Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
— Psalm 95:8, Hebrews 4:7
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
— Hebrews 8:10
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
— Romans 6:6-9
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
— Romans 6:11
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
— 1 Peter 2:11-12
Hardness of Heart Spoken to as an Eminent Sign of Sin’s Dominion, by John Owen. The following contains Chapter Four of his work, “A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace, Wherein Sin’s Reign is Discovered, In Whom It Is, And Whom It Is Not; How the Law Supports It; How Grace Delivers From It, By Setting Up Its Dominion in the Heart.” London, 1688. (Updated to Modern English).
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
— Romans 6:14
Hardness of heart is discussed as a significant indication of sin’s dominion, and it is explained that it can be either total or partial.
Total hardness can be either natural and universal, or judicial in specific individuals.
Natural hardness refers to the inherent blindness or stubbornness of the heart in sin, which cannot be cured by external means: “Hardness and impenitent heart” (Romans 2:5). This is the heart of stone that God promises to remove through the power of His grace (Ezekiel 36:26). We are not concerned with this type of hardness in our inquiry.
Judicial hardness can be attributed either directly to God or through the permission of the devil.
In the first case, God is often said to harden the hearts of individuals in their sins, leading to their ruin, as He did with Pharaoh (Exodus 4:21). He accomplishes this in two general ways: 1) By withholding from them the necessary light, wisdom, and understanding to perceive their condition, recognize the danger, and avoid destruction. 2) By preventing the means provided to convict and lead them to repentance from having their intended effect, and even causing these means to contribute to their hardening (Isaiah 6:9-10). Regarding this divine hardening, we can observe the following:
1. It is the most severe divine punishment in this world. 2. Therefore, it is inflicted only upon those who are habitually wicked and intentionally harden themselves in their sins (Romans 1:26, 28).
3. It often occurs during specific times and seasons that serve as crucial turning points for eternity.
4. The condition of those who are hardened in this way is hopeless and their wounds are incurable.
When someone is hardened in this manner, there is no doubt about the dominion of sin. Such a heart becomes its throne and rightful abode, almost akin to being in hell.
Secondly, there is a judicial hardness that Satan, with God’s permission, brings upon people (2 Corinthians 4:4). There are various means by which he accomplishes this, but they will not be discussed here. However, there is also a hardness of heart that is only partial and comparative, even though it may appear to resemble total and absolute hardness. This raises the question of whether it is an evidence of sin’s dominion or not.
There is a hardness of heart that is recognized and lamented by those who experience it. The church speaks of this in Isaiah 63:17,”O LORD, why have you made us wander from your ways and hardened our heart?” or,”allowed it to be so, without healing or restoring our hardness.” There are several factors that contribute to this kind of hardness of heart, such as:
1. Lack of readiness to receive divine impressions from the Word of God. When the heart is soft and tender, it is also humble and contrite, and ready to tremble at the Word of God. It is said of Josiah that “his heart was tender” and “he humbled himself before the LORD” when he heard His Word (2 Kings 22:18, 19). Some may find this lacking to a great extent and be aware of it. They may observe a significant unwillingness to respond to divine warnings, rebukes, and calls. The preached Word does not affect them, and they sometimes complain that they sit under it like unmoving objects. They do not experience its power and are not transformed by it. As a result, they perceive that their hearts have become hardened, just as the church laments. Indeed, there is no better disposition of heart to be attained in this life than one that is receptive to the Word like wax to a seal, prepared and eager to receive its impressions. It is a frame of heart that is tender in embracing the various messages conveyed by the Word, whether for reproof, instruction, or consolation.
The absence of this disposition is a blameworthy hardness of heart.
2. Another aspect of hardness of heart is an unaffectedness with the guilt of sin and the sorrow and repentance that it demands. Every person with a spark of saving grace experiences some level of godly sorrow for sin. However, there should be a proportion between sin and sorrow. Great sins require profound grief, as seen when Peter, after his grievous sin,”wept bitterly.” Specific aggravations of sin demand a corresponding sense of their weight. However, the soul does not find this within itself. It can bear the thoughts of sin and the rebukes of conscience without significant disturbance or remorse. It can brush off the accusations of sin without relenting, mourning, or being moved to tears. At times, it may even compare its heart to an adamant or flint, unyielding like a rock. This leads many to fear that they are under the dominion of sin, and their fear is heightened by the fact that it does not affect and humble them as it should. It must be acknowledged that any unaffectedness with sin, any lack of humility and godly sorrow over it, stems from an improper hardness of heart. Those who are not moved by it have ample reason to be concerned about their spiritual state and condition.
