handy
Member
This thread is to help answer a question that Rhea posted in a response to another thread...I thought it's a timeless question and one that can be revisited...
Hope you don't mind Rhea that I'm taking your question to this thread.
There is no specific scripture promises regarding infants, children and the mentally challenged going to heaven.
Neither are there any scriptures warning that infants, children and the mentally challenged are for sure going to hell because they cannot "accept Jesus as their Savior" and "confess with their mouths 'Jesus is Lord'".
Because there are no clearly stated texts in the Bible regarding this...Christians usually should be careful about making solid doctrine regarding the matter. Hasn't stopped some from doing so of course, but truly there is no reason to be and every reason not to be dogmatic about one's viewpoint on this subject.
What has been done is that some have looked at certain Scriptural truths and decided that yes indeed, babies, very young children and the mentally retarded will be damned to eternal hellfire if they die.
These texts include texts like Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, and Isaiah 53:6 which speak to the fact that all people are naturally bent towards sin and all fall astray.
Then there is the famous Psalm 51:5..."Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me" which is interpreted as David saying that he was sinful from birth.
To tie it up there are added texts like John 3:18, Mark 16:16 and Acts 16:31 which all speak to us needing to believe to be saved...and since a baby, very young child and the m.c. cannot believe...they must not be saved.
However, there are also some strong texts that can be examined that lend themselves strongly to the idea that God will indeed save the babies, etc.
The most compelling of these is the fact that Jesus Himself took a young child and said to the adults present, "Unless you become like this child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:2)
Then there is this text...and I've studied this text in depth and have yet to see a compelling reason why not to take it as saying exactly what it says..."I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died" (Romans 7:9)
This texts speaks to the "age of accountability"...something that isn't in the Scriptures per se, but a belief among many that there is an age at which a child becomes responsible and liable for their sin.
I don't believe in a specific "age" of accountability...but I do see Paul stating that he was once alive apart from the Law, but when "the commandment came" (when he was taught and understood the commandments) sin became alive and he died.
Here's the thing...what condemns anyone to hell in the first place? Ezekiel 18:20 states clearly, concisely, even bluntly..."The soul that sins dies."
True, we are born into a sinful condition...there is within us a sinful nature. But, if we look at the Judgement Day...the day when all who are going to hell will be cast into hell, what does the Scriptures say is the reason those who go to hell wind up there?
Revelation 20:11-13 "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds."
They are judged, according to their deeds.
So then is this saying that salvation is by works?
No, not at all. Because if we look carefully we see several books opened. One is the book of life. Then there were others.
This is what belief does...it keeps one within the book of life. However, one can be blotted from the book of life, there are several texts that speak to God blotting one's name from the book of life.
So, here is what I believe when I study this issue....I believe that we are all born with our name in the book of life. I believe that anyone who dies in a state of innocence...prior to an understanding of sin or mentally incapability to understand sin...will never be blotted out. I also believe that those who come to a saving faith...a belief and understanding of both what sin is and Who paid the price for the sin will also be in the book of life.
But, those who come to the understanding of sin...and do not believe in Christ...they are the ones who will be judged according to their works. And, their own works aren't going to get them very far at all.
Hope you don't mind Rhea that I'm taking your question to this thread.
Rhea said:
There is no specific scripture promises regarding infants, children and the mentally challenged going to heaven.
Neither are there any scriptures warning that infants, children and the mentally challenged are for sure going to hell because they cannot "accept Jesus as their Savior" and "confess with their mouths 'Jesus is Lord'".
Because there are no clearly stated texts in the Bible regarding this...Christians usually should be careful about making solid doctrine regarding the matter. Hasn't stopped some from doing so of course, but truly there is no reason to be and every reason not to be dogmatic about one's viewpoint on this subject.
What has been done is that some have looked at certain Scriptural truths and decided that yes indeed, babies, very young children and the mentally retarded will be damned to eternal hellfire if they die.
These texts include texts like Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, and Isaiah 53:6 which speak to the fact that all people are naturally bent towards sin and all fall astray.
Then there is the famous Psalm 51:5..."Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me" which is interpreted as David saying that he was sinful from birth.
To tie it up there are added texts like John 3:18, Mark 16:16 and Acts 16:31 which all speak to us needing to believe to be saved...and since a baby, very young child and the m.c. cannot believe...they must not be saved.
However, there are also some strong texts that can be examined that lend themselves strongly to the idea that God will indeed save the babies, etc.
The most compelling of these is the fact that Jesus Himself took a young child and said to the adults present, "Unless you become like this child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:2)
Then there is this text...and I've studied this text in depth and have yet to see a compelling reason why not to take it as saying exactly what it says..."I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died" (Romans 7:9)
This texts speaks to the "age of accountability"...something that isn't in the Scriptures per se, but a belief among many that there is an age at which a child becomes responsible and liable for their sin.
I don't believe in a specific "age" of accountability...but I do see Paul stating that he was once alive apart from the Law, but when "the commandment came" (when he was taught and understood the commandments) sin became alive and he died.
Here's the thing...what condemns anyone to hell in the first place? Ezekiel 18:20 states clearly, concisely, even bluntly..."The soul that sins dies."
True, we are born into a sinful condition...there is within us a sinful nature. But, if we look at the Judgement Day...the day when all who are going to hell will be cast into hell, what does the Scriptures say is the reason those who go to hell wind up there?
Revelation 20:11-13 "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds."
They are judged, according to their deeds.
So then is this saying that salvation is by works?
No, not at all. Because if we look carefully we see several books opened. One is the book of life. Then there were others.
This is what belief does...it keeps one within the book of life. However, one can be blotted from the book of life, there are several texts that speak to God blotting one's name from the book of life.
So, here is what I believe when I study this issue....I believe that we are all born with our name in the book of life. I believe that anyone who dies in a state of innocence...prior to an understanding of sin or mentally incapability to understand sin...will never be blotted out. I also believe that those who come to a saving faith...a belief and understanding of both what sin is and Who paid the price for the sin will also be in the book of life.
But, those who come to the understanding of sin...and do not believe in Christ...they are the ones who will be judged according to their works. And, their own works aren't going to get them very far at all.
