The Withdrawal of Grace
Every action or force produces its adequate effect, and this, according to Scripture, is often attributed to God. Resistance to grace has as its effect the hardening of the heart and the aversion of the will from God. This is spoken of as a punishment inflicted by God: "The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he hearkened not to them" (Ex. ix. 12). And of rebellious Israel the Lord says: "I will show you what I will do to My vineyard. I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be wasted. . . . And I will make it desolate; it shall not be pruned and it shall not be digged, but briars and thorns shall come up: and I will command the clouds to rain no rain upon it" (Isa. v. 5, 6). The more literally correct aspect of punishment is set forth elsewhere: "Israel hearkened not to Me. So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own inventions" (Ps. Ixxx. 12, 13). The punishment inflicted by God and the natural consequence of the resistance to grace are one and the same thing. Considering it in one aspect, it is necessary always to bear in mind the other. God works out salvation indeed in us and with us; but our eternal loss He does not work out in us or with us, any more than He works in us sin, and the rejection of grace, and hardness of heart. "Destruction is thine own, O Israel: only in Me is thy help" (Osee xiii. 9). The severity and sternness and rigour of God are not so much in Him as in yourself; but still they are a dread reality which you may easily incur.
