By
Shelby G. Floyd
Concerning those who rejected Christ and his message, the apostle John observed,
“Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” 41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him” (John 12: 39-41 NKJV).
As we have observed previously, those who rejected Christ could not believe on him because they would not. They were stubborn in will and steeped in sin.
The reason they did not believe is because they could not, and the reason they could not is because they would not, and therefore the “could not” of John 12:39, is not a physical, absolute or arbitrary impossibility, but rather a moral impossibility because of the state of mind, and attitude of the heart toward God, his Son and his message. And yet, we notice that John quoted Isaiah 6:10 to the effect that God had blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, in order that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted, and therefore be saved from their sins. Continue reading “HARDENING THE HEART NO. 3”