Predestination and Hardened Hearts

I recently listened to a sermon on Judas and whether he was predestined to betray Jesus or not. The preacher surmised that predestination meant violating free will (which we know God does not do) so believed Judas was not predestined to betray Him.

I decided to a study on this because I had always believed He was predestined to betray Jesus, but the preacher brought up a great point, what about his free-will?

What does the Bible say? 

John 13:18 - Jesus Himself declares "I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me" (NKJV).

The scripture He is referring to is Psalm 41:9 - “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me” (NKJV).

(Zechariah 11:12–13, NKJV) - "Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver."

This is referred to in (Matthew 27:9–10, NKJV) - "Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me.”

These Scriptures show that the betrayal of Jesus by Judas was foretold so therefore Judas was predestined to betray Jesus. It was already written so we see that Judas would not have changed his mind.

There are also many instances in the Bible where God hardened someone’s heart to fulfil his greater redemptive purposes.  Pharoah and Moses (Exodus 4:21, 9:12), or in Romans 9 where Paul discusses God's sovereignty in choosing mercy or hardening.

At first glance, it seems to contradict human free will, but the fuller biblical picture shows something more meaningful. Just because someone is predestined to do something bad does not infer that God takes away their free will or freedom to choice. 

God Hardens Those Who Already Resist Him

In many cases, God’s hardening is a form of judgment after someone has already repeatedly resisted His will.

• Pharaoh hardened his own heart multiple times before God is said to harden it (see Exodus 7:13, 8:15, 8:32). God didn’t arbitrarily override Pharaoh’s will; He solidified Pharaoh in the rebellion Pharaoh already chose.
• This is echoed in Romans 1, where Paul says God "gave them over" to their sinful desires because they “exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1:24-26). That "giving over" is a judicial hardening - a consequence, not a random act.

Hardening Can Be a Temporary Act for a Greater Purpose

Sometimes, God allows or causes hardening to fulfil His greater redemptive purposes.

• In Romans 11:7–14, Israel’s hardening is described as temporary, to allow the gospel to go to the Gentiles. But Paul says this is not the end of the story - eventually, so He can save some of them.
• John 12:39–40 quotes Isaiah saying people couldn’t believe because their hearts were hardened, but this was in the context of fulfilling prophecy and bringing about Christ’s crucifixion, which would lead to salvation for many.

The Bible holds divine sovereignty and human responsibility in tension. God’s hardening doesn't mean He forces people to do evil against their will. Instead, He may withdraw His restraining grace, allowing people to pursue the hardness they’ve already chosen. It’s as if God confirms the direction they’ve freely picked.

“Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.”     -  Romans 9:18

Yet immediately after, Paul emphasizes that people are still accountable.

God’s hardening doesn’t violate free will in the ultimate sense - it often confirms a choice already made. It serves purposes of justice, redemption, and the display of His power and mercy. Scripture shows that God is patient and desires all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), but He also honors the persistent choices of people - even to the point of hardening to bring about His will.

But prophecy and foreknowledge do not require coercion. Judas wasn't a puppet. He acted out of his own motives, greed, and disillusionment. In fact, in Matthew 26:14–16, before Satan enters him, Judas goes to the chief priests and offers to betray Jesus - for money.

• Judas was not forced by God; he made real, sinful choices.
• Satan entered him, but only because Judas was already open to it.  So, when Satan “entered” him, it was not possession by force - it was the culmination of Judas's own willing rebellion.
• God used Judas’s actions to accomplish His plan, but did not make him sin.
• Judas was held accountable for his betrayal.

This is one of those areas where God’s sovereignty and human responsibility meet - and though it stretches our understanding, it shows God’s ability to bring ultimate good out of human evil without violating free will.

• God's foreknowledge means He knows every decision we will ever make.
• God's predestination means He weaves those choices into His plan - without violating our freedom.

He's not surprised by who chooses Him, but He also graciously enables us to respond to His call.

• The Bible teaches predestination - God chooses and calls people according to His purpose.
• It also teaches foreknowledge - God already knows who will respond to Him.
• These truths work together: God’s grace enables a real human response, and His foreknowledge and sovereignty ensure His purposes are fulfilled without removing free will.

This reveals God's wisdom, love, and justice all working in harmony.

God knows the beginning and the end.  He already knows the future.  He already knows the choice and decisions you will ever make. 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. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (Romans 8,29-30, NKJV).

Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19, NKJV).

I've noticed that many people who teach about God's love and mercy often dismiss His involvement in anything that seems bad. They struggle to believe a good God could allow or cause anything difficult or harsh. But this can create a distorted view of His nature, ignoring that He is also Just and Righteous. Scripture includes examples where God's actions appear severe - such as Ananias and Sapphira being struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit. When something seems out of step with His love, there's always a deeper reason that reveals His goodness in the end.

When we put God in a box - shaping Him into who we want Him to be - we end up loving a version of God that doesn’t actually exist. It’s a God of our own imagination. To truly love God with all your heart, you need to know all of who He is - not just the parts that feel comfortable. Rejecting aspects of His nature because they challenge us can open the door to embracing a counterfeit spirit, one that mimics God but isn’t Him.

If there is something in Scripture that can cause you to believe that God is not good, instead of dismissing it and claiming it was not God, seek deeper and find out whether it was God and if so, why did He do it.  You will start to see Gods love, His goodness and how He works all things together for good (Romans 8:28). 

By Tania Francis