“So you see, God…chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. Well then, you might say, ‘Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?’” -Romans 9:18-19 (NLT)
Paul answers this question by bluntly retorting, “But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God?” (v.20). Some philosophers or atheists may try to argue that this response has no back-bone. However, this statement is so profound in faith that many people choose not to accept its simplicity. Christians live by faith on God’s word. This does not mean that we disregard the tough questions (Paul brings up many great arguments in Romans), instead it means that we live a simple life of faith. If God has spoken it to be in the Bible, we believe. We do not try to come up with elaborate answers for the creation of man, or philosophically map out our existence. We are God’s and He is our Sovereign King.
I refuse, however, to leave anyone with that kind of response to such a difficult question like this. Many people are in danger of hell if they do not understand such difficult things that the Bible discusses. This very issue of God’s sovereign rule over our hearts has brought many people closer to God, but it has also turned many people away from God. Today is no different than when Paul wrote this to the Romans. People still question, “Why should I believe in God if it’s not even my choice? If God chooses to harden my heart against Him, then why even try?” When people choose to look at it like this, I will be the first to agree that it seems we have a very unfair God. On the contrary, we have a God who has created freewill in all of us in order that we may choose Him. Love is a choice. If God simply made us believe or not believe, then He would be going against His very nature, and that is impossible.
Now some may question, “What good is freewill if God ultimately hardens or softens our hearts?” In response to this we have to go back to the beginning of Romans when Paul discusses the sinner’s choice of unrighteousness in chapter 1. Follow along closely (I have bolded certain words for emphasis): “For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them…For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead their thinking became nonsense…Claiming to be wise, they became fools…” (vv. 18-19, 21, 22)
As Paul states it, one can make the connection between God’s actions and our sinful ones. God has taken every opportunity to show His people His glory, not only that, but God has also instilled in them a knowledge of Him before they were born (vv. 19-20)! This same truth is applied to our lives, and their is no mistaking God’s glory all around us. It is also hard to look past the sin that surrounds us. In response to all of this sin, our perfect and just God has done the only thing that He can do to still uphold His righteousness: “God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts…” (v. 24)
Sin has run so rampant in our society that people mistake it for wisdom or philosophy. Their thinking has “become nonsense, and their senseless minds [are] darkened.” People today choose not to have faith in God, and instead choose to rely on worldly facts and knowledge. I don’t say this to continue to harp on the sins of man, although that is part of the issue. Instead, I have brought this all up to reveal what Paul means as he writes that “God…chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.” God may, indeed, choose to harden hearts of people, but He does not wish them eternal damnation. God is doing the only thing that He can do as a just God, and that is handing people over to their sinful choices.
In Romans 9:17 Paul compares Moses and Pharaoh. Both men were sinners and murderers, and were equally worthy of God’s punishment. However, Moses received God’s mercy and Pharaoh received God’s judgement because that was God’s sovereign will. Okay, some are still retorting, “Yeah, but God controlled their hearts’ decision.” On the contrary, God did not just harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he wouldn’t follow God, but “God withdrew all the divine influences that acted as a restraint to sin and allowed Pharaoh’s (already) wicked heart to pursue its sin…” (MacArthur Bible Commentary, 1538). All of humanity is sinful and wicked. “There is no one who does good, there is not even one.” (Romans 3:12). God either hands people his divine influences to help them make a choice to better know Him, or God hands people over to their sins. Nobody is treated unfairly in this, for all deserve to die by God’s hand. Even sinners have received grace from God to live each day, even if it be in their wrath.
So you see, we are not to question the Potter who makes the jars of clay for His own purposes. Romans 9:21 (NLT) says, “When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?” We still must make choices that show God, the Potter, that we much rather be used to display His glory than his garbage, but it is ultimately God who will give the final call. But do not be mistaken, we are “by grace…saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift-not from works…” (Ephesians 2:8, 9a).
Finally, to emphasize the goodness and grace of God, Paul writes, “Even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls…” (Romans 9:22). This negates all further questioning of what God’s will is for everyone on earth. 2 Peter 3:9 speaks the truth even clearer: “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”
So then, my brothers, be glad and know that the Lord does not wish eternal damnation upon you! On the contrary, the Lord wants all to come to repentance and to know the beauty of His love for all His children! The Lord may harden the hearts of those He wants to harden, but He is patient with those who are handed over to their wrath. God uses even those in the worst sin to honor and glorify His name; just take a look at Paul (1 Timothy 1:15). He does not hand over people to their sins so that they just die, God does this “to make the riches of His glory shine even brighter on those to whom He shows mercy” (Romans 9:23).
Their is a purpose in everything that God does. Everything. God uses sinners and the saved, alike, so that His glory may shine brighter upon the world so that even the sinners that He has handed over to wrath may see how good and perfect God’s love is for them. I suggest you take a deeper look into the book of Romans at how sincere and profound God’s truth and love is for you today. His will is perfect and His love for you will not cease. If you have not given your life over to the One who redeems us from our sins, it is not too late. Think hard, you have a choice to make.