3. Similarly, a lack of concern for the sins of others with whom we live or are associated is of the same nature, albeit to a lesser extent. Mourning over the sins of others is a duty highly regarded by God (Ezekiel 9:4). It demonstrates the effective workings of various graces, such as zeal for God’s glory, compassion for souls, and love for the glory and interests of Christ in the world. The absence of this concern arises from hardness of heart, and it is prevalent among us. Some individuals do not feel any sense of responsibility in this regard. They offer excuses, claiming that it is not their duty or that they need not be concerned—why should they care about the wickedness of the world? Let it answer for its own sins. They are also unaffected when it hits closer to home. If their children experience losses, poverty, or ruin, then they are indeed affected. However, as long as their children prosper in the world, even if they have apostatized from the faith, become enemies of Christ, or openly embrace the ways of the world, they are not greatly concerned, especially if they are not scandalously wicked. Yet, this, too, stems from hardness of heart, which is mourned over in the presence of vigilant and active grace.
4. Another manifestation of this hardness of heart is a lack of a proper sense of divine displeasure, particularly in response to signs and indications thereof. God often provides these signs, whether regarding the state of the church in the world or concerning our own lives through afflictions and chastisements. During such times, He expects our hearts to be soft and receptive, ready to be impressed by His anger, and obedient to His mind and will. Those who remain stubborn-hearted and disregard Him and the works of His hands are the objects of His abhorrence. Believers may experience this to some degree, and they may be aware of it, leading to sorrow and humility.
These things, and many more of a similar nature, stem from hardness of heart or the remnants of our inherent hardness, and they greatly promote the influence of sin within us. However, when individuals are aware of this condition, when they are humbled by it, and when they mourn and cry out for its removal, it is far from being evidence of sin’s dominion over them. On the contrary, it is a clear sign that the ruling power of sin has been broken and destroyed in their souls. Yet, there are other instances of hardness of heart that present greater challenges and are hardly reconcilable with the rule of grace. I will mention some of them:
1. Security and insensitivity in the face of the guilt of significant actual sins. I do not claim that this is or can ever be absolute in any believer. However, there are instances where individuals continue in their usual pace of duties and profession, albeit without any particular sense of humiliation, even though they are burdened by the provoking guilt of a known sin along with its aggravations. It recurs in their minds, and unless their conscience is seared, it will confront them. Yet, they choose to overlook it, preferring to forget and erase it from their thoughts rather than address it through specific repentance. This appears to have been the case with David after his sin with Bathsheba. I have no doubt that before God’s message to him through Nathan, he had unpleasant thoughts about what he had done. However, there are no indications in the story or any of his prayers that he took it to heart or was genuinely humbled by it beforehand. This was a profound hardness of heart, and we know how difficult his recovery from it was. He was saved, but it was as though passing through fire. Therefore, if anyone who has been caught up in serious sin, such as drunkenness or other foolishness, tries to brush it off, to overlook it, to forget it, or to find solace in reasoning or considerations against facing its specific impact and experiencing genuine humility for it, they cannot have solid evidence that sin does not have dominion over them during that state and mindset. Such sinners should be warned. If they have brushed aside past sins until they have completely lost all sense of them or if they are currently in such a state, they should reconsider their approach. They should not allow any such sin to pass without a distinct sense of humility. Regardless of the final outcome, they cannot have a solid foundation for spiritual peace in this world.
2. There is a dangerous hardness of heart where the guilt of one sin does not make the soul vigilant against another of a different kind. When the heart is tender, if it falls into sin unexpectedly, it will not only guard against its recurrence or relapse but will also be diligent, cautious, and careful to avoid all other sins. This is true for all who walk humbly with a sense of sin. However, when individuals are in such a state, they become careless, bold, and negligent. If they do not commit the same sin again, they are easily drawn into committing others. This was the case with Asa. He became angry with the seer who came to him with a divine message and even put him in prison because of his rage (2 Chronicles 16:10). One might think that after recovering from this state, Asa would have become humble and watchful against other sins. But that was not the case. It is mentioned that he “oppressed some of the people at the same time.” And it didn’t end there; “in his disease he sought not the LORD, but the physicians” (verse 12). In addition to persecution, he added oppression, and on top of that, unbelief. Nevertheless, it is said that “Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days” (1 Kings 15:14), meaning he had prevailing sincerity despite these failings. However, he was undoubtedly under the influence of great hardness of heart. The same is true for others in similar situations where one sin does not make them cautious and watchful against another. For example, when individuals have engaged in a life of excess, they may also fall into excessive anger towards their families and loved ones or neglect their duties or take other crooked paths in their conduct. This indicates a significant prevalence of sin in the soul, although, as seen in the example of Asa, it is not an infallible evidence of sin’s dominion. Nevertheless, it is a condition inconsistent with divine peace and consolation.
