@Johann
It is a judicial act for the unbelief , to add to their condemnation. The purpose for God sending the reprobate the Gospel wasnt to offer them salvation, but to harden them in their native unbelief and increase their condemnation. It was sent to them on purpose to be a savor of death to them, not life 2 Cor 2:14-16
14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved
, and in them that perish:
16
;To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
Your claim that God's act of sending a strong delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:11) is not an eternal decree of reprobation but rather a judicial act to harden unbelievers does not support Calvinism’s concept of unconditional reprobation. Your argument assumes that the gospel is
sent not as an actual offer of salvation but as a means of further condemnation. However, this view misinterprets the biblical text and the nature of God's judgment.
1. The Gospel is Genuinely Offered to All, Not Just Used to Condemn
The idea that the gospel is sent only to harden the reprobate rather than to offer salvation contradicts multiple passages that affirm God's desire for all to be saved:
1 Timothy 2:4 –
"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."
2 Peter 3:9 –
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
Ezekiel 18:23 –
"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"
If God only sent the gospel to harden the lost rather than genuinely calling them to repentance, these verses would be meaningless. The biblical pattern shows that God calls all people to salvation, but some reject that call, leading to judicial hardening—not eternal predestination to damnation.
2. The Context of 2 Corinthians 2:14-16: The Gospel’s Dual Effect
The passage you cited, 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, does show that the gospel has a twofold effect—life to those who believe, death to those who reject. However, this does not imply that the gospel is given only to condemn. Rather, it demonstrates the natural consequence of rejecting the gospel.
The phrase "savour of death unto death" means that those who reject the message bring judgment upon themselves (cf. John 3:18-19 –
"he that believeth not is condemned already").
The passage does not state that God withholds the opportunity of salvation from the reprobate, nor does it teach an eternal decree of reprobation before they even had a choice.
If the gospel is only given to condemn the lost, then why does Romans 10:14-15 say:
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?"
Paul assumes that the gospel is preached so that people might believe,
not just to increase condemnation.
3. Judicial Hardening is Based on Prior Rejection, Not an Eternal Decree
Your claim that the strong delusion is a judicial act, rather than an eternal decree of reprobation, is partially correct—but it contradicts Calvinism’s premise of unconditional election and reprobation.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 says God sends a strong delusion because they
"received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."
The hardening comes as a result of their
own rejection, meaning they had the opportunity to be saved, but they refused.
This judgment is conditional, not a decree made before creation, showing that God’s condemnation is based on human response to the gospel,
not a predetermined reprobation.
This aligns with Romans 1:18-32, where Paul explains that God gives people over to their sinfulness only after they repeatedly reject the truth. The reprobate are not predestined to damnation from eternity past, but rather, they become hardened after resisting God’s call.
4. If Reprobation Were Eternal, There Would Be No Need for Judicial Hardening
If the doctrine of double predestination (eternal reprobation) were true, then God would have no need to judicially harden anyone—
they would already be incapable of responding to the gospel from the start.
Judicial hardening only makes sense if there was an initial opportunity for repentance that was rejected.
This means that the reprobate are not born hardened but become hardened through continual rejection of truth.
This aligns with passages such as:
John 12:40 –
"He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."
This was said after repeated rejection of Christ’s message (see John 12:37 –
"though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him.").
This proves that hardening is a reaction to unbelief, not a decree that predetermined their fate before birth.
The gospel is genuinely offered to all, not just as a tool for condemnation (1 Tim 2:4, 2 Pet 3:9).
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 does not teach eternal reprobation, but rather that the gospel has a dual effect based on response.
Judicial hardening occurs after persistent unbelief, showing that reprobation is conditional, not eternal (2 Thess 2:10-12).
If reprobation were eternal, there would be no need for God to harden anyone, which contradicts the need for judicial acts of hardening (John 12:40, Rom 1:18-32).
Therefore, the strong delusion in 2 Thessalonians 2:11 is not evidence of a predetermined reprobation but rather a judgment upon those who already refused to believe the truth.
This fully refutes the Calvinist interpretation.
2Th 2:10 And by unlimited seduction to evil and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing (going to perdition) because
they did not welcome the Truth but refused to love it that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 Therefore God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false,
2Th 2:12 In order that all may be judged and condemned
who did not believe in [who refused to adhere to, trust in, and rely on] the Truth, but [instead] took pleasure in unrighteousness.
That they might be saved (eis to sōthēnai autous). First aorist passive infinitive of sōzō with eis to, again, epexegetic purpose of the truth
if they had heeded it.
2Th_2:10 "with all the deception of wickedness" Satan tricks unbelievers (cf. Mat_13:19; 2Co_4:4) as well as believers (Eph_4:14) if they remain spiritually immature.
"they did not receive the love of the truth" This is not in the abstract sense, but a reference to
1. the person and work of Jesus, cf. Joh_14:6
2. the Spirit, cf. Joh_14:17; Joh_15:16; Joh_16:13
3. the message about Jesus, cf. Joh_17:17
"Receive" is used in 1Th_1:6; 1Th_2:13 in the sense of personally welcome as a guest. These unbelievers refused to believe the gospel and welcome Jesus.
"so as to be saved" In the OT this term meant "physical deliverance" (cf. Jas_5:15). However, in the NT it takes on spiritual/eternal significance.
2Th_2:11
NASB "For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence"
NKJV "And for this reason God will send them strong delusion"
NRSV "For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion"
TEV "For this reason God sends the power of error to work in them"
NJB "The reason why God is sending a power to delude them"
This is a present active indicative used as a future. The major truth here is that God is in control of all things, even Satan (cf. Job 1-2; Zechariah 3). This sending is either: (1) God's actively sending judgment on them who reject the truth (cf. Rom_11:7-10) or (2) God's passively allowing the consequences of their unbelief to become manifested in their lives (cf. Psa_81:12; Hos_4:17; Rom_1:24; Rom_1:26; Rom_1:28).
This ambiguity exists also in the OT account of Pharaoh, where it is said, Pharaoh hardened his own heart (cf. Exo_7:14; Exo_8:15; Exo_8:32), and also God hardened his heart (Exo_4:21; Exo_7:3; Exo_7:13; Exo_9:12; Exo_9:35; Exo_10:1; Exo_10:20; Exo_10:27; Exo_14:4; Exo_14:8).
The plural pronouns refer to the wicked men of 2Th_2:10.
NASB "so that they will believe"
NKJV "that they should believe"
NRSV "leading them to believe"
TEV "so that they believe"
NJB "and make them believe"
The human who refuses Christ is rejected by God (cf. Hos_5:6 c; Joh_3:17-21). This is not double predestination, but the consequences of active unbelief (cf. 1Ki_22:19-23).
Things are not going well for you brother, you have the cart before the horse and inserting YOUR eisegesis and closing the door for those in desperate need for a Savior.
You are "elect" and all of us reprobate--not good friend.
J.
