Tag: Hardened Hearts

HARDENING THE HEART NO. 3

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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” →

HARDENING THE HEART NO. 2

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Shelby G. Floyd

Previously, we have observed that many of the Jews rejected the message of Christ, and had thereby fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, when he said, “Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed” (John 12:38). This unbelief on the part of the Jews had been in the face of the greatest of evidence, miracles, signs and wonders performed by the Lord himself, confirming his identity as God’s only begotten Son, and confirming his speech as being inspired of God.

But the unbelief and rejection of Christ, and his message, by the Jews, also fulfilled another statement of the prophet Isaiah: “Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him” (John 12:39-41). Continue reading “HARDENING THE HEART NO. 2” →