also needed.”

“Having shown that the Holy Spirit helps us in the weaknesses of the present life in regard to fulfilling our desires, the Apostle now shows how he helps us in relation to external events by directing them to our good. First, he states his proposition; second, he proves it, at "for whom he foreknew"; third, he draws a conclusion, at "who then will separate us" (Rom 8:35). In regard to the first there are two things to consider. First, the greatness of the benefit conferred on us by the Holy Spirit, namely, that all things work together unto good for us. To realize this we should consider that whatever happens in the world, even if it be evil, accrues to the good of the universe; because, as Augustine says in Enchiridion: God is so good that he would permit no evil, unless he were powerful enough to draw some good out of any evil. However, the evil does not always accrue to the good of that in which it is. Thus, the death of one animal accrues to the good of the universe, inasmuch as by the destruction of one thing something else begins to be, although it does not accrue to the good of that which ceases to be; because the good of the universe is willed by God according to itself and to this good all the parts of the universe are ordained. The same seems to apply to the relationship of the noblest parts to the other parts, because the evil affecting the other parts is ordained to the good of the noblest parts. But whatever happens to the noblest parts is ordained only to their good, because his care for them is for their sake, whereas his care for the others is for the sake of the noblest: as a physician allows a malady in the foot that he might cure the head. But the most excellent parts of the universe are God's saints, to each of whom applies what is said in Matthew: "he will set him over all his goods" (Matt 25:23). Therefore, whatever happens to them or to other things, it all accrues to the benefit of the former. This verifies the statement in Proverbs: "the fool will be servant to the wise" (Prov 11:20), namely, because even the evil of sinners accrues to the good of the just. Hence, God is said to exercise a special care over the just: "the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous" (Ps 34:15), inasmuch as he takes care of them in such a way as to permit no evil to affect them without converting it to their good. This is obvious in regard to the penal evils which they suffer; hence it says in the Gloss that in their weakness humility is exercised, in affliction patience, in contradictions wisdom, and in hatred good will. Hence it says in 1 Peter: "if you suffer for justice's sake, you will be blessed" (1 Pet 3:14). It might be asked whether their sins also work together for their good. Some say that sins are not included when he says, "all things," because according to Augustine: sin is nothing and men become nothing, when they sin. But contrary to this, a Gloss says, God makes all things work together for their good to the extent that if they deviate and stray from the path, he even makes this contribute to their good. Hence it is said: "though the just man fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord is the stay of his hand" (Ps 37:24). But according to this it seems that they always arise with greater love, because man's good consists in love in such a way that without it the Apostle says that he is nothing (1 Cor 13:2). The answer is that man's good consists not only in the amount of love but especially in his perseverance until death, as it says in Matthew: "he who endures to the end will be saved" (Matt 24:13). Furthermore, because he has fallen, he rises more cautious and more humble; hence, the Gloss adds that this makes them progress, because they return to themselves more humble and wiser; for they fear extolling themselves or trusting in their powers to persevere. Second, we consider the recipients of this benefit and see something on God's part and on man's part. He indicates what is involved on man's part when he says, "to those who love God." For the love of God is in us through the indwelling spirit. But it is the Holy Spirit who directs us in the right path: "set me, O Lord, a law in your way, and guide me in the right path" (Ps 27:11); hence it says in 1 Peter: "who is there to harm you, if you are zealous for what is right?" (1 Pet 3:13); "great peace have they who love your law; nothing can make them stumble" (Ps 119:165). And this is reasonably so, because, as it says in Proverbs: "I love those who love me" (Prov 8:17). To love is to will good to the beloved; but for God to will is to accomplish, for "whatever the Lord wills he does" (Ps 135:6). Therefore, God turns all things to the good of those who love him. Then he considers what is involved on God's part who, first of all, predestined believers from all eternity; second, calls them in time; third, sanctifies them. He touches on these three things when he says, "to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints," i.e., the predestined, the called, and the sanctified; "purpose" here refers to predestination, which, according to Augustine, is the resolve to be merciful: "according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will" (Eph 1:11). "Called" refers to calling: "he called him to follow him" (Isa 41:2). "Saints" refers to sanctification: "I am the Lord who sanctifies you" (Lev 21:8). The Apostle says that he knows this, saying, "we know": "he gave him knowledge of holy things" (Wis 10:10). This knowledge arises from experience and from considering the efficacy of love: "love is as strong as death" (Song 8:6), and of eternal predestination: "my counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose" (Isa 46:10).”

“It is not that God, knowing the intention of their heart and their ignorance, gives them the opposite of what they ask for. Rather he teaches them what ought to be given to people who love God. This is what the Lord says in the Gospel: "For your Father knows what you need, even before you ask him." Those who are called according to the promise are those whom God knew would believe in the future.”