Topical Bible: Character of the Unrenewed Heart: Often Judicially Hardened

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The concept of the unrenewed heart being judicially hardened is a recurring theme in the Bible, illustrating the spiritual condition of those who persist in rebellion against God. This hardening is often depicted as both a natural consequence of sin and a divine judgment upon persistent unbelief.

Biblical Instances of Hardening

One of the most prominent examples of judicial hardening is found in the account of Pharaoh during the Exodus. Despite witnessing numerous miracles and plagues, Pharaoh's heart was hardened, preventing him from releasing the Israelites. The Scripture states, "But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses" (Exodus 9:12). This hardening served to demonstrate God's power and fulfill His purposes.

Similarly, the Israelites themselves experienced hardening due to their repeated disobedience and idolatry. In Isaiah 6:9-10, God commands the prophet, "Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes." This passage highlights the judicial aspect of hardening as a response to persistent rebellion.

The Nature of the Unrenewed Heart

The unrenewed heart is characterized by its resistance to God's truth and its inclination towards sin. Jeremiah 17:9 describes the heart as "deceitful above all things and beyond cure—who can understand it?" . This inherent deceitfulness and wickedness make the unrenewed heart susceptible to hardening, as it continually rejects divine revelation and moral truth.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul addresses the condition of the unrenewed heart in Romans 1:21-24. He explains that although people knew God, "they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts." As a result, "God gave them over to the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another" . This passage underscores the judicial aspect of hardening as God allows individuals to pursue their sinful inclinations.

Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

The hardening of the unrenewed heart raises questions about divine sovereignty and human responsibility. While God is sovereign and can harden hearts as a form of judgment, individuals are also responsible for their response to God's revelation. Hebrews 3:12-13 warns believers, "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" . This exhortation emphasizes the role of personal responsibility in guarding against a hardened heart.

The Hope of Renewal

Despite the grim reality of a hardened heart, Scripture offers hope for renewal through repentance and faith in Christ. Ezekiel 36:26 promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" . This transformation is made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit, who regenerates and renews the heart, enabling it to respond to God's call.

In summary, the character of the unrenewed heart is often judicially hardened as a consequence of persistent sin and unbelief. This hardening serves as both a divine judgment and a natural outcome of rejecting God's truth. However, through repentance and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, there remains hope for renewal and a softened heart.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 4:21
And the LORD said to Moses, When you go to return into Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in your hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joshua 11:20
For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Torrey's Topical Textbook