INFANT SALVATION

WHO: To a certain youth pastor
WHAT: Letter
WHEN: A long time ago
WHERE: Another church

I attended the High School Sunday school class this week with some other parents. Unfortunately, my husband, Steve, was ill, but hopes to attend in the upcoming Sundays. Your topic, "Sex and Dating" is one in which we parents have a tremendous responsibility before the Lord with our young people. We really appreciate the newsletter and insights you send to us, and it is especially helpful to know where the teaching will be focused for backup at home. We are also very eager to pray for you "in knowledge".

Your introduction was terrific, and an excellent springboard to the proper context for a sexual relationship. Too often we Christians are perceived by teens as being only negative about sex, but you were so balanced and positive, it gave me real joy to know my son is hearing this from a man he respects. Thanks, Brother!

There were several things you mentioned, however, which troubled me. These were infant salvation and age-based, moral accountability. Scripture makes it clear that we are all born with a heart of enmity toward God. (See Psalm 51:5.) This is the "condition" which makes us unrighteous, and we are born this way. Our acts of sin are only "symptoms" of the condition. Once we die, we are neither young or old, we are only a soul alive to God, or dead to God.

I certainly do believe the Lord can, and does, save the unborn and infants based upon scripture describing John the Baptist and the prophet Jeremiah. God may cause all of the unborn to be born-again, or not; He doesn't say. What He does say in His Word is that we are saved through the Lord Jesus, only. (See Acts 4:12; Acts 10:43.) To claim all infants go to heaven is, in fact, another gospel that claims salvation for those who die young, based entirely on the merit of youth. (This also applies to the notion of an "age of accountability.") Besides being inconsistent with scripture, these teachings would seem to offer a desperate teen a good reason to abort an unwanted baby. (It's for the baby's good because it won't have a chance to sin!) These concepts might also be used to justify a suicide. ("I'll kill myself before I fall to the pressures of drugs, sex, etc.)

I have much to learn from you, so I would not presume to instruct you. I'm really just thinking aloud here and writing on my husband’s advisement. If you, or any of the other pastors discuss this, please share your thoughts with us, too. We lost an infant son some years ago and searched the Bible to see what the Lord has to say about infant deaths. We saw no specific answer concerning their spiritual destination. Yet, we found we were able to trust our baby to the Lord through the wonderful and comforting knowledge of His revealed character. It really is true that He is sufficient for every trial.

Be confident that we are praying for you, and others are too. We have decided to have parent prayer meetings every month, instead of every other. The next one will be February 12th.