3. When individuals fall into unspiritual frames, a state of spiritual deadness and decay from which they cannot be revived by the usual means of grace, it is a certain evidence of hardness of heart and the prevailing power of sin within. This holds true whether it is the fault of churches or of individual persons. The preaching of the word is the special divine ordinance for the restoration and recovery of those who have strayed in heart or in their conduct. If, despite the preaching of the word, individuals persist stubbornly in following the inclinations of their own hearts, unless God intervenes in an extraordinary manner, they are on the verge of ruin and can only rely on sovereign grace.
This was the situation with David. After his great sin, there is no doubt that he continued to participate in all the acts of divine worship, which are the regular means of preserving and restoring sinners from their backslidings. However, these means did not have the desired effect on him. He remained unrepentant in his sin until God used extraordinary measures, such as the special message from Nathan and the death of his child, to awaken and restore him.
In a similar manner, God will sometimes deal with churches and individuals. When ordinary means of recovery fail to bring about change, He will, by His sovereign grace and perhaps through a combination of extraordinary circumstances, heal, revive, and save them. This is what He promises to do in Isaiah 57:16–19.
However, those who trust solely in this approach, neglecting the ordinary means of healing, should be cautious. Since there is no direct promise for such deliverance and it is a matter left to absolute sovereignty, the outcome may bring bitterness and sorrow.
Therefore, those who find themselves in this state should be wary. Although God may indeed deliver them, it will be through “terrible things” (Psalm 65:5), acts that manifest His vengeance for their inventions (Psalm 99:8), even though He forgives them. David himself affirms that God had broken all his bones in dealing with him (Psalm 51:8).
I fear that this may be the current situation for many churches and professing believers today. It is evident that they have experienced significant spiritual decline, and despite various providential warnings, the ordinary means of grace, such as repentance and humility, have not been effective in their restoration. There is a great fear that God will employ severe measures and terrible circumstances to awaken them or, which is more dreadful, withdraw His presence from them.
4. It is of the same nature and signifies a significant presence of this evil when individuals find satisfaction and pleasure in an unmortified and unfruitful profession. This is a clear indication of sin’s dominion. There are three things that reveal the compatibility of such a profession with hardness of heart or serve as its fruits:
(1.) Neglecting the primary duties of the profession, namely, self mortification and fruitfulness towards others. Many who claim to be religious exhibit a noticeable deficiency and neglect in these areas. There is no evident effort to earnestly mortify their lusts, pride, anger, love for the world, excessive desires, and sensual appetites. They either indulge in them all or, at the very least, do not engage in a constant struggle against them. Moreover, when it comes to producing the fruits of righteousness that bring praise to God through Jesus Christ or engaging in good works as evidence of a living faith, they are conspicuously unproductive. Since these are the fundamental principles of the religion they profess, their neglect and deficiency stem from a hardness of heart that overrides their understanding and convictions. In such a case, what will prevent sin from reigning supreme? Finding pleasure and satisfaction in such a profession indicates a highly perilous state of mind. Sin may have complete dominion under such a profession.
(2.) Allowing habitual formality to permeate the performance of religious duties is of the same nature. Some succumb to the power of sin and neglect or omit these duties altogether. Others continue to carry out these duties, but their approach is marked by mere formality and lifelessness. They are careless when it comes to expressing and exercising genuine grace during these acts of worship, which clearly demonstrates the power of sin and a spiritual numbness of the heart. The Scriptures frequently and severely condemn this behaviour, characterising it as hypocritical. Consequently, the lukewarm church of Laodicea was warned of its imminent rejection by the Lord Jesus Christ, and God pronounces a severe judgment against all guilty of this in Isaiah 29:13-14. Yet, this may be the state of many individuals, as evidenced by their eventual apostasy resulting from a prolonged adherence to this lifeless and heartless profession of religion and performance of its duties.
