Hardness of Heart

Definition and Meaning

The Korean term wanak (頑惡) means stubborn, harsh, and obstinate in disposition. In Scripture, hardness of heart refers to a hardened heart that refuses to turn back and continues to resist even after witnessing God's warnings and signs. The New Korean Revised Version also renders the same idea with terms meaning "stubbornness," "obstinacy," and "obduracy." The concept is understood as the opposite of repentance, and it bears on theological discussions of the relationship between human responsibility and divine sovereignty.

Biblical and Historical Background

The principal text is the account of Pharaoh in Exodus. God says, "I will harden his heart" (Exodus 4:21). At the same time, the account of the plagues also states that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15). The original Hebrew reportedly uses different verbs meaning "to strengthen," "to make heavy," and "to make hard."

In the New Testament, Jesus, addressing the question of divorce, said that Moses permitted it "because of the hardness of your hearts" (Matthew 19:8). He was also grieved at the hardness of people's hearts in connection with His healing of a sick man on the Sabbath (Mark 3:5). Citing the example of Pharaoh, Paul wrote of God, "whom he will he hardeneth" (Romans 9:18). Hebrews, quoting Psalm 95, exhorts, "Harden not your hearts" (Hebrews 3:8).

How to understand the statement that God hardens hearts has been debated since the early church. After the Reformation, these passages became key texts in the predestination and free will debate.

Practice in the Korean Church

In Korean preaching and prayer, the expression "the heart is hardened" is commonly used as a warning against hearing the word without turning back. In revival meetings and prayers of repentance, it frequently appears in the petition that God would "soften our hardened hearts."

Emphases differ by denomination.

• The Reformed tradition, including the Presbyterian churches, understands hardening in connection with the doctrine of predestination. It is often explained as God's just judgment, in which He withdraws His grace from sinners and gives them over to their sin. In this view, God does not newly create evil and place it within them.
• The Wesleyan tradition, including the Methodist and Holiness churches, and Arminian theology emphasize that the heart becomes hardened as a result of repeated human refusal. In this view, God's hardening is understood as His confirming of that choice. These traditions also hold that through prevenient grace the possibility of turning back remains open to everyone.
• Both views are found within the Baptist tradition.