If you read the KJV of this passage it runs something like this; “For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.” This sometimes leads to a false sense of security.
But the Greek text (from the Textus Recptus) doesn’t really say that. If I could switch to Greek (there MUST be some way to do that) then is would say something like “oidamen de ote tois agapos ton Theon panta ounergei eis agathon tois kata prothesin klatois ousin.”
Close. But, when you ask a modern-day Greek what that means to him, you get something like this; “(we) know that those of us (the ones that) love (the) God alway work together toward good (pure good, God-kind of good) us according wishes (intentions) called (as you have been called) us.”
Putting that back into English, “We know that those of us who love God always work together toward good for we are called according to the wishes of God.” Not quite the same, is it? Basically, it’s now saying that if we are called by God then we are always working for the pure, upright and holy wishes of God. Sort of put the onus back on us to do good things, not to expect good things to “just happen because we are called of God.”
I’m not sure that what I have here is absolutely correct, but I do know that the original Greek didn’t say what the King James crew wanted it to say.
SDG
jco
