ACC ~ Romans 8 v28

IN EVERYTHING GOD WORKS FOR GOOD. AMBROSIASTER: It is not that God, knowing the intention of their heart and their ignorance, gives them the opposite of what they ask for. Rather he teaches them what ought to be given to people who love God. This is what the Lord says in the Gospel: “For your Father knows what you need, even before you ask him.” Those who are called according to the promise are those whom God knew would believe in the future. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

CHRYSOSTOM: When Paul speaks of “all things” he mentions even the things that seem painful. For if tribulation, or poverty, or imprisonment, or famines, or deaths or anything else should come upon us, God can change them into the opposite. For this is one instance of his ineffable power, that he can make painful things appear light to usand turn them into things which can be helpful.

Paul talks about being called “according to his purpose” in order to show that the calling itself is not enough. … The calling was not forced on anyone, nor was it compulsory. Everyone was called, but not everyone obeyed the call. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 15.

CHRYSOSTOM: Even opposition and disappointment are turned into good, which is exactly what happened with this remarkable man, the apostle Paul. HOMILIES ON GENESIS 67.19.

THE TEMPTATION OF JOB. JEROME: When Job lost all his wealth, when he lost his sons, everything seemed to militate against him, but since he loved the Lord, the evils that befell him worked together for his good. The vermin of his body were preparing for him the crown of heaven.Before the time he is tempted, God has never spoken to him; after he is tempted, however, God comes to him and speaks familiarly with him, as a friend with his friend. Let calamity strike, let every kind of disaster fall, as long as after the catastrophe Christ comes. HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 6.

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD. AUGUSTINE: There is, in the foreknowledge of God, a predetermined limit and number of saints who love God as he has given them to do through the Holy Spirit poured forth in their hearts, and for them everything works together for good. LETTER 186.

PELAGIUS: Whatever we do or suffer out of love for God will grow into a reward for us.PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS. ;

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: We must not worry if we find that things which we expect to turn out for our good are unexpectedly evil in the present life, because we know that in the end everything works together for good for those who love God. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: To be called according to God’s purpose is to be called according to the will. But is this the will of the one who calls or the will of those who are called? Naturally, every impulse which leads to righteousness comes from God the Father. Christ himself once said: “No one can come to me unless the Father draws him.” Nevertheless it is not wrong to say that some are called according to God’s purpose and according to their own intentions as well. EXPLANATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

THEODORET OF CYR: This is not true of everyone but only of believers. Nor do things simply work together—they work together for good. If someone asks for something which will not contribute to his good, he will not get it, because it is not good for him to get it. INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

Rom