Hello all,
I believe that children salvation is a topic that is seldom really examined. It is vital to understanding the love of God and His grace and to see what scripture says in this matter will shatter many false doctrines of men and their errors.
When I speak of all infants being saved as they are born by the grace of God through Jesus death on the cross for sin. I by no means am speaking of that horrible heresy of universalism that all men will be saved one day. Even though a child is saved until they hate the light and until they have sin revive and they die, they can still end up in hell and the lake of fire in the end if they do not believe.
If all children are saved once by the grace of God through Christ death on the cross for the sin of the whole world. This shatters Calvinism also, and many of their points. If all children are saved when born then all are the elect and all are like sheep . This shatters the election view of many. If they are saved when born this also shows that the gospel is for all men not just a select few and so shatters limited atonement of the calvinist. If all children are saved when born and then they die spiritually and end up one day going to hell. This shatters the eternal security and perserverance of the saints view in Calavinsm.
Now to consider what scripture says.
Paul said
"...For without the law sin was dead. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." (Romans 7:8,9 KJV)
I , as some commentators of the past see this as Paul speaking of his infancy and childhood, when he was "without the law once". This being without the law is in a state of ignorance, and in ignorance God winks ( verse). Paul also said he was "alive" in this state. Now he is not talking about physical life here as we see, for he then says. "when the commandment came, sin revived and I died" Here we see that the commandment came to his understanding and he knew what was said. Then when this happened sin took occassion by the commandment and he died. (spiritually) . We know that Paul did not die physically in this event, so he is speaking of spiritual death.
Paul had just told us that he was "alive once", and then he "died". This shows that a child is alive (spiritually) once and then they die "(spiritually ) at a certain time. The time when they die is when "sin revives". To say sin revives, must mean that his sin nature revived and was provoked by the law. For sin taking occasion by the commandment slew him.
This is telling here. We see that if Paul as a child was in ignorance of the law and he was alive once without it. Then this must also be the state of all infants who are in ignorance of the law and alive without it as well. By law I mean in this case the Mosaic law that Paul refers to. But we know that the gentiles also have the work of the law written in their hearts Romans 2. And the true Light lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1:9
But what is interesting also here in Pauls words is that without the law sin is dead. Paul also said in the same book,
"
Romans 4:15
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression."
" sin is not imputed when there is no law." ( romans 5:13 KJV)
So when paul was "without the law", sin was not imputed to him and there was no transgression.
Jesus said of the little young infant children,
Mark 10:13,14
13 And they brought young children to him...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."
" And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."(Matthew 18:3-6 KJV)
Some call this the "age of accountability" when a child knows the law and is able to see his sin.
Jesus speaks of when men are condemned, and he says,
9 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." (John 3:19-21 KJV)
Notice that when men hate the light then are they condemned, (not before that) they are not condemned from some predestined condemnation before they hate the light. It is when they hate the light they are condemned. So until they hate the light they are in the light and not condemned, as all infants are. The true Light lighteth every man that cometh into the world, John 1:9. And until a child does evil, they do not have sin imputed to them and so are saved. But when they hate the light, or the light that comes to their understanding and heart, then they are condemned as paul said when sin revives and when the commandment comes ( to their understanding) then he died.
Children do not know good and evil when infants, adn so their deeds are not evil. They have not worked iniquity yet,
"
Deuteronomy 1:39
Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it."
God allowed the "little ones" to go into the land. They had no knowledge of "good and evil". This is very telling. And as we have been reading until sin revives and they know what is good and evil, they do not sin by transgression of a known law.
And yes, all children are born in sin, or in a sin nature, and so all need jesus to die for them. Jesus died for the sin of the whole world. Even children. Gods grace saves them
In the law we read of two offerings for sin, the "sin offering", and the "trespass offering". The sin offering seems to be more of a offering for the sin nature of man, and the tresspass offering for actual transgressions. But I can expound on this if need be. The point is that Jesu died for the sin of all men, being the sin nature, and the actual transgressions of men need to be repented of. Paul said that where no law is there is no transgression. and sin is not imputed where there is no law. We also read that to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin. And a child does not know their left hand from their right and they are only condemned when they hate the light and when sin revives and they die. So they are saved in Christ until them, by His death for them.
And so let all false doctrines and calvinism fall to the ground and see Gods mercy and love to all.
