Another question for the Calvinists in the group. Not to debate, but because I’m honestly trying to understand the worldview.
If we are already born hard hearted, why would God need to harden anyone’s heart (like pharaoh)?
Is God making their hearts more hard? And wouldn’t that imply a degree of softness before that?
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/you-asked-does-god-harden-a-believers-heart/
what God is doing when he hardened pharaoh’s heart was basically allowing pharaoh’s heart to rule his actions. Pharaoh was going to listen to Moses, and didn’t want to release the hebrew from captivity. God knew what was in pharaoh’s heart and so was letting it happen. He was allowing pharaoh to make his own decisions, in other words, free will.
Now this verse in Romans concerns believers
Romans 8:29-31
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
For whom He foreknew, God knows what our actions are going to be before we do them, and He allows us the free will to make the decisions to do these things. Which is what He allow pharaoh to do.