"The Bible says God Hardens People's Hearts. Isn't that Evidence that He Isn't Willing to Save All People In This Lifetime?"
The
Old Testament speaks of God hardening the spirit of King Sihon
(Deuteronomy 2:30) and the heart of Pharaoh (Exodus 4:21, 7:3-14,
8:15-32, 9:12, 14:8.) Isaiah wrote of the Israelites,
"And he [God] said, 'Go and say to this people: ‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.’ Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed" (Isaiah 6:19-20).
It
almost seems to indicate that God is condemning the Israelites to
spiritual blindness. However, when God "hardens" our hearts, it's only
ever after we've hardened them (Daniel 5:20). In fact, He pursues us
(Hosea), pleads with us to hear Him (Ezekiel 33:11), and "stands at the
door and knocks" (Revelation 3:20). Both King Sihon and Pharaoh were
proud, pagan men who despised God. The Israelites were sent many
prophets to tell them that God loved them, to repent, and that God would
save them through Jesus. What did they do? They tortured and killed the
prophets. Then they tortured Jesus and crucified Him publicly.
And just to be clear, the Calvinists are wrong when they assume these are examples of how God ordained in advance that these particular people would not and could not be saved. That belief contradicts many passages of Scripture (Matthew 7:7-9, 13:3-9, I Timothy 2:3-6, John 3:16-17, Mark 13:10, Luke 19:40, II Peter 3:9, etc.) that show God's desire and willingness and offer to save all mankind. So, if God "hardens" people's hearts, it's only after they've hardened them, and it's for a specific, heavenly purpose. It's not unfair. It's not an attack on their autonomy; rather it is a reinforcement of it. God hears our thoughts, sees our hearts, and respects our decisions. (John 12:36b-43, Matthew 13:10-17, Acts 28:23-28)
And just to be clear, the Calvinists are wrong when they assume these are examples of how God ordained in advance that these particular people would not and could not be saved. That belief contradicts many passages of Scripture (Matthew 7:7-9, 13:3-9, I Timothy 2:3-6, John 3:16-17, Mark 13:10, Luke 19:40, II Peter 3:9, etc.) that show God's desire and willingness and offer to save all mankind. So, if God "hardens" people's hearts, it's only after they've hardened them, and it's for a specific, heavenly purpose. It's not unfair. It's not an attack on their autonomy; rather it is a reinforcement of it. God hears our thoughts, sees our hearts, and respects our decisions. (John 12:36b-43, Matthew 13:10-17, Acts 28:23-28)
"When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" (James 1:13-15).
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