Irondale Church: March 2012

There is an old theological debate where the question is presented, “Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart?” Exodus 9:14 reads, “But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken to Moses” and Exodus 8:15 reads, “But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.” The question has left many seminary students, scratching their heads and digging for answers. The follow up question with application for today is, “Why are some people’s hearts so hardened toward the gospel?”

There are certainly many answers; perhaps the answers are as varied as each person’s question or conclusion. Some answers are undoubtedly simple; people reject the gospel because of pride, greed, misunderstanding or meanness. But what if there is a spiritual side to it? What if there are times when God hardens people’s hearts? We don’t like to think about that, the idea that God hardens people seems to leaves them without hope or choice. However regardless of how things seem to us, the words of the Bible hold true. Romans 1:21-25 says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” The Bible continues to push the point in Psalm 81:11-12, “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.” Then there is 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 which certainly credits God as the reason some will not believe, “Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (italics mine).

Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart and who hardens the hearts of people today? Sometimes we harden our own hearts and sometimes God hardens our hearts even further. This is obvious in our world of “political correctness”. It seems it’s wrong to speak ill of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and others. Even small seldom heard of beliefs like Shinto, Baha’i and Wicca have arrived in a place where others must respect who they are and what they stand for. Not to mention that Mormonism is now thought of as a Christian faith rather than a cult. Even al-Qaeda and the Taliban are tolerable to some. It seems our hearts have become hardened to the idea that we can say, I am right and someone else is wrong. Except of course when someone says someone else is wrong, then the first person is clearly wrong, unless of course, the offending person is a member of any afore mentioned religion or any number of other off-center groups, then their positions must be heard and accepted with open arms. All this reminds me of a sort of politically correct version of Abbott and Costello’s, “Who’s on First?” routine.

What do you think about the war on terror?

There’s no such thing as terrorists.

What do you mean by that?

You cannot have a war against an unspecified people group, terrorists are just individual criminals.

But if a group or organization supports and teaches terrorist things aren’t they also terrorists?

No, there are only criminals who do terrorist things.

So if the leader of a terrorist group sends someone to bomb another group, the group being bombed shouldn’t be upset at the group?

Well of course they can be upset, but not with the terrorist group.

Why not? If someone is trying to kill us, can’t we get upset with them?

Yes, but, if you get upset then you are just like them and they have their rights too.

Rights? Where did they get rights?

From the Constitution.

But they are not U.S. citizens, how can they have rights?

Every person has certain inalienable rights.

Do they have the right to bomb us?

No of course not, but you have to respect their thoughts and positions.

But their thought and position is that they want to kill us.

You can’t deny someone their right to express themselves.

Express themselves? They want to kill us.

Well that’s your opinion.

My opinion? I think God wants us to stand for what’s right.

God?

Yeah, the God Americans have been worshiping for the past 236 years.

But what about the other guy’s god? Doesn’t that god have the same rights & freedoms your God has?

They’re trying to kill us.

That’s your opinion.

Opinion? They found them armed with bombs, a map, a detailed plan and anti-American slogans written on the walls of their headquarters.

Well that could have meant anything.

Like what?

The bombs may have been to protect themselves.

Bombs aren’t defensive weapons, they’re offensive ones.

Well you never know.

What about the maps?

People do make vacation plans.

The anti-American slogans?

Freedom of speech.

So I take it you are not going to participate in the “support your military personnel rally” down at the church?

Church? No, the church should keep to itself and quit trying to push their beliefs off on others.

Isn’t that what the terrorists are doing?

There’s no such thing as terrorists.

Who hardens people’s hearts? Not to be glib, but to quote Forrest Gump’s Momma, “Stupid is as stupid does.” And it seems that when people willfully and defiantly believe and behave in stupid ways, God is willing to help them to get out of their wrong beliefs or God will accommodate them in those misbeliefs, whichever they prefer.

The call of Christ was to “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” Repent from what? Repent from doing and believing stupid stuff. So who hardened Pharaoh’s heart? Pharaoh started it, God finished it. Who softens hearts? If you’ll start it, God will finish it.

Irondale Church

Thursday, March 15, 2012

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Hard Hearts and Political Correctness