How exactly does God ‘harden’ a human heart?
Well there two possible answers. One is to actively put evil into the heart of man – which I do not believe to be true of God biblically. The second, and I believe scriptural view is that in some people’s cases, God withholds mercy, (let’s always remember mercy by definition can never be demanded) and leaves them to the stubbornness of their own (hostile to God) nature. God doesn’t need to actively put evil in a human heart, to harden it – He can just withold mercy and leave us to our own evil desires. The worst thing God can do for us while we are in a state of spiritual deadness is to leave us in the hands of our boasted free will.
God holds people responsible for something they cannot do, which is to come to a saving knowledge of Christ by their own power and will! (v. 16) In this case, they cannot resist His will, but yet they are still at fault. Still the pot screams, “THAT’S NOT FAIR, GOD!”
Today, the vast majority of Christians hold the unbiblical belief that God does not hold us responsible for things we cannot do. Why do they hold to this idea? Because they believe the alternative is not fair.
What is Paul’s answer to this? Well lets read it in the next verse:
20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?
Paul’s answer is to point out that God is God, and man is man, and man has no business telling God what to do with His creation.
21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?
The implication in Paul’s question here is that yes, indeed, God as the Potter has every right to make what He likes from the clay. Though man will shout loud and long about what seems to be man’s lack of freedom in all this, God’s answer is to shout back, “What about My freedom as the Potter?” In Romans 9, Paul contends for the Potter’s freedom to have mercy on whom He will.
22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?
Though these words are phrased as a question, it is obvious that these words are indeed Paul’s continued answer to the claim that this idea of election is unfair.
Paul refers to “vessels of wrath” which were created for the purpose of destruction!
When seeing these words we immediately think that we have misunderstood them, for surely they can’t mean what they appear to say…. or can they? Continue reading →
Around a decade ago I read Dr. Norman Geisler’s book “Chosen but Free” and followed it up with Dr. James’ White’s response in a book called “The Potter’s Freedom.” It became clear to me that one side wanted to exegete the texts of Scripture in detail, giving them the necessary respect; and quite honestly, in the course of time, Dr. White became a very good friend of mine, and I am very grateful to God for the very positive impact he’s had, and continues to have, in my life and ministry.
The reason I say all this is because some time back it was fascinating for me to watch a 28 minute video by Dr. White on youtube, responding once again to Dr. Geisler’s “Parable of the Farmer.”
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?