“Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.”
Romans 1:28 NLT
Does God really harden anyone’s heart? Thereby preventing them from being saved. I think not.
Our King has set His Spiritual principles in place. We either abide within these principles of life and be saved or not.
His Love and plan for the redemption of humanity was put in place even before He created the first man, Adam.
We have a choice:
“But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your mind and in your heart, so that you can do it.
See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil. I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live”
Deuteronomy 30:14-15, 19 AMPC
The very nature of sin, which is the refusal of the Maker of the universe (both known and unknown) is that it hardens the heart.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to harden can be described as being gradually acclimatized to a set of unfavorable conditions.
To continue in the willful practice of the refusal of our God-King and Maker and His will leads to a desensitization of man’s ability to respond or recognize or perceive the intentions and purposes of His/Her Maker.
The biblical account of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart or that of anyone else, is the equivalent of Him abandoning them to their foolish thinking (their refusal to acknowledge Him in whatever situation or condition).
Leading to their willfully acting out against God’s purposes for humans, doing things that should never be done.
This abandonment is a consequence of a continuation in sin and subsequent refusal of He who is our Maker.
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”
Romans 1:28 KJV
It’s like an extinguishing of the Light that lights the path of every man (human) that comes into this world.
“There it was–the true Light [was then] coming into the world [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] that illumines every person.”
John 1:9 AMPC
“That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”
John 1:9 KJV
May He produce in us the willingness to cultivate the habit of listening to the still small voice of His Spirit in our hearts.
Even if we fall, sin, make a mistake or refuse Him in an instance. We must remember that the blood of our Savior cleanses us from every sin, if we confess to Him and repent.
This practice helps us continue to build intimacy with our great Love (Jesus, The Christ) and maintain sensitivity with His instructions for life.
“No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”
1 John 3:9 NIV
“As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.””
Hebrews 3:15 NIV
Selah!
That I May Know Him! 