SPECIAL TOPIC: THE LORD HARDENED

SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD HARDENED (John 12:40; Rom. 9:18;
11:7,25)

This shocking sttement has become the theological conflict between
competing theological systems:

1. God’s sovereignty vs. human free will

2. Augustine vs. Pelagius

3. Calvin vs. Arminius

For me both are biblical truths. Both truths must be held in a theological
tension (see SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION
AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE). The concept of “covenant” holds them together (see
SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT). God always comes first,
sets the agenda, and calls to fallen mankind, (e.g., John 6:44,65), but we are responsible for our choices (e.g., John 1:12; 3:16). Human
responsibility and its consequences mandate a human freedom (i.e., soul competency)! Moral actions are based on real choices. Choices
have consequences in time and eternity! The Scriptures assert both truths (i.e., theological poles; see
SPECIAL TOPIC: EASTERN LITERATURE [biblical paradoxes])!

It is surely possible that this theological difficulty for us is
predicated on our misunderstanding of ancient Hebrew theological idioms. Israel’s unique monotheism demanded she defend it at all points. YHWH’s cause of
all things was a Hebrew way of affirming monotheism (see SPECIAL
TOPIC: MONOTHEISM). Nothing just happened. There was one and only one cause—YHWH. The texts that assert this
(cf. Eccl. 7:14; Isa. 45:7; Amos 6:3) have caused
moderns to:

1. attribute evil to God

2. assert a radical form of sovereignty to God