How can we avoid being "hardened" as described in Romans 11:7? Setting the Scene: Romans 11:7 “What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The rest were hardened.” What “Hardened” Means • A spiritual callousness that resists God’s voice • A judgment that God permits when people persist in unbelief (cf. Isaiah 6:9-10; John 12:37-40) • A state in which truth no longer penetrates the heart Roots of Hardening • Unbelief – choosing self-reliance over faith (Hebrews 3:12) • Pride – exalting our effort or heritage (Romans 10:3) • Repeated disobedience – ignoring conviction until conscience grows dull (1 Timothy 4:2) • Love of sin – preferring darkness to light (John 3:19-20) God’s Remedy: Grace Received by Faith • God elects and calls by grace, not merit (Romans 11:5-6) • We respond by humble, trusting belief (Ephesians 2:8-9) • A soft heart comes from the Spirit’s renewing work (Ezekiel 36:26-27) Daily Practices That Keep the Heart Tender 1. Stay in the Word • “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15). • Approach Scripture expecting God to speak; obey promptly. 2. Cultivate Humility • Remember we “stand by faith” (Romans 11:20). • Confess sin quickly; refuse self-righteous comparisons. 3. Guard Against Unbelief • Replace doubts with promises memorized (Psalm 119:11). • Share testimonies of God’s faithfulness; faith grows in community. 4. Keep a Repentant Lifestyle • Daily examine motives and actions (Psalm 139:23-24). • Turn from sin before layers of resistance form. 5. Walk in the Spirit • Depend on His power, not fleshly effort (Galatians 5:16). • Sensitivity to the Spirit counters creeping callousness. 6. Practice Gratitude and Worship • Thankfulness softens the heart (Psalm 95:2-8). • Worship keeps God’s greatness before our eyes. 7. Fellowship with Believers • “Encourage one another daily… so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13). • Accountability and mutual exhortation prevent drift. Warnings to Heed • Hardened hearts can still participate in religion (Mark 7:6-7). • Miracles alone do not soften a resistant heart (Mark 6:52). • Delay in responding to conviction increases hardness (Proverbs 29:1). Encouraging Truths • God delights to give a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19). • Even the hardest heart can be softened by grace (Acts 9:1-6). • Staying grafted into Christ keeps us vibrant and fruitful (John 15:5-6). In a Nutshell Avoiding hardening is a day-by-day choice to believe, obey, and stay yielded to the Spirit. Pursue humility, repentance, and vibrant fellowship in the Word and with God’s people, and your heart will remain soft, receptive, and fruitful for His glory. |
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