Are infants of Calvinist's saved?

[Hammster]

This kinda spun off of my infant baptism thread. Some things I read seem to indicate that the infants of the saved are saved. This is to give comfort to parents whose children die in infancy. What say you?

 

[Hammster]

I guess nobody wants to touch this one.

 

[bradfordl]

I don't presume to say my children were saved when they were infants, only that they were members of the covenant. I baptized them in obedience and in the expectation that they would be saved in accordance with God's promises.

Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

 

[Hammster]

I don't presume to say my children were saved when they were infants, only that they were members of the covenant. I baptized them in obedience and in the expectation that they would be saved in accordance with God's promises.

Can you explain? You said you didn't presume, but you expected they would be saved according to God's promises. Which is it? And how does that conform to Calvinism?

 

[ReformedChapin]

This kinda spun off of my infant baptism thread. Some things I read seem to indicate that the infants of the saved are saved. This is to give comfort to parents whose children die in infancy. What say you?

Scripture doesn't answer this question so I would refuse to make an assertion whether any infant is saved.

 

[Hammster]

I am just wanting to know what calvinism teaches.

 

[ReformedChapin]

I am just wanting to know what calvinism teaches.

Calvinist differ on this issue. Some choose not to take a position like I do. Some state that God must send infants to hell if the only way to salvation is by God's grace through Faith in Jesus Christ. Others state that infants are God's elect therefore that's why they died in their condition and get a free pass to heaven.

 

[Hammster]

What about infants that don't die? Are the children of the saved elect?

 

[ReformedChapin]

What about infants that don't die? Are the children of the saved elect?

Obviously there is peoples kids that wont believe even with Christian parents.

 

[Hammster]

But is that what calvinism teaches? this is a "ask the calvinist forum".

 

[ReformedChapin]

But is that what calvinism teaches? this is a "ask the calvinist forum".

Every calvinist assumes that their children will be a part of the elect. It is possible that they wont be because salvation is up to God's grace not us.

Where are you going with this?

 

[bradfordl]

But is that what calvinism teaches? this is a "ask the calvinist forum".

NewGuy answered that:

Calvinist differ on this issue.

There is no monolithic teaching on the subject that I am aware of. I don't have the time to research the Institutes to tell you what Calvin himself said about the subject, maybe someone else can, but my experience among those you'd call Calvinists (that I call biblical Christians) is that there is no standard consensus.

 

[Hammster]

Is there a difference between assuming your infants who die in infancy are saved (since this is what the Canons of Dort says) and an child who grows up to adulthood? If there is a difference, what would it be?

 

[ReformedChapin]

Is there a difference between assuming your infants who die in infancy are saved (since this is what the Canons of Dort says) and an child who grows up to adulthood? If there is a difference, what would it be?

Difference pertaining to what? Their election?

 

[Hammster]

If you can assume that your infant, who dies in infancy, is saved because of election, then can you make the same assumption if they don't die? Would dying in infancy be the only reason they are elected, or is it because of the parents? If it is because of the parents, then it would logically follow that all children of the saved are elect. If it is because of infancy and death, then only those who die in infancy can be assumed to be saved. Please straighten out my reasoning.

 

[ReformedChapin]

If you can assume that your infant, who dies in infancy, is saved because of election, then can you make the same assumption if they don't die? Would dying in infancy be the only reason they are elected, or is it because of the parents? If it is because of the parents, then it would logically follow that all children of the saved are elect. If it is because of infancy and death, then only those who die in infancy can be assumed to be saved. Please straighten out my reasoning.

I'll make this clear before I get misquoted in the future. I don't know if if infants are elected, scripture does not address this issue. But assuming that babies are saved when they die in infancy, the logic behind that argument is that their death in infancy shows their election because they don't have recollection of sin. They would just appear in hell and be punished without knowing the reason why? Their parents have nothing to do with their election.

Again in calvinism, salvation is of God!

 

[Iosias]

This kinda spun off of my infant baptism thread. Some things I read seem to indicate that the infants of the saved are saved. This is to give comfort to parents whose children die in infancy. What say you?

The infants of believers are within the covenant of grace. There is therefore no reason to doubt that they are saved if they die in infancy.

 

[larryjf]

There are differing opinions in Reformed circles, but my belief is...
elect infants are saved
reprobate infants are not saved

 

[bradfordl]

There are differing opinions in Reformed circles, but my belief is...
elect infants are saved
reprobate infants are not saved

That's pretty sound, there brother.

 

[larryjf]

That's pretty sound, there brother.

Yes...i always find it safe not to go beyond what Scripture tells us.

We all have that tendency to get a little too curious about theological questions that God has left unanswered.