To Some Hardness, to others mercy
C.D. Cole
In hardening sinners, God does not put any sinful principle in them;
this would make Him the author of sin. The sinful principle is already
there; we are children of wrath by nature (Eph. 2:3). But in hardening
sinners, God leaves them to act out their own sinful desires, only controlling
them so that their sinful desires shall not produce those particular actions
that might overthrow the purpose of God. To illustrate: In the death of
Christ, His murderers were acting out their own sinful wishes, but they
were controlled by God, so that their deeds were the fulfilment of His
Prophetic Word and the accomplishment of His eternal purpose. This explains
why they parted His garments and cast lots for His vesture and gave Him
vinegar mingled with gall to drink. It also explains why His bones were
not broken, and why His side was pierced. God was in control of those who
put His Son to death so that they did the particular things that the prophets
had predicted. Read John 19:33-36; Ps. 22:18; 69:21; Matt. 27:35.
In Acts 14:16 we read that God suffered (permitted) all nations
to walk in their own way, which means that He left them to their own depraved
wills. Now, the SHOWING OF MERCY is the very opposite of leaving sinners
to act out their own sinful natures. It is the putting of something good
in them, a holy disposition and a good principle, by which they repent
of their sins and believe on Christ. Showing mercy to those who come to
Christ and plead His blood is objective mercy; working in us both to will
and to do (Phil. 2:13) is subjective mercy. And this is the sense in which
it is used in Rom. 9:13.
In Eph. 2:3-5 we are told that "we were by nature children of
wrath.., but God, who is rich in mercy, .. quickened us together with Christ."
And in Titus 3:5 we read that it was "Not by works of righteousness which
we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of
regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." It was in mercy that Christ
died for us, and it was also in mercy that the Spirit enlightened our sin
darkened understanding.
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