I believe the "all things" mentioned here are the same "things" mentioned three verses later in verse thirty-one. These things are predestination, calling, justification and glorification, and they "work together" for our good. It does not seem reasonable to me to say that good things work together with evil things, and that consequently everything we do and everything that happens to us during our lifetime, whether good or bad, turns out for our good. I am fully aware that God can bring good to His people out of things that were intended by men to hurt them. We have instances in the Bible where He did exactly that, but that was not a case of evil "working together" with good, but rather of God overruling evil and bringing good to His people instead. Good things and evil things do not "work together." On the contrary, they are always opposed to each other.

Romans 8:28 confirms to us that there are people in this world who "love God" and who are "the called according to his purpose." And it is these for whom the "all things" mentioned above work together for good. It is clear that anyone who is called of God is called "according to His purpose" and not as a result of anything they did in order to get called. The promises of God are not to everybody in general, but to "as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39)—no more and no less.

It is clear from verse thirty-one that if God be for us there is no one that can be effectually against us. His purposes and decrees cannot be defeated or overthrown. A person who has been predestinated, will most certainly be called into divine life here in time. They will be justified in time, and they will finally be glorified. There is no power in heaven or in earth or in hell that can prevent it. It is as sure to come to pass as if all of it were already done. Evil men and evil spirits may be suffered to go far in distressing God's people here in this time world, but nothing is more sure than the ultimate safety and security of the saints.   —Elder Ralph Harris