Dear Mike,

I am having trouble reconciling the verse “I will be merciful to whom I will be merciful. Whom I will harden I will harden.” Doesn’t this at least imply that those whom God hardens are not shown mercy?
I believe that God hardens men. I’m having a hard time reconciling the “hate” verses as well as the one I already mentioned with the idea of ultimate reconciliation.
Please help,
J_____

Hi J____,

God does not show mercy on the wicked at this time, so He can show mercy on us at this time.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

I can make it no clearer than that. God hates evil and is in the process of destroying all evil. It is through the destruction of our old man that our new man is born.

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

If you and I are firstfruits, then we are not the only fruits, and if we are God’s firstfruits, then our election is on the back of our old man and the backs of all who reject the Christ of scripture.

So “the hate verses” are applicable to us all while we are serving our own flesh, and they are applicable to all who are now temporarily serving their own flesh.

You had said you want to believe that Christ will save all and that you had seen the verses that say as much.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

I made the mistake of assuming that if you could see that “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”, that you would then just automatically understand that if indeed God hardens the hearts of all, then it must be for the express purpose of humbling, refining, and then redeeming all.

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked [you and me] for the day of evil. [within us all]

Ecc 1:13  I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it. (CLV)

I had the very same struggle you are enduring. It took me two whole years after first being introduced to the above verses to accept their plain straight-forward message, that “God is working all things after the counsel of His own will”.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

It is true, God hates all flesh because flesh is inherently “corruption”, and He will not permit it to come within His kingdom, even if His kingdom is within these vessels of clay at this time.

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Christ is not denying that the kingdom of God will rule the kingdoms of this world outwardly for one thousand years. What He is saying is that the kingdom of God must come within His elect, before His elect will be granted the privilege of ruling the kingdoms of this world with Him for that thousand year period in which Satan is imprisoned and is unable to incite the nations to rebellion against their elect rulers.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure [“Christ in you”] in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

So our possession of the spirit and kingdom of God “within us” is just “the earnest of our inheritance…”

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

“The redemption of the purchased possession” is the resurrection from the dead, where “It is raised a spiritual body”. So our possession of the holy spirit within us at this time is only the down payment of our spiritual body which will be granted us at the resurrection.

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

God hates all sin and all sinful, corruptible flesh, and will not allow flesh and blood into His kingdom:

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

That is what God hates.

I pray this has been of some help to you.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike