Yes that is one. The exact book escapes me but he also talks about refining like gold through the fires of affliction, and others of that nature.
no problem - it's in the book of Romans; Romans is a letter written by Paul to the Christians in Rome sometime after Jesus was crucified and resurrected - Paul lived in the same time as Jesus. Romans is like a mini-Bible; chapters 1-7 can be said to interpret the Old Testament (like a last will and testament - a testament of God's will for us); chapters 8-16 can be said to interpret the New Testament.
let's look at this verse carefully:
(Rom 8:28) 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.
(emphasis added by me)
this isn't saying that all things work for the good of everyone, but '
to them' - this applies to a specific group of people only, a group of people 'that love God' AND are 'who are the called according to his purpose'.
so what does it mean to 'love God'? love means different things to different people - if you've ever watched any tv shows, you've no doubt heard an actor or actress say 'i love you and i need you; i can't live without you' or something similar - this is love as the world knows love; it's basically the same as saying 'i love what you do for me, and i need you to keep doing it - if you stop, i'll stop loving you' - in other words, for most people, love is actually a transaction - give me what i want and i'll love you for it - the focus is on one's self, not the one 'loved'. but this is not how God defines love in the Bible:
(Rom 5:6) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
(Rom 5:7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
(Rom 5:8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
God's Love is selfless, it's not based on what we can do for Him; He knew before He created light that we would all turn away from Him in selfish pride; esteeming our own intellect and understanding above His - and He made a plan to save us - He sent His sinless Son pay the price for our sins, take our punishment, AND bear our sicknesses:
(
Isaiah 53:4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
(
Isaiah 53:5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
(Mat 8:16) When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
(Mat 8:17) That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by
Esaias the prophet, saying,
Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
("
Esaias" here is the Greek version of the Hebrew name "
Isaiah")
(emphasis added by me)
this is the kind of Love that Romans 8:28 is referring to - a selfless Love; in order to love God this way, you must first
receive His selfless Love as a free gift - if you try to earn it, you won't be able to receive it - because then it would be payment for your performance instead of selfless Love.
and what about that second requirement in Romans 8:28?
those "who are the called according to his purpose"
you can get an idea of what this means from the great provision scripture we looked at earlier:
(2Pe 1:1) Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
(2Pe 1:2) Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
(2Pe 1:3)
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
(2Pe 1:4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(emphasis added by me)
how do we receive 'all things that pertain to life and godliness' that 'He has given us through His divine power'?
through the knowledge of Him - this doesn't refer to knowledge that you might have about a world ruler that you've never met such as the President of the United States - it means an
intimate knowledge that only comes through fellowship with someone like a spouse - this is what God wants - He wants us to KNOW Him
and what this purpose that he has called us to? - so that we can receive glory and virtue; glory here means goodness; virtue means spiritual completion, and includes forgiveness of sins.
(Rom 8:28) 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.
(emphasis added by me)
you could look at Romans 8:28 this way: all things work for good for them that have received God's selfless Love and therefore now love Him selflessly, and who receive goodness and virtue through faith in Jesus' payment for their sins as their substitute
the bad things that happen to people aren't from God; He wants only Good for us
does this make sense so far?