Infant Salvation (Part 1)

Welcome to No Compromise Radio, a ministry coming to you from Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston. No Compromise Radio is a program dedicated to the ongoing proclamation of Jesus Christ based on the theme in Galatians 2, verse 5, where the Apostle Paul said, But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

In short, if you like smooth, watered-down words to make you simply feel good, this show isn't for you. By purpose, we are first biblical, but we can also be controversial. Stay tuned for the next 25 minutes as we're called by the divine trumpet to summon the troops for the honor and glory of her King.

Here's our host, Pastor Mike Abendroth.

Introduction to the Question of Infant Salvation

Welcome to No Compromise Radio ministry. My name's Mike Abendroth. Don't forget before we get into the show today, if you would like to go to Israel with us in 2015, February 17th, I think we're there for nine days, then go across the Allenby Bridge to Jordan, down into Petra, over into Moab.

We'd love to have you go. You can email me at info at nocompromiseradio .com. Soon there'll be a website link with Pilgrim Tours, so you can go with us. I have about 24 to 26 slots, and my brother Pat Abendroth at Omaha Bible Church will fill up the rest of the bus.

And I can promise you that we won't be like Mars Hill and throw people under the bus if they don't get on the bus. The new book, Things That Go Bump in the Church, is out. Harvest House publisher, Clint Archer, who writes for Cripplegate, and Byron Yon, who used to write for Cripplegate, but I don't think he does anymore.

Both excellent writers. Subtitle of Things That Go Bump in the Church is Explaining the Bible's Most Misunderstood Teachings. And it's got kind of a spooky church on the front. The idea was Amityville Horror.

How do you say that? How do you even talk as a radio host? Kind of a church personified as evil or something like that. Spooky, foreboding. I almost got my F and my V mixed up. On the back it says, Making the Hard Teachings of the Bible Easier to Talk About.

I was really after kind of scary doctrines for new Christians. But you don't have to be a new Christian to like this book. I wrote my chapters on sin, church discipline, election, hell, and something like I Hear Voices.

Does God Still Speak Today? So, if you want to order that book, that would be great. Today I'm going to continue in a series dealing with common questions, and what does the Bible say about those questions.

And today is probably one of the most toughest questions. It's one of the most tough questions to ask and then to answer, because it's about children. And what about children who die? What about infants that die?

And where do they go? Now, it's tough for lots of reasons. One, there's not a lot of biblical data. That's why it's a difficult question, because it's more by implication, more by inference. Secondly, it's an emotional topic, and rightfully so.

We're talking about children and babies and infants, and it's very difficult. I have four children. Super glad to the Lord for me to be the recipient of these four kids with my wife. And Luke, when he was born, he's a strapping 17-year-old now, but he about didn't make it, and thankfully he did.

In between Haley and Luke, we had, Kim was pregnant. I don't know if it was a molar pregnancy, which meant that there was no baby ever alive or the baby was alive and died. I'm not sure. But almost everyone you meet, you'll hear of a story about them who lost a child, miscarriage, something like that.

And so, this is a conversation. This is a discussion. This is a concept that has a time and place to discuss it. So, if you've just lost a baby recently, I want to make sure I'm pastoral in my tone, and I think you're going to benefit from the shows about this topic.

But what you don't want to do is talk about this topic with a couple that's just lost a baby in a seminary way, in an academic way, in a, I don't know, in a polemical way. So, this is No Compromise Radio.

My name's Mike Abendroth, and today, using Kurt Daniel template, what about children who die, infants who die? Lewis Berry Chaffer, the man who started Dallas Seminary, has a good quote. He said, no theology is established or complete which doesn't account for the salvation of those who die in infancy.

So, depending on what side of the argument you fall, he at least talks about the potential salvation or possible salvation or what happens to the souls of babies when they die. And of course, this leads into lots of conversations, right, about third world countries, Hindu countries, aborted babies.

What about those who are mentally incapable of following Christ Jesus? At the end of the proverbial day, the question is really, are dying babies elect? Now we say, are they saved, but are they elect?

