Results 1 - 7 of 7
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | infant death | Is 7:16 | Searcher56 | 25436 | ||
Nolan, what is that age? How soon does a child know right from wrong? Is that the point they are lost? Plus do WE extend the expection clause of a personal calling on His name to others? S | ||||||
2 | infant death | Is 7:16 | Makarios | 25452 | ||
Greetings Steve! The development for one child (when they come to an understanding of what "willful disobedience" is) is different from that of any other child, since all children learn and grow at different rates and in different ways.. So there is not a "fixed" age at which a child learns willful disobedience, but I would say that most children learn this by the age of 3. Once we learn what 'willful disobedience' is and we act upon it, then we have in fact sinned. But I have already stated that the fact that a person does not know the law does not nullify the fact of sin, if indeed a person has committed a sin. However, verses such as Matt. 19:14, Mark 10:14 and Luke 18:16 suggest to me that the Lord Jesus, who knows every single detail of each one of our individual lives, will not focus His wrath upon small children, but only on those who have willfully disobeyed Him. So Steve, I ask you: how is it that an infant has willfully disobeyed Christ? How is it that an infant has rejected Christ? Verses such as Matt. 19:14, Mark 10:14 and Luke 18:16 suggest to me that the Lord Jesus will take them under His care. Yes, you have quoted John 14:6. So let us look at John 14:6, my friend! :-) "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." [English Standard Version] After studying this verse, Jesus emphatically pronounces that He is the only 'avenue' to the Father. However, the problem with associating this verse to the "Age of Accountability" is: an infant does not have the capacity yet to understand that Jesus is the only way to the Father! And an infant has no way at all of acknowledging this and making a conscious choice to choose the Father. So therefore, I believe that John 14:6 applies to everyone who has the ability to make a conscious choice to put their faith in God, which would include everyone except the newborns and those who have never been able to react to this world or to anything in it due to serious mental disabilities. So let me ask you this: Do you believe that God would send a newborn baby infant to hell just because of your interpretation of John 14:6? I would disagree with you there, my friend, based on 2 Samuel 12:23, and so would MacArthur's NKJV Study Bible, which says, "12:23 I shall go to him. I.e., David would someday join his son after his own death (cf. 1 Sam. 28:19). Here is the confidence that there is a future reunion after death, which includes infants who have died being reunited with saints who die (see note on Matt. 19:14; cf. Mark 10:13-16)." [The MacArthur NKJV Study Bible, 1997, Word Publishing, pg. 444] I hope that I have answered your questions! Your Brother in Christ, Nolan |
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3 | infant death | Is 7:16 | Searcher56 | 25463 | ||
Nolan, I still want to know if their are other groups that you think don't need to be saved to go to heaven. The bottom line is that I do not know. I know it is comforting to parents to think their child is with the Lord. How is it that an infant has willfully disobeyed Christ? I don't think an infant can willfully disobey. But is that that criteria? Are they an expection to Romans 1:18-20? Again, I ask are infants the only group? How is it that an infant has rejected Christ? This is a dangerous question ... because I'll unless one hears about Christ, have they rejected Him? Back to Romans 1:18-20. Do you believe that God would send a newborn baby infant to hell just because of your interpretation of John 14:6? I don't know what He will do. I think He could send those who don't know their right hand from their left to Hell. I disgree with Dr. MacArthur about David and his son. The most importnat question is our own salvation ... and our responsibility to tell our child about the Lord as soon as possible. S |
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4 | infant death | Is 7:16 | Makarios | 25480 | ||
Greetings Steve! I'll put it to you this way: Can one prove that a newborn infant is guilty of sin? Of course not. Therefore, a newborn is not guilty of sin and therefore proven innocent in regards to the law, even though the infant was not aware of the law itself. And if an infant cannot be proven guilty for transgressing the law, then there is no punishment that can be exacted upon an infant. Therefore, an infant will be with the Lord. I believe that everyone needs to be saved to go to heaven! However, what do you mean by saved? Saved from what? Saved from judgment! And what have we done to incur judgment? We have sinned! Therefore, all WHO HAVE SINNED, need to be saved! Yes, I believe that a newborn infant is an exception to Romans 1:18-20. You ask if they are the only "group"? Anyone who is completely without sin is an exception to Romans 1:18-20. But everyone who lives to see the approximate age of 3 and who is completely aware, sentient, coherent, and able to respond to the thoughts and sentience of another human being all fall under the 'judgment' of Romans 1:18-20 because of Romans 3:23. Those of us who have been "blessed" to grow up and develop normally (with full sentient and cognitive capabilities) have all acted upon our sinful nature at at least one point in our lives, having willful disobedience against God, and for this disobedience, we all fall under Romans 3:23. However, a newborn baby who either dies at birth or just after birth cannot be proven guilty of sin, even though every newborn infant was born with the sinful nature. Jesus was also born with this sinful nature, being fully human (as well as being fully God), even though Jesus was able to resist and conquer it at every turn, being the only Man who was ever without sin throughout His entire life! So the bottom line is that everyone needs Christ in order to be saved because of our sins. And newborn infants who die at birth also need Christ, even though it cannot be proven that they have ever sinned. But I believe that the grace of Jesus will include them also, since it cannot be proven that they have ever sinned. Blessings to you, Nolan |
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5 | infant death | Is 7:16 | Searcher56 | 25484 | ||
Okay, Nolan ... I can accept that. But, a child knows he does wrong earlier than 3. He may not understand his need to be saved until he is 3 or so. S | ||||||
6 | infant death | Is 7:16 | Hank | 25487 | ||
Steve, I can't agree that a child under the age of three knows that he has done wrong. He may know that a certain action of his brings a frown or a no-no from his mother without really understanding why. But I doubt he has any real sense of wrongdoing, much less any conviction of sin. I further withhold judgment that any child of "3 or so" could be held strictly accountable for his deeds. My wife and I had 3 children and they were, by any measure, the very brightest on our block, of course! But I could not see in any of them at the tender age of 3 or 4 any sign that they had reached the level of cognizance at which they had any genuine concept or conviction of sin or of their need for a Savior. --Hank | ||||||
7 | infant death | Is 7:16 | Searcher56 | 25501 | ||
Hank, But did they not look at you when they were about to do something wrong? Mine did ... they did somethin they knew was wrong ... they we told before. S | ||||||