Here is what Elder Claud Cayce wrote in May 22, 1906 concerning his views on John 11:39 (emphasis mine):
"The sinner is not commanded to take the stony heart away, or to take the stony heart out of his flesh. In (Ezekiel 11:19-20), the Lord says, “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh; that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” Here we have the positive promise of the Lord, the God that cannot lie, that He will take away the stony heart and that He will give a heart of flesh. He does not tell us to do what He has promised to do for us, and He does not promise to do for us what He commands us to do. Having the stony heart taken away, and a heart of flesh given, is equivalent to being born again, and sinners are no where commanded in God's word to be born again. This taking away of the stony heart and giving of a heart of flesh is something the Lord will do “that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them.” Then the stony heart must be taken away in order that acceptable obedience be rendered to the Lord. If the stony heart must he removed in order that acceptable obedience be rendered to the Lord, then the stony heart must be removed before the sinner obeys. So, if the Lord commands the sinner to remove the stony heart, and the sinner cannot render acceptable obedience until the stony heart is removed, and the Lord cannot or will not save the sinner until the stony heart is removed, it looks to us as though there is no hope for the poor sinner. They do get it somewhat mixed, sure enough. But the Lord takes away the stony heart and gives them a heart of flesh and puts a new spirit within them. The Lord thereby qualifies them for His service."
The first thing wrong with Cayce's commentary is the fact that he is wrong when he says that the sinner is "not commanded to" change his heart. Surely he must have known that Ezekiel also wrote:
"Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Eze. 18: 31)
See my posting Make You A New Heart for more on this point. So, Cayce is flat out wrong to aver that the sinner is not under obligation to change his corrupt heart.
Cayce's next error is in affirming this proposition:
"He does not tell us to do what He has promised to do for us, and He does not promise to do for us what He commands us to do."
As we know, the Hardshells are infamous for coming up with such unscriptural propositions, and claiming inspiration for them, and making all textual interpretations to square with them. Another proposition that they take to the Bible is this one:
"When salvation is mentioned in connection with the acts of men; or man is to perform some action to bring about a better situation for himself, they know it is to be to the child of God (one freed from the guilt of sin), and refers to a timely deliverance, or something that is for man's benefit while he lives here in the world." (See here for my refutation of it)
But, as we know, the Bible absolutely refutes these man made propositions.
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