#19 On the Nature of God: REPEATED AND UNREPENTANT SIN

Apparently, a little known or understood aspect of God is how He reacts to repeated and unrepentant sin. Some have entitled this characteristic as Judicial Hardening. The first recorded Bible example occurred in Genesis chapter 6. At this point in the development of mankind, evil had become rampant, Genesis 6:1-3:

“When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”

A footnote gives an alternate translation, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.”

In general, God provides some efforts to lead to repentance. He provides kindness, forbearance, and patience to help men repent as reported by the Apostle Paul, Romans 2:4:

“…do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

In a sermon at Lystra, the apostle made the same point, Acts 14:15-17:

“…you should turn from these vain things to a living God…. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

Thus, God has always been active to provide some encouragement for man to be obedient. Before Genesis chapter 6, He abided with them and strove with them so they would repent. But God declined to do this forever.

This incident in Genesis 6 highlights an important characteristic of God—He will not overrule man’s freewill choice of worship and force mankind to worship Him. Man can choose how to live even if it is in defiance of God.

We know the Lord had given Adam’s descendants instructions on how to worship because Abel offered by faith, Hebrews 11:4:

“By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts.”

And faith comes from hearing the word of God, Romans 10:17:

“… faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

The descendants of Seth seemed to be obedient and had begun calling on the name of the Lord, Genesis 4:26:

“To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.”

In addition, one of Seth’s descendants, Enoch, walked with God and was apparently translated into heaven, Genesis 5:24:

“Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.”

However, as time passed, the descendants of Cain and Seth grew worse and worse, Genesis 6:5-6:

“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

At this point in time, God gave up on everyone except righteous Noah and sent the flood to wipe the earth clean of sin.

These verses show that God strives with mankind to bring about repentance. But He does not force obedience. After a while, God allows men to proceed further into degradation.

This attribute of God is also highlighted by the apostle Paul, Romans 1:18-28:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 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. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

These verses make three points: 1. God has provided in creation the necessary proof of His existence and power. 2. Some will not honor God. Instead, they worship creatures instead of the almighty Creator. 3. After a while, God gives up on them and allows their debased minds to slip further and further into the lusts of their hearts.

In summary, it is the nature of God to allow men to harden their hearts if they are determined to do so. Finally, He will let them slip further into degradation.

Thus, judicial hardening is part of the nature of God. After a while, He will allow a stubborn sinner to fall further in degradation.

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