And we know all the elect go to heaven. We know that an eternity passed in the covenant of redemption that the Father and the Son, and in my belief, the Spirit was involved. Here's a group of people that I want you to go rescue.

The Father gladly wants the Son to do it. The Son gladly wants to do it. And as triune God, they decide to go rescue the elect. Well, everybody could have been rescued. No one could have been rescued, right?

No one deserves that. And some were to be rescued. And so, if you're an elect person, you're going to go to heaven. And so, I like it that this concept of election isn't some dry concept, it isn't some scholastic concept alone, intellectual fodder and ping-ponging back and forth with Arminians.

But there are practical implications. One of them is, if there are, and we'll talk about this in the show today and next week, probably the week after, if there are elect infants, they go to heaven. I am not the kind of Calvinist, nor can I find one in church history, besides some Cookeville person who says that every infant that dies is reprobate and has to go straight to hell.

I'm with Kurt Daniel, he said, I, for one, have never read of a single Calvinist who has taught that all dying infants are reprobated to hell. So, we're talking about children and when they die, what happens and where do they go?

So, there are lots of different options. One option, and a lot of the stuff I have today is collated by Kurt Daniel, not Daniels, but Kurt Daniel, and he has a great Word document on this, and he has got MP3s as well.

But then I put in my own information and it will be abendrothized as well. I saw a Twitter account the other day and it said, at NoCoRadio, and then it said, hashtag Pete's, so see, people listen. First option with elect infants, or dying infants rather, we don't know.

And we really can't find out. So, that would be an option. Then another option that I referred to earlier would be every dying infant goes to hell. And again, that's just unheard of. The only time you'll hear that is in a discourse, which is more of a one-way screed, trying to make Calvinists look bad, so that's out.

Baptized infants go to heaven, and if you're not a baptized infant, then, I don't mean you, but an unbaptized baby would not go to heaven, they would be lost, they would go to hell. That is an option.

Not too many people go for that option. Fourth option is, some do go to heaven. We don't know about the rest of the children, but some, maybe like baptized infants, they would go. So, some go, and the others we don't know.

Turretin held this view, Herman Hoeksema, and some other theologians. Calvin said, quote, Christ receives not only those who, moved by holy desire and faith, freely approach unto him, a regular belief, but those who are not yet of age to know how much they need his grace.

The fifth option would be, every baby that dies is saved, which means that they were elect. If you are baptized, not baptized, this is a very common view. Charles Hodge, B .B. Warfield, Spurgeon, Toplady, Lewis Barry Chafer, Shedd, Lorraine Bettner.

This is the most popular view of the church today, the dominant view. B .B. Warfield said, today, few Calvinists can be found who do not hold that all who die in infancy are the children of God and enter at once into his glory, not because original sin alone is not deserving of eternal punishment, nor because they are less guilty than others, nor because they die in infancy, but simply because God in his infinite love has chosen them in Christ before the foundation of the world.

Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary, and Al Mohler, president of Southern Seminary, state in a joint statement here, they declare in a joint statement, it is our conviction that there are good reasons, biblically and theologically, for believing that God saves all who die who do not reach a stage of moral understanding and accountability.

So that would cover those who are incapable and who are dying in infancy, aborted babies included. Westminster Confession, quote, elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh when and where and how he pleaseth.

So are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word. Now some people will listen to that and then they'll imply from that that there are non-elect infants.

Now I don't think that's what the Confession is saying. Most Reformed scholars will say that the Confession I just read means that all dying infants are elect. This was argued so much so that in 1903 the Presbyterian Church in America approved a declaratory statement interpreting Westminster Confession, quote, it is not to be regarded as teaching that any who die in infancy are lost.

We believe that all dying in infancy are included in the election of grace and are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who works when and how and where he pleases. So, we know that there's no second chance.

You're either elect or you aren't, and that's how we have to kind of approach this problem. Now initially you might be thinking, and again, we're going to have to tease this out. I don't mean this has anything to do with teasing, but we're just going to stretch this out because I want to be clear and I want to be conclusive, in my research at least, if I can't be conclusive in answer.