(3.) When individuals become unresponsive to the preaching of the word and derive no benefit from it. The general purposes of preaching the word to believers include: [1.] Increasing spiritual light, knowledge, and understanding; [2.] Cultivating growth in grace that enables obedience; [3.] Stirring up and invigorating grace through the communication of God’s mind, will, love, and grace to our souls;—this is accompanied by [4.] Impacting the affections, continually renewing and sanctifying them; [5.] Providing guidance and supplying spiritual strength to resist temptations and overcome corruption; and [6.] Producing fruitfulness in works and the performance of obedient duties.
When individuals can sit under the preaching of the word without experiencing any of these effects on their minds, consciences, or lives, they have been greatly hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, as stated in Hebrews 3:12-13. Now, whether this is due to: [1.] Carelessness and a sense of security that has permeated all kinds of people, leading God to justly withhold the power and efficacy of His word from them; or [2.] An increase in unsanctified knowledge and gifts that fills individuals with self-exalted thoughts, preventing them from adopting the humble disposition necessary for teachability; or [3.] A loss of proper reverence for the ministry as God’s ordained means to achieve all the purposes of the word, accompanied by a concealed hardening of conscience due to biases against its power, influenced by the suggestions of Satan; or [4.] A love for sin that the heart seeks to protect and shield from the impact of the word; or any other cause, it stems from a perilous hardness of heart and the dominion of sin.
When this state of mind, when such prevailing hardness exists in individuals, I cannot, no one can, provide them with assurance that sin does not have dominion over them. However, since all these things can vary in degrees, it cannot be conclusively determined from any or all of them, in any degree, that it is so. But we can safely conclude the following: 1. It is impossible for anyone in whom this evil disposition is found, in any degree, without sincere efforts to combat it, to maintain true and lasting peace with God or within their own soul; any apparent peace is merely a destructive sense of security. 2. This is the pathway leading to ultimate obduracy and impenitence. Therefore, 3. It is the present duty of those who care for their souls to shake themselves free from this state of spiritual decay and not find rest until they have embarked on the path of recovery. God’s calls for the return of such backsliders in heart are numerous, and the reasons and motivations for it are countless. They should never forget that without it, they will perish eternally, and they do not know how soon they may be overtaken by that destruction.
Thus far we have examined the question of whether sin has dominion over us or not. On the other hand, there are many evidences of the rule of grace that are sufficient to dismiss the pleas and assertions of sin to the throne. However, discussing these evidences is not the purpose of my current intention. I have solely examined the pleas of sin that make the inquiry difficult and the case uncertain, and they all arise from the workings of sin within us as it wages war against the soul, which is its proper and continual work, as stated in 1 Peter 2:11. It does so against the intent of the law, which is to live for God; against its order and peace, which it disrupts; and against its eternal blessedness, which it seeks to deprive us of. The examination of the asserted pleas may be beneficial to those who are sincere.
On the other hand, there are undeniable evidences of the dominion of sin in people, some of which I shall mention without further elaboration, as they require no proof or explanation:
1. It is evident when sin has taken control of the will. This occurs when there are no inherent constraints against sinning, but only external consequences that discourage it.
2. It is evident when people openly declare their sins without hiding them, boasting and glorifying in them, as many do. 3. It is evident when individuals approve of themselves in known sins, such as drunkenness, immorality, profanity, and similar offenses, without experiencing genuine repentance.
4. It is evident when people neglect their private and familial religious duties, rendering their public religious activities mere acts of hypocrisy.
5. It is evident when there is enmity towards true holiness and the power of godliness.
6. It is evident when individuals visibly abandon their religious profession, especially if accompanied by persecution against those who remain faithful.
7. It is evident when there is ignorance of the sanctifying principles of the gospel and the Christian faith.
8. It is evident when there is contempt for the means of conversion.
9. It is evident when people live in a state of complacency despite clear providential warnings and calls to repentance.
10. It is evident when there is opposition in the mind to the true cause of Christ in the world.
Wherever these things, and similar traits, are present, there is no doubt about what holds dominion and exerts control over the minds of individuals. As the apostle declares, this can be easily discerned by everyone, as stated in Romans 6:16.
https://takeupcross.com
takeupcross
Take Up the Cross 