Infants in Heaven

Paul isn't saying he was alive spiritually before his recognition of his own sinful condition. In verse 5 Paul says, "for when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death." So Paul states that when he, and us as well, were in the flesh, or unregenerate, the motions of sin were at work in our body. We were already sinners. However, he didn't see his sinful condition. When he was made sensible of the law, and if his failure to keep the spirit of the law, he saw his own sin. He says, "I had not known sin but by the law." In the 3rd chapter he had already established that "by the law is the knowledge of sin." The law acts as a light displaying to us our sin. Then he states that, "without the law sin was dead." What does he mean? Does he mean that without the law he wouldn't be a sinner or dead in sin? No, otherwise the objections he answers in this chapter would have been correct rather than "God forbid". Remember chapter 5 where Paul says that, "until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed where there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." Without the law sin is not imputed, but sin was still in the world, and it was reigning. Men were sinners, naturally dead in sins, without the law. What Paul means by "without the law sin was dead" is that it was dead to his eyes. He didn't see his sinful condition. He thought himself blameless concerning the righteousness of the law. But, when the commandment came, sin revived and he died, meaning he perceived that. The proof of all of this is contained in the 13th verse. The objection is raised: "Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that is might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." The law is holy and just and good, it never made one person a sinner. The law, however, made sin appear as sin, and indeed as exceeding sinful. The law is a light shed upon our sinful condition to convict us and show us our need of Christ.

 

If this were true, then everyone who does not recognize that they are sinners are innocent and will go to heaven.

I did not recognize sin before I was saved, so that means that if I had died while I was an astrologer and a New Ager, I would have gone to heaven.

I agree with RAdam, that Paul is saying that the law caused him to see his sin, not that he was not sinful before he knew the law. And this really only applies to Jews, because only they were given the law.

Romans 1 and 2 show how everyone is accountable, whether they know the law or not.

 

And what would be a good reason to torture a child for all eternity? An infant has absolutely no concept of good and evil, right and wrong. For God to condemn a baby to eternal torture paints him not as a god of love and compassion...rather a monster worse than any we can imagine. How would a baby stand up against an adult human, much less an all powerful deity determined to send the child to eternal torture? Not quite a level playing field.

 

The Bible says, concerning Christ, that in him was found no guile. I believe that is how all are judged. That includes the aborted, downe's syndrome, still born, all circumstances.

I also believe the folks in Hell will know why they are there, and will accept that they deserve it.

 

The problem is you are saying some will get to heaven by virtue of Christ's saving work and some because they were "innocent". That doesn't fit with scripture. I'm not preaching infants, the wonderful folks with down syndrome or some other form of "mental handicap", or the aborted and miscarried into hell. On the contrary, I believe God knoweth them that are His and reaches them. But, the only way into heaven, as expressed again and again in scripture, is through the blood of Christ.

 

The biggest problem I have is something that sort of has to do with this topic. If babies go to heaven why don't we as Humans remember when we were babies? I am asking this because the babies brain and mind isnt fully developed yet and the fact that we cant remember then makes me wonder what state a baby is in if it is said that we will know who each other are in heaven. I know this may sound off topic but it does make me think a bit and I was considering making a topic like this.

 

Sin nature does not make spiritual separation. We still have sin natures, and the Bible says if we are in Christ we are spiritually alive. If the sin nature alone separates us from God, we would still remain separated. Like Adam and Eve can attest to, sin separates us from God.

Sinners are separated from God. Babies and the unborn are not sinners. Tinytim's understaning of Romans 7 is accurate, not RAdam's

 

That's true. Besides freeing us from sin, Christ has freed us from death as well.

 

I think this was great example of a child going to be with the Lord.

 

Sin nature does not make a spiritual separation? Of course it does. When we are saved, it is because of imputed righteousness. No one is born with the imputed righteousness of Christ.

I am amazed that some here think that only actions of sin separate us from God. We are born in a sinful state and separate from God; this is the consequence of the Fall.

 

A sin nature means we will sin, it's part of our human nature. In the same way we will walk upright and talk, we will sin. If having a sin nature equates to separation, we will ALL be separated from God, unless you believe as the Friends do in ultimate sanctification and the eradication of the sin nature. I don't.

A baby doesn't need the imputed righteousness of Christ...they are not separated from Him. His blood takes care of their sin nature and death.