I believe that children salvation is a topic that is seldom really examined. It is vital to understanding the love of God and His grace and to see what scripture says in this matter will shatter many false doctrines of men and their errors.
When I speak of all infants being saved as they are born by the grace of God through Jesus death on the cross for sin. I by no means am speaking of that horrible heresy of universalism that all men will be saved one day. Even though a child is saved until they hate the light and until they have sin revive and they die, they can still end up in hell and the lake of fire in the end if they do not believe.
If all children are saved once by the grace of God through Christ death on the cross for the sin of the whole world. This shatters Calvinism also, and many of their points. If all children are saved when born then all are the elect and all are like sheep . This shatters the election view of many. If they are saved when born this also shows that the gospel is for all men not just a select few and so shatters limited atonement of the calvinist. If all children are saved when born and then they die spiritually and end up one day going to hell. This shatters the eternal security and perserverance of the saints view in Calavinsm.
Now to consider what scripture says.
Paul said
"...For without the law sin was dead. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." (Romans 7:8,9 KJV)
I , as some commentators of the past see this as Paul speaking of his infancy and childhood, when he was "without the law once". This being without the law is in a state of ignorance, and in ignorance God winks ( verse). Paul also said he was "alive" in this state. Now he is not talking about physical life here as we see, for he then says. "when the commandment came, sin revived and I died" Here we see that the commandment came to his understanding and he knew what was said. Then when this happened sin took occassion by the commandment and he died. (spiritually) . We know that Paul did not die physically in this event, so he is speaking of spiritual death.
Paul had just told us that he was "alive once", and then he "died". This shows that a child is alive (spiritually) once and then they die "(spiritually ) at a certain time. The time when they die is when "sin revives". To say sin revives, must mean that his sin nature revived and was provoked by the law. For sin taking occasion by the commandment slew him.
This is telling here. We see that if Paul as a child was in ignorance of the law and he was alive once without it. Then this must also be the state of all infants who are in ignorance of the law and alive without it as well. By law I mean in this case the Mosaic law that Paul refers to. But we know that the gentiles also have the work of the law written in their hearts Romans 2. And the true Light lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1:9
But what is interesting also here in Pauls words is that without the law sin is dead. Paul also said in the same book,
"
Romans 4:15
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression."
" sin is not imputed when there is no law." ( romans 5:13 KJV)
So when paul was "without the law", sin was not imputed to him and there was no transgression.
Jesus said of the little young infant children,
Mark 10:13,14
13 And they brought young children to him...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."
" And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."(Matthew 18:3-6 KJV)
Some call this the "age of accountability" when a child knows the law and is able to see his sin.
Jesus speaks of when men are condemned, and he says,
9 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." (John 3:19-21 KJV)
Notice that when men hate the light then are they condemned, (not before that) they are not condemned from some predestined condemnation before they hate the light. It is when they hate the light they are condemned. So until they hate the light they are in the light and not condemned, as all infants are. The true Light lighteth every man that cometh into the world, John 1:9. And until a child does evil, they do not have sin imputed to them and so are saved. But when they hate the light, or the light that comes to their understanding and heart, then they are condemned as paul said when sin revives and when the commandment comes ( to their understanding) then he died.
Children do not know good and evil when infants, adn so their deeds are not evil. They have not worked iniquity yet,
"
Deuteronomy 1:39
Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it."
God allowed the "little ones" to go into the land. They had no knowledge of "good and evil". This is very telling. And as we have been reading until sin revives and they know what is good and evil, they do not sin by transgression of a known law.
And yes, all children are born in sin, or in a sin nature, and so all need jesus to die for them. Jesus died for the sin of the whole world. Even children. Gods grace saves them
In the law we read of two offerings for sin, the "sin offering", and the "trespass offering". The sin offering seems to be more of a offering for the sin nature of man, and the tresspass offering for actual transgressions. But I can expound on this if need be. The point is that Jesu died for the sin of all men, being the sin nature, and the actual transgressions of men need to be repented of. Paul said that where no law is there is no transgression. and sin is not imputed where there is no law. We also read that to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin. And a child does not know their left hand from their right and they are only condemned when they hate the light and when sin revives and they die. So they are saved in Christ until them, by His death for them.
And so let all false doctrines and calvinism fall to the ground and see Gods mercy and love to all.
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