An 18 month old baby

Does an 18-month-old understand what sin is? Does he understand and recognize that "I am a sinner and need a Saviour"? Knowing right from wrong doesn't prove that a person is capable of understanding their need of a Saviour. Even a dog can know when it's done wrong and will run and cower.

 

Depends....is he a Calvinist or an Arminian? :smilewinkgrin:

 

Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

The only sense this can make is if it speaks to the innocence of a child with no understanding of law/right or wrong.

 

3._____ Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit; who worketh when, and where, and how he pleases; so also are all elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.
( John 3:3, 5, 6; John 3:8 )

This answers the question . There is no age of accountability.That is a false teaching. All died IN Adam. All in Christ will be made alive.

 

Sorry, but that doesn't answer the question. It could be David is speaking of the grave.

 

Yes! Even the text quoted about David is spurious. It is David's opinion that he will go to his son in heaven, and not God speaking.

Granted I used that text and the supposition that an age of accountability existed for my very first funeral,,an infant child, but never again.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Scarlett, While this verse might support an age of accountability there's another simple interpretation.

There is no mention of where there were going (heaven or hell).
David might simply be saying that the baby died and nothing he could do would now bring him back.
David would die and join him in death but the baby will never become alive again. ("We are appointed once to die...")

Rob

 

Salty,
Those pastors who assembled the 1689 Confession of Faith answered this question perfectly as they have left that answer where it belongs...in God's hands.
They said electinfants dying in infancy.

That leaves those souls in the hand of The God of the whole earth,who always does right. Gen18:25

I just provided the biblical answer from the confession.
The specific answer to your question rests with God in His wisdom.To think it out a bit some have suggested he could;

1]have elected all babies who die
2]some babies who die
3]babies of believers

One thing is certain,[ biblically speaking]anyone who is not elected will not be in heaven.
If babies had no sin they could not die,but all sinned in Adam.
We are born condemned apart from God setting his love on us.

Salty let me ask you a question. If the God of the bible has elected,all,some, or none of the infants who die.....are you okay with it?
Do you trust the God of the bible to do right?

My answer is that the answer of the confession of faith is a complete answer.

 

How about this for a proof text?

Mar 10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

:flower:

 

We trust our children to the mercy of God.

 

My personal opinion is that babies that die end up in heaven.

Now, for what the bible teaches. Those God intends to save, He saves. There is no such thing as the age of accountability. All are guilty before God, all are sinners by nature, and all are in need of salvation. Any not in Christ end up in hell, period. Now, you say that didn't answer the question. Yes it did. There are babies that go to heaven. There can be arguments over whether all babies that die go to heaven, but you cannot argue that at least some do go. Why do they go to heaven? It isn't because of innocency. It isn't because they weren't accountable to God, for then they wouldn't praise Christ for salvation but rather the fact they died before God held them accountable. No, babies go to heaven for the same reason anyone goes to heaven, because Jesus Christ died for them. You can be sure of this fact, the only reason any individual will be in heaven is because of the work of Jesus Christ. Be that person able to comprehend the facts or be that person a baby, a person with reduced mental faculties, or be that person one who didn't get to hear the gospel - doesn't matter. The people in heaven are there because of Christ and will praise Him for salvation for eternity.

Now, I'll leave it in His hands to work it all out.

 

My wife & I lost an infant .... here is a scripture reading I carry with me everywhere.

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Genesis 18:25

 

Define elect.

 

Correct me if I am wrong. Doesn't the bible teach that which is born of the flesh is flesh and to see or enter the kingdom of God a certain one must be born again or if you will, be born from above. A certain one regardless of being 18 months or 98 years. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.