What Good? Revisited -‘A Friend’s Business’
The previous article, “What Good?” details some of Fred’s, hardships and his attitude. I wanted to revisit it.
Whenever someone suffers tragedy or loss, many are the ‘well-wishers’. Christians, non-Christians, friends even strangers telling them that, “The Bible says, “All things work together for good…”” A reference to Romans 8:28.
How often is that verse misquoted, and not an encouragement as much as a discouragement. Sorry, but telling a person that just lost a loved one ‘everything works for good’ can evoke all manner of negative feelings. Unless, one uses that verse for what it says, not what we ‘want’ it to say it can be more hurtful than helpful.
That begs the question, “Then what does that verse say?”
“Everything works together for good.” Is that what it says? Is that all it says?
Romans 8:28a, “And we know that all things work together for good”.
Romans 8:28b says, “…to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” There appears to be a discrepancy with the flippancy we use this verse.
Look at it more closely.
1. All things work together for good.
2. Condition: ‘to those who love God to those who are called according to His purpose’. Study reveals this is means ‘Christians’, not ‘everybody’.
The conclusion is then, “All things work together for good for Christians.”
However, we still have not defined “Good”. What is the “Good”? What Good is there in dying a long painful death? What Good is there in a terrible tragedy?
We need to look at the next verse to understand its meaning and promise.
Romans 8:29, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Take out the parts that ‘identify’ that this verse is written to Christians. Two phrases remain, “to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” What does that mean? We know that brethren means - Christians, and we know ‘His Son’ and ‘He’ is - Jesus. “To be conformed to the image of Jesus, that Jesus might be the firstborn among many Christians.” ‘The Firstborn’ used in conjunction with Jesus, is an adjective ‘honorific’ - the first to be resurrected to glory, the highest, the greatest, the Christ.
“To be conformed to the image of Jesus, that Jesus, will be the Christ of many
Christians ‘in the family’.” That would be, “To be conformed to the image of Jesus, that Jesus, The Christ, will have many ‘in HIS family’”.
What does it mean then “to be conformed to the image of His Son”? That is straightforward, it means what it says, to become literally a ‘Christian’ a ‘little Christ’ not just a believer. There is a promise here. “To become like Christ so that Jesus, will be THE Christ of many ‘in the family’. Our becoming ‘like Christ’ results in ‘many brethren’.
There is the old saying, “You are the only Bible some people will ever read”. The promise is that our becoming ‘Christ-like’ will present an ‘example’ that will result in ‘many in the family’. That is a responsibility, and a privilege.
Verse 29 then says, “Christians are to become like Jesus Christ so that we result in Jesus being the Christ of ‘many in the family’”.
We take Verse 28: All things work together for good for Christians. Add to it Verse 29: To become like Christ so that Jesus will be the Christ of ‘many in the family’.
We now have a very pertinent promise and admonition:
Promise: All things work together for Good.
Condition: For Christians
Reason/Result: to be (made/become) more like Christ.
God’s Ultimate Purpose for everything that happens to Christians: So that Jesus will be the Christ of ‘many in the family’.
We now have a definition of the “Good”. The “Good” is so that Christians become more Christ-like, and in so doing, others come to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It does not mean that bad things will not happen to us. It does not mean that we fatalistically and blindly accept things. We no longer have to wonder why things happen; the answer is right there.
We have, in these two verses the ENTIRE purpose of the Christian life… Everything that happens to a Christian is for one purpose - to mold us into the image of Christ. That purpose is to set an example for others, so that they too may come to know Christ.
That is it - the entire Christian life - God’s Ultimate Purpose Revealed!
THAT is Good!
Friends, whatever happens - whether heartbreak or blessings - everything that happens, happens with that purpose. With that in mind, constantly seek to grow to be more Christ-like, to further the Kingdom of Heaven…
Jesus Christ tells us in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
These verses in Romans tell us exactly what our ultimate purpose IS.