 

RE: Infants in hell??

The soul that sinneth, it shall die(EZK 18:4 & 18:20). Does an infant have a sinful soul? NO! It has the sin in the flesh, but it is when lust enters the soul, that we die the "spiritual death". After this, we are held accountable for our deeds. Luke 15:11-32 is a good example. I hope this helps.

Willis

 

Albert P. Mohler's comments on this issue.

Comment on News and Issues by R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

The Salvation of the 'Little Ones': Do Infants who Die Go to Heaven?
by R. Albert Mohler, Jr. and Daniel L. Akin
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

The death of an infant or young child is profoundly heartbreaking – perhaps the greatest grief a parent is called to bear. For Christian parents, there is the sure knowledge that our sovereign and merciful God is in control, but there is also a pressing question: Is our baby in heaven?

This is a natural and unavoidable question, calling for our most careful and faithful biblical study and theological reflection. The unspeakable anguish of a parent’s heart demands our honest and humble searching of the Scriptures.

Some are quick to answer this question out of sentimentality. Of course infants go to heaven, they argue, for how could God refuse a precious little one? The Universalist has a quick answer, for he believes that everyone will go to heaven. Some persons may simply suggest that elect infants go to heaven, while the non-elect do not, and must suffer endless punishment. Each of these easy answers is unsatisfactory.

Mere sentimentalism ignores the Bible’s teaching which bears on the issue. We have no right to establish doctrine on the basis of what we hope may be true. We must draw our answers from what the Bible reveals to be true.

Universalism is an unbiblical heresy. The Bible clearly teaches that we are born in sin and that God will not tolerate sinners. God has made one absolute and definitive provision for our salvation through the substitutionary atonement accomplished by Jesus Christ our Lord. Salvation comes to those who believe on. His name and confess him as Savior. The Bible teaches a dual destiny for the human race. The redeemed – those who are in Christ – will be raised to eternal life with the Father in Heaven. Those who have not believed in Christ and confessed Him as Lord will suffer eternal punishment in the fires of Hell. Universalism is a dangerous and unbiblical teaching. It offers a false promise and denies the Gospel.

The Bible reveals that we are born marked by original sin, and thus we cannot claim that infants are born in a state of innocence. Any biblical answer to the question of infant salvation must start from the understanding that infants are born with a sin nature.

The shifting of the focus to election actually avoids answering the question. We must do better, and look more closely at the issues at stake.

Throughout the centuries, the church has offered several different answers to this question. In the early church, Ambrose believed that baptized infants went to heaven, while unbaptized infants did not, though they received immunity from the pains of hell. His first error was believing in infant baptism, and thus in baptismal regeneration. Baptism does not save, and it is reserved for believers – not for infants. His second error was his indulgence in speculation. Scripture does not teach such a half-way position which denies infants admission to heaven, but saves them from the peril of hell. Augustine, the great theologian of the fourth century, basically agreed with Ambrose, and shared his understanding of infant baptism.

Others have taught that infants will have an opportunity to come to Christ after death. This position was held by Gregory of Nyssa, and is growing among many contemporary theologians, who claim that all, regardless of age, will have a post-mortem opportunity to confess Christ as Savior. The problem with this position is that Scripture teaches no such post-mortem opportunity. It is a figment of a theologian’s imagination, and must be rejected.

Those who divide infants into the elect and non-elect seek to affirm the clear and undeniable doctrine of divine election. The Bible teaches that God elects persons to salvation from eternity, and that our salvation is all of grace. At firstglance, this position appears impregnable in relation to the issue of infant salvation – a simple statement of the obvious. A second glance, however, reveals a significant evasion. What if all who die in infancy are among the elect? Do we have a biblical basis for believing that all persons who die in infancy are among the elect?

We believe that Scripture does indeed teach that all persons who die in infancy are among the elect. This must not be based only in our hope that it is true, but in a careful reading of the Bible. We start with the biblical affirmations we have noted already. First, the Bible reveals that we are "brought forth in iniquity,"(1) and thus bear the stain of original sin from the moment of our conception. Thus, we face squarely the sin problem. Second, we acknowledge that God is absolutely sovereign in salvation. We do not deserve salvation, and can do nothing to earn our salvation, and thus it is all of grace. Further we understand that our salvation is established by God’s election of sinners to salvation through Christ. Third, we affirm that Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is the sole and sufficient Savior, and that salvation comes only on the basis of His blood atonement. Fourth, we affirm that the Bible teaches a dual eternal destiny – the redeemed to Heaven, the unredeemed to Hell.

