Conversion or Hardness of Heart

In admonishing Christians of their responsibility to continue to speak the God-saving truth that they may grow thereby (1 Pet. 2:2), the apostle Peter reminds them of how the Jews did not accept Jesus as the only begotten Son of God. Peter declared: They stumble at the Lord, being disobedient (1 Pet. 2:8). We learn from the Greek word translated being disobedient that its meaning is not to allow oneself to be persuaded. (see Thayer or any reputable Greek lexicon). Implied is the fact that man has the power to reject obvious truth.

He can close his understanding to adequate evidence if he does not love the truth above everything else (2 The. 2:10-12). When the truth is offered to an honest man in error, one of two things can happen: (1) He will keep his honesty by giving up his error and embracing the truth, or (2) He will reject the truth, give up his honesty, and keep his error.

Speaking for God, Isaiah said to Israel:  “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isa. 1:18). God created man a rational creature and has never bypassed man’s rationality in seeking to lead and guide him. God does not force Himself upon man against man’s will (Rom. 1:28). If man will not receive the abundant and adequate evidence regarding man’s spiritual needs, God is not going to force it on him. The people in Isaiah’s day were unreasonable and would not accept God’s Word. They simply would not allow themselves to be  persuaded (Isa. 6:9-13). Thus, they lost their honesty and retained their error. In the words of Peter: ”They stumble[d] at the word, being disobedient. Hence, Paul’s request to the Thessalonians that they pray that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith” (2 The. 3:2). If you want to become wicked, just stop being reasonable. In doing so, you will lose   your honesty and harden your heart as you embrace the strong delusion of error.

David P. Brown

Scriptural Conversion

Whatever is common to all cases is necessary to Scriptural conversion; but whatever we find in one case which certainly did not occur in all others, is a peculiarity of the individual cases in which it occurs. The points in which all the recorded cases agree are points in which all subsequent conversions must agree with them. The points in which they differ are points in which subsequent conversions may differ from them. In order to determine that certain features are not essential, it is only necessary to find cases in which they do not occur. In order to determine that any one is essential, we must find it in all cases, or find it prescribed in some general law expressly designed to govern all cases.

While the three cases already before us are fresh in memory, and before points of difference become multiplied by additional cases, so as to confuse the understanding, we propose to institute a comparison between them, in the light of the general rule just prescribed. Leaving out of view the difference in character, occupation, and social position, of the eunuch, Saul and Cornelius, which show only that the Gospel is adapted to all men without regard to previous character or position, we will only notice those differences which might form the ground of erroneous conclusions. First, then, in the cases of the eunuch and Cornelius, there was the visible appearance of an angel; and many converts of modern times have related, as part of their experience in conversion, similar apparitions. But there certainly was not in Saul’s conversion the appearance of an angel; therefore, such an appearance is not necessary to conversion. Second, The Lord Himself appeared to Saul and conversed with him; but He certainly did not to either the eunuch or Cornelius. It is not necessary, then, to see  the Lord. Third, Saul mourned and prayed for three days after he believed, and before he was immersed; but Cornelius and the eunuch did not; therefore, protracted sorrow and prayer are not necessary to conversion. Fourth, Cornelius was immersed in the Spirit, but Saul and the eunuch were not; therefore, immersion in the Spirit is not essential, but a circumstance arising from the peculiarity of a single case.

The points in which these cases agree are chiefly these: they all heard the Gospel preached, with miraculous evidence to sustain it [We now have the same Gospel complete (I Corinthians 13:8-10) in written form all of which was confirmed by the miraculous in the first century (Hebrews 2:3-4), LK]; they all believed what they heard; they all were commanded to be immersed; they all were immersed; and after their immersion they were all happy. If, then, we do not hereafter encounter recorded cases from which some of these items are certainly absent, we must conclude that at least all of these are necessary to Scriptural conversion.

J. W. McGarvey

Commentary on Acts (Original), pp. 140-141

Conversion or Hardness of Heart

In admonishing Christians of their responsibility to continue to speak the God-saving Truth that they may grow thereby (I Peter 2:2), the apostle Peter reminds them of how the Jews did not accept Jesus as the only begotten Son of God. Peter declared: “They stumble at the word, being disobedient” (I Peter 2:8). We learn from the Greek word translated being disobedient, that its meaning is not to allow oneself to be persuaded. (see Thayer or any reputable Greek lexicon). Implied is the fact that man has the power to reject obvious Truth. 

He can close his understanding to adequate evidence if he does not love the Truth above everything else (II Thessalonians 2:10–12). When the Truth is offered to an honest man in error, one of two things can happen:

1. He will keep his honesty by giving up his error and embracing the Truth, or
2. He will reject the Truth, give up his honesty, and keep his error.

Speaking for God, Isaiah said: “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isaiah1:18). God created man a rational creature and has never bypassed man’s rationality in seeking to lead and guide him. God does not force Himself upon man against his will (Romans 1:28). If men will not receive the abundant and adequate evidence regarding their spiritual needs, God is not going to force it on him. The people in Isaiah’s day were unreasonable and would not accept God’s Word. They simply would not allow themselves to be persuaded (Isaiah 6:9–13).

Thus they lost their honesty and retained their error. In the words of Peter: “They stumble[d] at the word, being disobedient.” Hence, Paul’s request to the Thessalonians that they pray “that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith” (II Thessalonians 3:2). 

If you want to become wicked, just stop being reasonable. In doing so, you will forfeit your honesty and harden your heart as you embrace the “strong delusion of error."

David P. Brown