# The hardening of the heart: judicial or sovereign?



## Neogillist (Feb 2, 2008)

Among Reformed theologians, there exists two common views on the hardening of the heart of the reprobate that the Bible often speaks about.

Some low or moderate calvinists like Matthew Henry interpret the hardening to be of a judicial nature, where God basically increases the guilt of those who reject the gospel or command to repent. These theologians generally take their case from Romans 1:24-32, where God is said to "give people over" to their wicked passions.

On the other hand, some high calvinists like A. W. Pink interpret the hardening to be of a sovereign nature, where God literally hardens the heart of the reprobate, (through a mechanism I ignore) so that they will not believe and repent. 

I personally have problem with both of these views. The first view sounds a bit too much like the way Arminians would interpret the passages, while the second view seems to be coming close to "equal-ultimacy" where God is working against the reprobates to ensure that all of them go to hell. I would personally adopt a view that lies in between these too extremes. The hardening of the heart actually arises throughout the Scriptures in both the old and new testament; sometimes God commands man not to harden his heart, and at other times, God is said to harden man's heart, as though God is breaking the very law that He gives to man. I think of Augustine's prayer: "Command what thou wilts, but please, grant what thou commandeth." I think the best way to interpret these passages is to understand the hardening to be performed by the unregenerate man as a natural response to God's word. God is said to harden them in that he "permits" them to hear the gospel or commandment, but witholds them the grace to repent. Here are a few examples taken from Scriptures. Note that there are tons of these verses that speak of the hardening of the heart:

"21The LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all (A)the wonders which I have put in your power; but (B)I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go."
Exodus 4:21

"30"But (A)Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the (B)LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today." Deut. 2:30

"20(A)For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might (B)utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses." Joshua 11:20

"6"Why then do you harden your hearts (A)as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had severely dealt with them, (B)did they not allow the people to go, and they departed?" 1 Sam. 6:6

" 13(A)He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear allegiance by God But (B)he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel." 2 Chron. 36:13

"17Why, O LORD, do You (A)cause us to stray from Your ways
And (B)harden our heart from fearing You?
(C)Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage." Isaiah 63:17

"52for (A)they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart (B)was hardened." Mark 6:52

"40"(A)HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE (B)HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM." John 12:40

"18So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He (A)hardens whom He desires. " Rom. 9:18

" 8(A)DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME,
AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS," Heb. 3:8

"7He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just (A)as has been said before,
"(B)TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." Heb. 4:7


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