You say to yourself, well, but what about children? Aren't they born sinful? That is, original sin, if they have original sin in them, on them. What about babies and the imputation of Adam's first sin to their account?

What about that? Well, we know no one is born innocent. Oh, from the outside they looked cute and cuddly and innocent, but everyone's born guilty. Everyone has fallen. No baby is born perfectly righteous.

No baby is born perfectly holy. Would God be just if he punished them for Adam's sin? The answer is yes. God's always just, and he always does the right thing. Psalm 51, 5, In sin did my mother conceive me.

Children while called by Puritans innocent vipers are not called innocent by the Puritans because they're innocent, at least on the outside, and don't they look so pretty? And see, I'm about the stage where I want to be a grandpa.

I first want my kids to be married, but now as a couple of them are leaving and going to college, and, you know, I'm the empty nest guy, a couple left, I'd love to be a grandpa. Many of my friends who are my age are grandparents, and I just would love that.

And so when I would hold my grandchild one day, if the Lord wills, I would be very happy and they'll look cute and innocent and goo and, you know, you know, what is it about a baby that they can be slobbering all over you and you can just, you just ignore that.

I mean, if anybody else slobbers like that, even near me, I just, you know, would be ever, you talk to somebody and they accidentally spit. I mean, I do that a lot because I'm preaching. But if I spit on someone, I usually say, excuse me.

I know people that will spit and sometimes it'll just hit my face, right? These pieces of spit, and they don't even say anything. They're just clueless. I don't like that. But for a baby, now, maybe if it's your kid and the kid's got a cold, I don't want that.

But if it'd be my kid, my brother or sister's children, you know, my in-laws' children, my grandchildren, I mean, let the slobber drool all over. What do I care? I'm going to be kissing that baby on the cheeks and forehead, eyes, nose, you know, neck, slobber included.

That would be fine. But what's certain is those babies are not innocent. And you just let them, you know, the ones that grow up, we realize quickly what sin does with pride, self-righteousness, selfishness, et al.

Men are born with a federal head at them. This is Romans chapter 5, isn't it? Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, so death spread to all men because all sinned.

Adam, one transgression brings condemnation to everybody who's connected to him. Representative Adam is going to be followed by Jesus, the representative last Adam. Unity of the many and the one. Solidarity.

Adam is a public person. He is a person who is the legal agent standing in our stead. And his first sin, not Eve's sin, not Adam's later sins, but Adam's first sin is credited to everyone's account. This is called federal representation.

Immediate representation. Immediate federal representation, imputation, the transgression of the one, the many died. So, when you read Romans chapter 5, and I've done shows on this before, it's clear Adam was our representative.

God chose Adam by God's own free will and sovereign choice and complete wisdom to appoint Adam, God chose Adam to represent us. Including all the children, all mankind, Adam's representing everyone except, of course, Jesus.

And when Adam sinned, everybody got credit for his first sin, influencing many. And we're glad for federal representation. Before you get mad at that or somehow, you know, running your mouth against God because of that, I think you're going to like federal representation because Jesus, the Redeemer, the last Adam, saves us by federal representation.

I like that arrangement, as S. Louis Johnson says. It's a good arrangement. How else are we going to stand before God? One at a time. Every time we're born, we stand before God. I'd rather pick Adam to represent me.

He's full-grown man at, you know, one minute old. He's got mind. He's got an intellect. He's smart. Can you imagine standing before God and in a probationary period before God as a baby? No, I'll pick Adam.

Plus, if we were all there at the very beginning and God said, I need one to represent me, I would have picked Adam. He's the right one. Charles Simeon of Cambridge said, if each human being were asked whether he would prefer to be judged in Adam or in himself, every thinking person would answer in Adam.

James Montgomery Boyce said, after all, Adam faced only one temptation, and that a mere trifle. He was not to eat of one tree. Besides, he was as yet unfallen. He did not have a sinful nature. He was possessed of his full faculties, which were undoubtedly superior to our own.