What, then is our basis for claiming that all those who die in infancy are among the elect? First, the Bible teaches that we are to be judged on the basis of our deeds committed "in the body."(2) That is, we will face the judgment seat of Christ and be judged, not on the basis of original sin, but for our sins committed during our own lifetimes. Each will answer "according to what he has done,"(3) and not for the sin of Adam. The imputation of Adam’s sin and guilt explains our inability to respond to God without regeneration, but the Bible does not teach that we will answer for Adam’s sin. We will answer for our own. But what about infants? Have those who die in infancy committed such sins in the body? We believe not.

One biblical text is particularly helpful at this point. After the children of Israel rebelled against God in the wilderness, God sentenced that generation to die in the wilderness after forty years of wandering. "Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers."(4) But this was not all. God specifically exempted young children and infants from this sentence, and even explained why He did so: "Moreover, your little ones who you said would become prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good and evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it."(5)The key issue here is that God specifically exempted from the judgment those who "have no knowledge of good or evil" because of their age. These "little ones" would inherit the Promised Land, and would not be judged on the basis of their fathers’ sins.

We believe that this passage bears directly on the issue of infant salvation, and that the accomplished work of Christ has removed the stain of original sin from those who die in infancy. Knowing neither good nor evil, these young children are incapable of committing sins in the body – are not yet moral agents – and die secure in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John Newton, the great minister who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace was certain of this truth. He wrote to close friends who had lost a young child:"I hope you are both well reconciled to the death of your child. I cannot be sorry for the death of infants. How many storms do they escape! Nor can I doubt, in my private judgment, that they are included in the election of grace."(6) The great Princeton theologians Charles Hodge and B. B. Warfield held the same position.

One of the most eloquent and powerful expressions of this understanding of infant salvation came from the heart of Charles Spurgeon. Preaching to his own congregation, Spurgeon consoled grieving parents: "Now, let every mother and father here present know assuredly that it is well with the child, if God hath taken it away from you in its infant days."(7)Spurgeon turned this conviction into an evangelistic call. "Many of you are parents who have children in heaven. Is it not a desirable thing that you should go there, too? He continued: "Mother, unconverted mother, from the battlements of heaven your child beckons you to Paradise. Father, ungodly, impenitent father, the little eyes that once looked joyously on you, look down upon you now, and the lips which scarcely learned to call you father, ere they were sealed by the silence of death, may be heard as with a still small voice, saying to you this morning, ‘Father, must we be forever divided by the great gulf which no man can pass?’ Doth not nature itself put a sort of longing in your soul that you may be bound in the bundle of life with your own children?"

Jesus instructed his disciples that they should "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these."(8) We believe that our Lord graciously and freely received all those who die in infancy – not on the basis of their innocence or worthiness – but by his grace, made theirs through the atonement He purchased on the cross.

When we look into the grave of one of these little ones, we do not place our hope and trust in the false promises of an unbiblical theology, in the instability of sentimentalism, in the cold analysis of human logic, nor in the cowardly refuge of ambiguity.

We place our faith in Christ, and trust Him to be faithful to his Word. We claim the promises of the Scriptures and the assurance of the grace of our Lord. We know that heaven will be filled with those who never grew to maturity on earth, but in heaven will greet us completed in Christ. Let us resolve by grace to meet them there.

Endnotes omitted:

 

Exactly. :godisgood:

 

How does this reconcile with the sins of the fathers being visited on future generations?

 

I agree. It is not our sin nature which separates us from God, it is our sins.

 

Tom, I have a problem with this. Romans 5:12 actually says that all men have already sinned because of Adam and therefore all are guilty. Our guilt is imputed because of Adam. If you say that our we are only guilty because of what "we" do, then we have a problem because then we can only be found innocent because of what "we" do and not because of Christ's imputed righteousness. I think your view is contrary to the doctrine of imputation.

 

No, that is not what that states but it your theological construct presupposed upon that verse. (I'm talking about this verse)

It simply states that through sin death entered the world and thus all men die because all men by nature will sin. This verse states nothing of imputation of sin.