Romans chapter 8. This is such a glorious chapter. Someone said what Isaiah 53 is to the Old Testament, Romans 8 is to the New Testament. And I think this is the high point of Romans chapter 8 as we read in verse 28.

This is a very well-known verse, but oftentimes when this verse is quoted, it's only half quoted. Romans 8, 28, and we know that all things work together for good. That's the way a lot of people quote that verse and leave off the rest of it. And we know, we as believers, lovers of Christ, we know that all things work together for good. To them that love God, that's a miracle of grace. To them who are thee called according to His purpose.

Purpose. So I'm taking for a title that last phrase in that verse 28, called according to His purpose. called according to his purpose. Now I hope this word, purpose, will echo in your heart and mind for the next several hours, maybe for the next several days. Purpose, purpose.

Every sinner saved, justified, and called out of darkness into God's marvelous light is so That is, it happens according to the sovereign and eternal purpose of God. You're here this morning, not by accident. You're here this morning by the purpose of God. You just didn't bump into the gospel one day. God sent it to you on purpose. His purpose. His purpose.

I was reading in the book of Jeremiah, finishing up, There's 52 chapters, but in Jeremiah 51, verse 29, I ran into this verse. I know I've read it before, but I was preparing this message in Romans 8, 28, and I was looking at that word purpose, and I was reading through Jeremiah 51, and I ran into this verse. Jeremiah 51, 29. Every purpose of the Lord shall be performed. Think about that. Every purpose of the Lord shall be performed.

And I thought about another verse that I like to quote often on that word performed. In Psalm 57 verse 2, it says, He performeth all things for us. Boy, that's good news, isn't it? He performed all of salvation for us. You mean, salvation doesn't depend upon me? Exactly. Exactly. If it does, we have no hope. If you're trusting yourself, you have no hope. Our salvation is according to God's eternal purpose, which He purposed in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world.

Now, let's look at this word purpose here for a moment. Turn to Romans 9, Romans 9 verse 11. With the children being not yet born, Romans 9, 11, neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God, the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said to her, that is Rebecca, the elder shall serve the younger. You remember she had these twin boys, Jacob, And Esau, and it says there, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

What shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid, for he said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it's not of him that willeth or him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. God's eternal purpose. which he purposed.

Let's see if we can find some more. Turn to Ephesians chapter one. Ephesians chapter one. It says in verse seven, Ephesians one verse seven, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace being accepted in the beloved, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom, and all prudence, power, wisdom, having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to the good pleasure which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, which are on the earth, even in him." Verse 11, Ephesians 1. in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ.

Now right here in the book of Ephesians, turn to chapter three. Chapter three, it says in verse 11, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. God has an eternal purpose that He has decreed from all eternity, and He said, I've spoken it, I'll bring it to pass, I've purposed it, I will also do it.

Now, turn to one other scripture on this, 2 Timothy 1.9. This is one of my favorite scriptures in the book of Timothy. Second Timothy, this is Second Timothy. One, let's begin reading at verse seven. Well, God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor me his prisoner. Paul was sitting on death row in Rome, waiting to be executed. But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.

Now look at verse 9. Who saved us, He saved us. When did He save us? He saved us in that eternal covenant of grace. And because He saved us, what did He do? He called us. He called us with a holy calling. It's called a high calling, a personal call. Not according to our work, but according to His own purpose and grace. Those two words, underscore those two words. Purpose and grace. Purpose and grace. Which was given unto us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Given unto us by what? His purpose and His grace. God saved sinners by His grace. God saved sinners by His purpose. which he purposed in the Lord Jesus Christ from all eternity, all eternity.

Now back to Romans chapter eight. So we say this eternal purpose of God, everything that God has decreed from eternity, he will bring to pass in time according to his eternal unchanging sovereign purpose. There are no accidents with God. Purpose. Everything he does, he does on purpose. We read a moment ago, in Isaiah 46, the Lord said, I've spoken it, I've purposed it, I will bring it to pass. He declared the end from the beginning. How can he do that? He's God. Beside him there is no other.

And then we read in Isaiah 14, this is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth. This is the hand that is stretched upon all nations. His hand, it stretched out. You remember what God taught Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king that carried and destroyed Jerusalem, carried many into captivity for 70 years and God unhorsed him. Nebuchadnezzar said, Lord, this great kingdom that I have made, and the Lord turned him into a wild animal and put him out to pasture. And then when the Lord gave him his right mind in the revelation, he said, all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And he doth, according to his will, in the army of heaven, among the inhabitants of this earth, and none can stay his hand, while saying to him, Lord God Almighty, what doest thou? You see the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord. He turns it. He turns it just like he turns a river, whether it's wherever he will. Those old pagan kings were nothing in the determinate counsel of God. Neither are these pagan dictators in our day. They're nothing. God can crush them in an instant, if he's pleased to do so. If it's according to his purpose, and one day he will. One day he will.

of all the exceeding great and precious promises we find in the word of God. There are hundreds of them. In the inspired word of God, perhaps this is the sweetest consolation that gives believers peace, rest, joy, and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.