He lived in a perfect environment and had a perfect companion. For our part, we are sinful, weak, ignorant, and we live in a world filled with all kinds of temptations. Was it not merciful of God to judge us in Adam?

Was God not gracious in that choice? And we know what Adam did, Genesis chapter 3. And in one sense, you know, I'm sorry for the fall and for all the things that sin has caused. But what if Adam would have succeeded?

Praise Adam through whom all blessings flow. No, not at all. Romans 5 goes on to say, for until the law, sin was in the world. But sin is not imputed when there's no law. So between Adam's day and Moses' day, there's no Mosaic law.

No Mosaic law until God gave it to Moses. So people sin. And so what law did they break? Well, not an explicit law. Obviously, Adam did because, you know, don't eat of the fruit of this tree. So God's not imputing the breaking of Mosaic law before Mosaic law.

So if the wages of sin is death and people are dying, what does Paul want you to think? What does he want you to conclude in Romans chapter 5? There had to be an earlier law broken. What was the law? Don't eat of the tree.

And Adam broke that, and that's credited to your account. It says in verse 14 of Romans 5, yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

John Murray, for nothing evinces the sin of all and the death of all in the sin of Adam more than the death of little infants. So even our discussion about are babies saved? Shed is right. The salvation of infants supposes their prior damnation.

Or you don't get, you don't need to get saved if you're unlost. If you're damned, you need to be saved. That's why if you're guilty, you need to be declared innocent. You know, if you're guilty, you need to be declared righteous.

Baptism, the Thief on the Cross, and the Limits of Infant Regeneration

So in the middle of all this discussion, people say, well, what about baptism? What about baptizing babies? Because then that will, in some way, shape, or form, help them go to heaven. And this is not in the line of a OPC Presbyterian or PCA Presbyterian, you know, believing Reformed Presbyterians.

This is along the lines of baptismal regeneration, where you get baptized, which saves you. Now, of course, you know, on No Compromise Radio, I don't believe in infant baptism in any way, shape, or form.

Every example of the Bible where there's a baptism is of a believer. But when you think of the thief on the cross, he wasn't baptized. I don't think baptism, well, it's more than think. The Bible doesn't teach that baptism has any effect on the eternal destiny of someone who's grown, who's a middler, or who is a newborn, or still in the womb, for that matter.

Charles Hodge said, All who die in infancy are saved. The Scriptures nowhere exclude any class of infants, baptized or unbaptized, born in Christian or in heathen lands, of believing or unbelieving parents from the benefits of the redemption of Christ.

Historical Views, Abortion, and the Need for Christ

Amazingly, though, in church history, we're going to learn next time, from Roman Catholicism to Greek Orthodox, what about limbo, what about baptism, what happens to children? Well, my name is Mike Ebenroth, this is No Compromise Radio.

We're talking about dying babies and where do they go. And, of course, that envelops our discussion on abortion as well. And if you're listening today, of course, you probably know someone who this will affect, and so I hope in the next few weeks I can flesh this out a little bit.

In the meantime, you are alive, and you are listening, and you will stand before God, and so you need a representative, you need an advocate, you need a mediator, someone who will step in between you and the thrice holy judge of the universe.

And that mediator's name is Jesus Christ, and he is the only savior, and he's the only mediator, and you must trust and believe in his perfect life, and his substitutionary death on the cross, and that he was raised from the dead.

Your response is repentance and faith in Christ Jesus, faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone. And that's your response. And then, in light of that, then we go to the scriptures and search them, and then talk about where do children go in the right time, and in the right place, and in the right setting.

That's what a mature Christian would do. So be careful with the knowledge that you learn. Here or any other place, Mike Abendroth, No Compromise Radio.

No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston. Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life-transforming power of God's Word through verse-by-verse exposition of the sacred text.

Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 1015 and in the evening at 6. We're right on Route 110 in West Boylston. You can check us out online at bbchurch .org or by phone at 508 -835 -3400.

The thoughts and opinions expressed on No Compromise Radio do not necessarily reflect those of WVNE, its staff or management.