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. 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 brethren. Romans 8:28-29

• God has a purpose.
• God's purpose is good.
• God's purpose is that you be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus.

We have found repeatedly that when God says, "all," He means all. God gave me a song about this some years ago.

For those who love and seek the Lord,
All things work together to perform
God's good purpose, which is to conform us
Into the image of the Lord.

For those who love and seek the Lord,
All things work together to perform
God's good purpose, which is to conform us
Into the image of the Lord.

If the pain and weight of life is coming
on so very strong,
That it's taken away your song;
When your days are filled with irritation;
Things keep going wrong,
And you cry out, "O Lord, how long?"
Just remember God's good purpose,
And what He intends to do;
He intends to make all old things new.
He will have us shine as lights,
And He will see it through,
So let patience work a perfect work in you.

For those who love and seek the Lord,
All things work together to perform
God's good purpose, which is to conform us
Into the image of the Lord.

This Scripture is sometimes used to support a fatalistic theology about God's "predestination." The word, "predestination" is kind of an misnomer since the original word is more like "set ahead of time." And this setting ahead of time is only for those who are going to love God and be faithful to the point of being conformed to the image of Jesus--that is the manifestation of the sons of God mentioned in this same letter.

We actually do know everything that we need to know about God's purpose. First, He has a first-fruits company that He intends to bring to the image and likeness of Jesus. Then those who come after that. Finally, the restitution of all things. I can hardly take that in and don't feel a need right now for more information about that.

As far as fatalism goes (I refer to those who disagree with Scripture and say, "We have no choice"), predestination is based on foreknowledge. Romans 8:29 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 brethren. [God is orchestrating the entire universe for His good purpose, which is that those who he foreknew would be conformed into the image of Jesus. This is the destiny of all who will receive it.] God doesn't have our sad limitations. When He plans something, He can see what is going to happen from the beginning to the end. He can set people for a certain outcome without creating a situation where they have no choice. He just happens to know, ahead of time, every choice that we were going to make.

Our God loves us even knowing all the bone-headed things we would do during our lives. We also know that when terrible things happen, He is ultimately in control, working everything to bring about the manifestation of the sons of God and, eventually, the restitution of all things. Knowing His nature, He only allows those things that are absolutely necessary to bring about His good purpose.