All the promises of God in Christ are in him, are yes and amen, and to the glory of God. The sweetest, sweetest promise for believers, and we know, we know. That, what do we know of that? All things. All things are of God. All things work together, are working together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Now, I can't read that too many times. I pray that God has given that to you in your mind, and I hope that you can, there's nothing wrong with memorizing scripture. I used to be able to read something and memorize it when I was younger, and now I can't do that so much, can't hardly do it at all. But there's nothing wrong with putting the memory, the word of God, that you might bring it out and think about it and bring it to mind and meditate upon these things.

We know, and that causes us to give thanks, we know that our salvation is totally of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's according to his eternal purpose. God never saved a sinner by accident. If you're saved, if you're a lover of the Lord Jesus Christ, it's because God from eternity purposed your salvation. Think about that. God had you in his mind and heart when he elected a people unto salvation.

Every believer knows that God is God and that he's working all things after the counsel of his own will. And we know this. John writes this, and we know the Son of God has come and have given us an understanding that we might know Him that is true, that we're in Him that is true. Even in His Son, Jesus Christ, this is the true God and the only wise God. This is the true God and this is eternal life.

We know. I mean, we know because He's taught us We know because we had a good teacher. We know not because we're smart, we're ignorant. We know because God has taught us. All who heard and learned of the Father, they come to the Lord Jesus Christ. And we know, you see what it says there? We know that God is God, that he's working all things after his eternal purpose and will.

Now, don't look at this now, but on the back of the bulletin, one of my preacher friends that I've known for many years. He lives in Madisonville, Kentucky. His name is David Edmondson. And I try to put articles in a bulletin that most of you know, people, Pastor Joe Terrell, Pastor Maurice Montgomery, who actually pastored a church before David Edmondson did. But I've preached in that church many times.

And he wrote, salvation comes not by education, but by divine revelation. Salvation comes not by dedication, but by divine illumination. Salvation comes not by reformation, but by divine regeneration, education, dedication, Reformation are all things that man endeavors to do for himself. Revelation, illumination, and regeneration are all things that God does for his elect people.

In other words, salvations of the Lord. Salvations of the Lord. That's what we know, don't we? We know. We know that God saved us by purpose. His grace. Everything in heaven and earth from all eternity All work according to the eternal purpose of the Lord. We've studied Psalm 115 and Psalm 135 where it says, Whatsoever the Lord pleases, that did he in heaven and earth see in all deep places. The heathen said to David, David, where is your God? We know where our God is, our gods, the pagans, Our idols, we put them here and we put them there. David, where is your God? We don't see your God. Remember what David said? Our God's in the heavens and he has done whatsoever he had pleased. He does his pleasure. The pleasure of the Lord will be done, will be done.

There is nothing that comes to pass in the believer's life that's not purpose, planned in eternity, and brought to pass in time according to God's eternal purpose. All things are working together for the eternal good of his elect and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Another preacher friend of mine, who's now with the Lord in glory, Scott Richardson, he said this, and I heard this when I was a young man and I've never forgotten it. He said, if you knew everything that God knows, now listen to it carefully, if you knew everything that God knows, you wouldn't change one thing. Everything in creation, would you change God's creation? No. Everything in providence, the good providence of the Lord. You say, well, I would change some things. If you knew everything God knows, you wouldn't change one thing in providence. And then in salvation, would you change how God saves sinners? If you knew everything that God knows, you wouldn't change anything about salvation, would you? Sure you would not.

I'll give you an example of that. In Genesis, the last chapter of the book of Genesis, you remember there's a story. You remember Jacob had 12 sons. Joseph was one of the youngest. And his brothers hated him. His brothers hated him. And they planned out evil against him. They took him and put him in a pit, and they took that coat that his father had given him, that coat of many colors, and they stained it with blood, and they went back and gave it to Jacob and said, Joseph's dead. And then one of the brothers said, well, you know, maybe we make a little bit of money here. Let's just pull him out of the pit, and let's sell him into slavery. And we'll tell, still tell the same story, but we can make a little bit of money on the side. Sell him. Well, you remember the rest of the story? God raised Joseph up and put him on the throne in Egypt. And those poor brothers had to come begging bread at the throne of Joseph. Remember what he said to them? He could have said, you scoundrels! You scoundrels, you treated me, I'm getting even with you right now. I'm gonna put you in prison. He could have said that. You know what he said? Genesis 50 verse 20. But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive. Or they did mean it for evil, but God meant it for good.

