John Calvin Commentary Romans 8:28

"And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, [even] to them that are called according to [his] purpose." — Romans 8:28 (ASV)

And we know, etc. He now draws this conclusion from what has been said: that the troubles of this life are so far from hindering our salvation that, on the contrary, they are helps to it. It is no objection that he uses an illative particle, for it is no new thing for him to make a somewhat indiscriminate use of adverbs, and yet this conclusion includes what anticipates an objection.

For the judgment of the flesh in this case exclaims that it by no means appears that God hears our prayers, since our afflictions continue the same. Hence the Apostle anticipates this and says that though God does not immediately help His people, He still does not forsake them, for by a wonderful design He turns those things which seem to be evils in such a way as to promote their salvation.

If anyone prefers to read this verse by itself, as though Paul proceeded to a new argument to show that adversities which assist our salvation ought not to be borne as hard and grievous things, I do not object. At the same time, Paul’s design is not doubtful: “Though the elect and the reprobate are indiscriminately exposed to similar evils, there is yet a great difference; for God trains the faithful by afflictions, and thereby promotes their salvation.”

But we must remember that Paul speaks here only of adversities, as though he had said, “All things which happen to the saints are so overruled by God that what the world regards as evil, the issue shows to be good.” For though what Augustine says is true, that even the sins of the saints are, through the guiding providence of God, so far from harming them that, on the contrary, they serve to advance their salvation; yet this does not belong to this passage, the subject of which is the cross.

It must also be observed that he includes the whole of true religion in the love of God, as the whole practice of righteousness depends on it.

Even to them who according to his purpose, etc. This clause seems to have been added as a modification, lest anyone should think that the faithful, because they love God, obtain by their own merit the advantage of deriving such fruit from their adversities. We indeed know that when salvation is the subject, men are disposed to begin with themselves and to imagine certain preparations by which they would anticipate the favor of God.

Hence Paul teaches us that those whom he had spoken of as loving God had been previously chosen by Him. For it is certain that the order is pointed out in this way, so that we may know that this truth—that all things happen to the saints for their salvation—proceeds from the gratuitous adoption of God, as from the first cause.

Indeed, Paul shows that the faithful do not love God before they are called by Him, as in another place he reminds us that the Galatians were known by God before they knew Him (Galatians 4:9). It is indeed true what Paul intimates, that afflictions do not avail to advance the salvation of any but those who love God; but that saying of John is equally true, that He begins to be loved by us only when He anticipates us with His gratuitous love.

But the calling of which Paul speaks here has a wide meaning, for it is not to be confined to the manifestation of election (of which mention is soon made) but is to be understood simply in opposition to the course pursued by men. It is as though Paul had said, “The faithful do not attain religion by their own efforts but are, on the contrary, led by the hand of God, inasmuch as He has chosen them to be a peculiar people to Himself.”

The word purpose distinctly excludes whatever is imagined to be contributed by men, as though Paul had denied that the causes of our election are to be sought anywhere else except in the secret good pleasure of God. This subject is more fully handled in Ephesians 1 and in 2 Timothy 1, where the contrast between this purpose and human righteousness is also more distinctly set forth.

Paul, however, no doubt made this express declaration here—that our salvation is based on the election of God—so that he might make a transition to what he immediately added (namely, that by the same celestial decree, the afflictions which conform us to Christ have been appointed); and he did this to connect, as by a kind of necessary chain, our salvation with the bearing of the cross.