One of Jesus’ first statements sets the stage, “…Did you not know I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49
Jesus Christ set the example - “Father, not as I will, but as You will.” Matthew 26:39a
That is our Friend’s instructions for us…
Whenever someone suffers tragedy or loss, many are the ‘well-wishers’. Christians, non-Christians, friends even strangers telling them that, “The Bible says, “All things work together for good…”” A reference to Romans 8:28.
How often is that verse misquoted, and not an encouragement as much as a discouragement. Sorry, but telling a person that just lost a loved one ‘everything works for good’ can evoke all manner of negative feelings. Unless, one uses that verse for what it says, not what we ‘want’ it to say it can be more hurtful than helpful.
That begs the question, “Then what does that verse say?”
“Everything works together for good.” Is that what it says? Is that all it says?
Romans 8:28a, “And we know that all things work together for good”.
Romans 8:28b says, “…to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” There appears to be a discrepancy with the flippancy we use this verse.
Look at it more closely.
1. All things work together for good.
2. Condition: ‘to those who love God to those who are called according to His purpose’. Study reveals this is means ‘Christians’, not ‘everybody’.
The conclusion is then, “All things work together for good for Christians.”
However, we still have not defined “Good”. What is the “Good”? What Good is there in dying a long painful death? What Good is there in a terrible tragedy?
We need to look at the next verse to understand its meaning and promise.
Romans 8:29, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Take out the parts that ‘identify’ that this verse is written to Christians. Two phrases remain, “to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” What does that mean? We know that brethren means - Christians, and we know ‘His Son’ and ‘He’ is - Jesus. “To be conformed to the image of Jesus, that Jesus might be the firstborn among many Christians.” ‘The Firstborn’ used in conjunction with Jesus, is an adjective ‘honorific’ - the first to be resurrected to glory, the highest, the greatest, the Christ.
“To be conformed to the image of Jesus, that Jesus, will be the Christ of many
Christians ‘in the family’.” That would be, “To be conformed to the image of Jesus, that Jesus, The Christ, will have many ‘in HIS family’”.
What does it mean then “to be conformed to the image of His Son”? That is straightforward, it means what it says, to become literally a ‘Christian’ a ‘little Christ’ not just a believer. There is a promise here. “To become like Christ so that Jesus, will be THE Christ of many ‘in the family’. Our becoming ‘like Christ’ results in ‘many brethren’.
There is the old saying, “You are the only Bible some people will ever read”. The promise is that our becoming ‘Christ-like’ will present an ‘example’ that will result in ‘many in the family’. That is a responsibility, and a privilege.
Verse 29 then says, “Christians are to become like Jesus Christ so that we result in Jesus being the Christ of ‘many in the family’”.
We take Verse 28: All things work together for good for Christians. Add to it Verse 29: To become like Christ so that Jesus will be the Christ of ‘many in the family’.
We now have a very pertinent promise and admonition:
Promise: All things work together for Good.
Condition: For Christians
Reason/Result: to be (made/become) more like Christ.
God’s Ultimate Purpose for everything that happens to Christians: So that Jesus will be the Christ of ‘many in the family’.
We now have a definition of the “Good”. The “Good” is so that Christians become more Christ-like, and in so doing, others come to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It does not mean that bad things will not happen to us. It does not mean that we fatalistically and blindly accept things. We no longer have to wonder why things happen; the answer is right there.
We have, in these two verses the ENTIRE purpose of the Christian life… Everything that happens to a Christian is for one purpose - to mold us into the image of Christ. That purpose is to set an example for others, so that they too may come to know Christ.
That is it - the entire Christian life - God’s Ultimate Purpose Revealed!
THAT is Good!
Friends, whatever happens - whether heartbreak or blessings - everything that happens, happens with that purpose. With that in mind, constantly seek to grow to be more Christ-like, to further the Kingdom of Heaven…
Jesus Christ tells us in John 15:15, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
These verses in Romans tell us exactly what our ultimate purpose IS.
One of Jesus’ first statements sets the stage, “…Did you not know I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49
Jesus Christ set the example - “Father, not as I will, but as You will.” Matthew 26:39a
That is our Friend’s instructions for us…
posted by Unchained Slave at 10:29 AM
1 Comments:
Hi David,
How are you doing?
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