God hardens hearts?

[bogeydogg]

Yes, to the extent my mind can grasp this. I don’t see God hardening Pharoh’s heart as being so harsh anymore. Having said that, it appears to me that God did more than merely permit Pharoh to remain in his sin. It appears that God made his sin even bigger since Pharoh was obstinate. It’s almost as if Pharoh became irredeemable at some point - or perhaps God made him unable to make a morally correct decision at that point in human history to help accomplish God’s will for the Israelites. I can accept God not being a direct cause of evil. Having said that, God seems to have confirmed (hardened) Pharoh’s obstinate state so he would perform the evil action. That still doesn’t seem right from the appearance of the situation anyway.

I think people can become unredeemable. I think St Paul says as much in Romans. I am sure Christ says as much in referring to the unpardonable sin.

God Bless

 

[Ben_Bet_Beh]

I think people can become unredeemable. I think St Paul says as much in Romans. I am sure Christ says as much in referring to the unpardonable sin.

God Bless

This is somewhat along the lines I was thinking. I had always thought of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit as being unrepented mortal sin at the point of death. However, in light of the ‘Pharoh hardening event’, perhaps the unpardonable sin can occur prior to one’s death. One caveat however is that we do not know whether Pharoh later repented to the one true God after his sin.

 

[ddarko]

Could someone explain this passage to me? It appears harsh to me. Perhaps the context of what is going on would be helpful. Thanks!

And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. (Exodus 14:17)

I would like to propose a solution along the Molinist line of thinking.

God in his Divine Providence knows the following contingent counter-factuals to be true about Pharaoh.

“Pharaoh will freely harden his heart given circumstance X” – counter-factual (a)

“Pharaoh will not freely let the Israelite leave under any circumstance” – counter-factual (b)

Thus, God merely brings about the truth of contractual (a) by bringing about circumstance X.

So is God guilty of damning Pharaoh by bringing about circumstance X? NO. Because counter-factual (b) states that under no circumstance would Pharaoh have let the Israelite leave. It is not God that has damned Pharaoh but Pharaoh himself has freely chosen it. God has done everything possible to save Pharaoh.

Therefore God had merely brought about GOOD from Pharaoh’s EVIL actions just as God does with every evil that happens today.

Hope that give another perspective to this whole issue.

God Bless