A greater example of that is, how about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ? Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. You have by taking and by wicked hands have crucified the Lord of glory. But they only did what God determined before to be done. They meant it for nothing but evil. God meant it for good. To save his people from their sin. Isn't that amazing? Of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things.

Romans 11, 36. Can we read that? Turn over, let's read that. Romans 11, 36. Let's begin at verse 33. Romans 11, verse 33. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it should be recompensed unto him again? Verse 36, Romans 11. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

All things. What does that mean? What it says, all things, all things, all things are working together for good to them that love God. Now, not everyone, not everyone can claim this promise. Did you know that? Not everyone, everyone, everyone can't say that. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God. It's only working together for good to them that love God. Not everyone can claim this precious promise.

This promise of grace and salvation is only given to those who love God. You see, men naturally, they don't love God. We studied over here in Romans 8, didn't we? Didn't we see that in Romans 8, verse 7? The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it's not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Bad by nature does not love God. This is condemnation, John chapter 3. This is condemnation, that light is coming to the world, and men love darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil. Men don't naturally love the true and living God.

Now they may love the idol they've whittled out. They may love Mama's God and Daddy's God and the God of their denomination and different things. But when we're talking about the true and living God as manifested as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, working all things in the salvation of God's people, to those who love the true and living God, It's only because we love Him because there's a reason. What's that reason? Because He first loved us. The love of God is shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit. We study that in Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5. We love Him only because He first loved us.

How long has God loved His people? He loved us with an everlasting love. for whom he did foreknow, and that word means love before. Verse 20, 29, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. This promise of eternal salvation is given to those who love God, those who are brought to Christ in saving faith, with an irresistible call of God by the powerful, unfailing, effectual influence of God the Holy Spirit. And we know that all things work together to them that love God.

Loving God is a gift of God. And it says here, to them, excuse me, to them who are called according to His purpose. Now what's involved in this call? We read a moment ago that God saved us and called us with a holy calling. What is this call? It says here in Romans chapter 10, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Those who are brought to Christ in saving faith come so by the irresistible call of the gospel, by the powerful, unfailing, effectual influence of God the Holy Spirit. Thy people shall be willing in the day of God's power.

Now let's see if we can find some help on that. Turn to 1 Corinthians 1. about this calling. This is not the general call. The old timers talk about the general call that goes out to all. There's a call of creation, a call of nature. They're not talking about the general call. This is talking about the call of God the Holy Spirit with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, Verse 21, for after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block, unto the Greeks foolishness, but unto them which are called. You see that? Pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to call out his people.

Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, Christ the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than man, the weakness of God is stronger than man, for you see your calling, brethren. how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God had chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, God had chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and the base things of the world and the things which are despised had God chosen and the things which are not to bring to naught the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence.

But of him are you in Christ, whom God has made known to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory only in the Lord. We've been called out of darkness into his marvelous light. Turn to a couple more, turn to, Let's see, the book of Colossians, turn over there. Colossians chapter 1. It talks about Colossians chapter 1. Give me thanks unto the Father, verse 12. giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light in Christ, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin.

So he called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, that we should show forth the praises of him, who called us, and that's that effectual call of God, Turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. The unfailing effectual call. Thy people shall be willing in the day of God's power. That call may be resisted for a while, but not successfully God will overcome. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 2, First Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 2, we give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, your labor of love, and patience of hope, there's that hope again, in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God our Father, knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God.

Now how do you know anything about election? The word of God plainly teaches it. Our Lord referred to it often all that the Father has given to me, they will come to me. For our gospel, knowing brethren, beloved your election of God, for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Ghost, and much assurance as you know what manner of man we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word, in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit. So brethren, he said, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called, called out of darkness into His marvelous light, translated out of the darkness into His marvelous light, according to His purpose, His purpose.

Now, I'll let you go home with this. And we'll pick up here next week.

He describes those people that love God. He describes those people who all things working together for good. Those who are called according to His purpose.

At verse 29 and verse 30, for whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate. to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn Lord among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he called. And those that he called, they're justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified. Notice, past tense, already done. Already done.

What shall we say to these things? Well, I know a lot of religious people say, well, man, that ain't fair, that ain't right. Doesn't man have a free will? No. Man has a will, but it's not free. It's in bondage to his sin.

What shall we say to these things? Well, if God be for us, who can be against us? He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Justified freely by His grace through the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ.