So, tonight Team Reckless went to a church
gathering/function where we were served dinner and then talked about Christ
dying on the cross. The cool thing about this was that it was a question/answer
kinda dig, and open for believers and non-believers alike. There was a panel of
4 people, some who have been in their walk of faith for a long time and others
for just a short while.
When I asked this question, which will be revealed to you in just moments, the
panel all looked at me with blank stares, and the pastor of the group said, “And
we will answer your question next week!”
The crowd kind of chuckled, and many were a bit stumped. It
is a question that I know is hard to answer, and I figured it would take a bit
of thought, but I wanted to see if someone could shine some light on this
question.
“Christ died on the
cross for the forgiveness of all sins, past, present, and future. He died for “EVERYONE”
right? For we do have free will and if we choose to accept the gift of life
that we are ALL given through the death of Christ then EVERYONE can receive the
reward, correct?
In Romans
9:17-18
“For the Scripture says to Pharoah, ‘I raised you up for this very
purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be
proclaimed in all the earth.’ Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have
mercy and he hardens whom he wants to harden.”
If Christ died for
all, and we have the free will to say “Yes” to the gift of life that He offers
us, then how could He harden the heart of some? Where does the predestination
of God hardening pharaohs heart and the “free will” mix together? How can both exist, if God has chosen some
for wrath?
I know in my heart, and in my mind I believe this to be the
answer, but could use some of your opinions and thoughts!
God; He sees all and knows all. He knows past, present, and
future. He is supreme. He knows our hearts. I believe that this idea of predestination
that does appear in the Bible can be answered this way.
God looks at us, deep into our hearts, into our futures. He
looked deep into Pharoahs heart and knew without a doubt that Pharoah was a
lost soul. He knew that Pharoah was going to use his free will and choose
darkness over light. So therefore, since nothing was going to change Pharoah
God used him as He willed. He hardened pharaohs heart to bring glory to
Himself.
That is the only way I can wrap my little brain around this
verse and the surrounding verses. Let me know what you think.
