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In the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans, there are the following words: ch. 9, v. 18: "Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens." How does this align with the fact that God calls everyone to repentance and humility, and at the same time can harden a person's heart and that person simply will not accept God's call because such was God's will regarding this person, and how then can anything be demanded of this person? After all, who will resist God; if He so desired, then so it will be. What should be made of this?

The Apostle Paul quotes here the Book of Exodus, which tells of how Pharaoh, unwilling to submit to the will of God, becomes hardened. Paul himself, however, speaks precisely about the fact that God shows mercy. He does not mean that God shows mercy to some and hardens others. The will of God and His mercy are always a blessing, but encountering them can harden a person if his heart is focused on itself. Paul says that even despite such hardening, God is longsuffering and spares those who oppose Him. God's action is never like hypnosis, depriving a person of his own free will and responsibility.

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