“When God is said to harden men’s hearts,-to deliver them up to a reprobate mind,-to send them strong delusions, that they should believe that God is acting unrighteously – meaning He is acting against His character – it is infinitely far from being meant of an efficacious impulse in God Almighty. That all those verbs,- to harden, to blind, to deliver up, to send delusions, to deceive, and the like,-are by an ordinary Hebraism only permissive in signification, though active in sound, is placed without all controversy.” (Thomas Pierce, I, p23-24 edition of 1658 as quoted in Jackson, The Providence of God, p401)
This Bible scholar is addressing an issue that has bothered followers of God for millennia. Is it according to God’s character to harden hearts, to send delusions, to deceive, to kill, to burn, to flood? Especially in the light of the life of Jesus?
God’s ways are higher than our ways. It is not easy to comprehend how He interacts with the world He has created, and with sinful humans, while respecting our free will and the law of cause and effect.
In this booklet we have gathered together quotes summarizing many of the important facets of the study of the Character of God. May it bless you and be of great help to all seekers after truth and understanding.
