Arminians claim eternal electionists torture the eighteen references about Pharaoh’s hardening and Romans 9. They claim the references refer to nations rather than individuals. God makes one nation unto honor and to another dishonor. They say God chose Israel, but she stumbled, meaning she rejected Christ; therefore, God brought in the Gentiles. Paul said, “…even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles…just as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, and He who believes in Him will not be disappointed” (Rom. 9:24, 33). They also say that Jeremiah spoke not of individuals but of nations in the imagery of the “potter and the clay.” Jeremiah said, “Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does? declares the LORD…” (Jer. 18:6).

Some say God permitted Pharaoh to harden his own heart. They explain this view by saying after Pharaoh had hardened himself against the will of God during the first five plagues, the hardening by God started with the sixth miracle (Ex. 9:12). After this hardening by God, another opportunity was given the wicked King to repent. On two occasions, Pharaoh acknowledged his sin. “Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, I have sinned this time; the LORD is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones. Make supplication to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail; and I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer” (Ex. 9:27-28).

Before the Arminians of that era could acknowledge Pharaoh’s “simple statement of faith” and be “baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (I Cor. 10:2), he committed the same sin again. Despite the unbelief of Israel as a whole, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Paul said, “In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice [God’s choice of grace]” (Rom. 11:5). Some theologians have tried to solve what is termed “the problem of God hardening whom He desires” by the use of the term “permission.” The Greek verb epitrepo is used 19 times, and is used in the sense of let, allow, permit, or suffer.

The term “permission” means liberty to do something. The term suggests that God allows or permits man to decide in freedom against God’s command. It is suggested that permitting sin is not the same as committing sin, or not to prevent evil is not the same as doing evil. God has a right to permit sin. Although sin is contrary to the nature of God, He may permit sin for the sake of the good that shall come from it. The example used by most people is the treatment and death of Jesus Christ.

Is this the correct way to handle the term “permission”? If permission suggests that God permits man to decide in freedom against His commands, then God in providence is no more than a balcony observer of a contest that is uncertain in its outcome. Solomon said, “The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD” (Prov. 16:1). Moses must let Pharaoh know Israel’s relation to the Lord, deliver his message in the name of the Lord, demand Israel’s release, and threaten the king with death if he refused.

Kings and rulers are ruled and overruled by God who is higher than the highest. Solomon also said, “If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for the official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land” (Eccl. 5:8-9).

God’s heart is not in the hands of rulers, politicians, or religionists as many believe. This fact is misunderstood because what men see are persons acting by knowledge and choice, possessing capricious dispositions governed by principle, sometimes by example, sometimes by fancy, and sometimes by malice. Thus, since they are not able to distinguish between the First Cause and the subordinate second causes, the Chief Agent and the instruments, and the perfection of the Creator and the weakness of the creatures, they see only the action without ascending to God who rules over all. To use the words of Solomon, the rivers continue to run according to their natural tendency, but not apart from God’s guidance and according to His pleasure. Thus, Pharaoh acted according to his own depraved nature, but under God’s guidance to the fulfilling of His purpose. The Psalmist said, “For the wrath of man shall praise You; With a remnant of wrath You will gird Yourself. Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them; Let all who are around Him bring gifts to Him who is to be feared. He will cut off the spirit of princes; He is feared by the kings of the earth” (Ps. 76:10-12).

One must not say that God merely permits the actions of men—either good or evil. That would be assuming that man is capable of operating independently of God. Such assumption denies the sovereignty of God.

Hardening must be considered as a fact of depravity, because it is the result of the fall. Hardening is not the correlate—next in an orderly connection, because it is connected to the fall. Therefore, it stands in relation to the fall rather than creation. Both the elect and the non-elect were hardened by the fall. The elect alone are given a heart of flesh. Ezekiel said, “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezek. 36:24-26).

Hardening is ascribed to God and man. Solution to the problem cannot be found by saying that man hardens himself and, therefore, God reacts to man’s actions. The Bible clearly states that God does harden. Paul said, “So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. You will say to me then, Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” (Rom. 9:18-19).

God does harden hearts. This is not done by mere permission. It is a punitive action—the inflicting of punishment. Paul said, “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Rom. 1:24-25). Each plague that God sent caused Pharaoh to become more hardened, but God did not put sin in Pharaoh’s heart. Man hardens his own heart. There are three kinds of hardening: (1) hardening caused by depravity; (2) hardening caused by the practice of sin; and (3) judicial hardening—punishment inflicted by God. Distinctions must be made in order to avoid serious mistakes of interpretation, mistakes that misrepresent the Sovereign God.

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.

Copyright ã   2006

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