Do children who die go to heaven? Yes, I believe they do. There are some verses that support me in this belief. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness {II Thessalonians 3:12}. It is very clear that those who will be damned are those who heard the truth and rejected it. Children are too young to hear the truth and then reject it. Children will actually readily accept the truth about Jesus if they are taught.
This is why you, mothers, must be persistent in teaching your children about God and His Truth from the time they are born. Sing songs to them about Jesus. Read the Bible to them from the time they are little. Have them memorizing scripture.
Never let them have pleasure in unrighteousness! Seek goodness and purity yourselves so you will never be labeled a hypocrite by your children. Steer your children to goodness. Be very careful what they watch and see. Teach them to hate what is evil and to love what is good from a very early age. Discipline them for all unrighteousness as God disciplines us.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness {Romans 1:18}. Here is another verse that reiterates that those who will be condemned know the truth but reject it. Again, I encourage you to teach your children Truth. They will not learn it in the world. In fact, they will learn to reject the Truth in the world so protect them from the lies of Satan by hiding God's Word in their heart.
The purpose of marriage is to produce godly offspring {Malachi 2:15}. God commands that we train our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and hide God's Word in our heart. It is not the church's job or the school's job. It is our job. The majority of believers became believers when they were children. Jesus speaks of children often and how we are to become as little children and believe Him.
The purpose of marriage is to produce godly offspring {Malachi 2:15}. God commands that we train our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and hide God's Word in our heart. It is not the church's job or the school's job. It is our job. The majority of believers became believers when they were children. Jesus speaks of children often and how we are to become as little children and believe Him.
But Jesus called them unto him, and said,
Suffer little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Suffer little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:16
Logging you in...
Susan · 581 weeks ago
Courtney · 581 weeks ago
angela · 581 weeks ago
angela · 581 weeks ago
Ken · 581 weeks ago
We believe there must be an age of accountability, which is an age where the brain is developed enough to be able to make a permanent commitment to God. The science of the body is showing that the brain of teenagers often cannot keep commitments because that part of the brain may not be fully developed until 20-23 years old. So God knows the individual day of accountability for each person.
Also, as a personal observation from the scriptures it seems that some may never arrive at the “age” of accountability because accountability requires knowledge to choose against God. I do not know how God judges those who have never heard the gospel of the saving work of Jesus, but it seems clear that it is different than those who have heard and reject His salvation.
And to Angela too, we hold most tenants of the reformed, but not all.
As far as baptism, we believe that baptism itself does not save, but it is the first step that shows one’s faith once a person accepts Jesus and Lord and Savior. “Believe and be baptized” is the standard, but it is “through faith you are saved.” So the baptism is very important to the life and faith of the believer, but we think it is a huge theological mistake to accept the Catholic of Mormon or Church of Christ view that baptism saves.
We are especially concerned about infant baptism as it has no saving power according the scriptures. If “believe” is the first step before baptism, an infant cannot believe. It is the theological position that the church has taken over Israel’s place and a few other big assumptions with no Biblical substantiation that has led to some denominations to perform infant baptism with zero New Testament support for the concept. We believe it is a Calvinist carryover from the Catholic church and to believe in it requires way too many hermeneutical gymnastics thus violating the idea that anything of importance God wants to communicate will be communicated both clearly and multiple times in the scriptures. Why leave such an important concept open to so many various interpretations with no clarity? What seems clear to me is adult baptism after a child reaches an age that they can clearly understand and profess their faith.
Not being baptized should be of no concern to a child or a parent of a child because God does now whom He has chosen, and we believe He has chosen ALL who die before reaching the age of accountability. But it remains important that parents train their children in the Lord long before that day comes s that they are firmly grounded in the saving grace of Christ and His Word long before the age of accountability arrives.
We do believe in infant dedication, but the dedication is a commitment by the parents and the church body to raise this child in the Lord. The child cannot be saved by their parent’s faith, but may be covered by it until the age of accountability when they must make faith their own, or reject it.
Karen · 581 weeks ago
sexwithinmarriage 23p · 581 weeks ago
It seems to indicate that ALL NAMES are in the book. Ergo, by default, everyone is saved. By your choices do you get blotted out it seems.
I think this choice can come in many forms. I can come as a choice to reject God. It can come as a failure to make a choice to accept God at a time when it is given to you. But, I'd agree, children generally do not have the faculty, nor the opportunity to make that choice with understanding. Therefore it is my opinion, based on what I read, that children are saved and will be resurrected.
Although, I'd caution using that verse in Luke, because the "kingdom of God", I don't think, is the same as salvation/heaven. They are separate topics, the way I read the Bible. The kingdom of God can exist here and now. Heaven on earth...not yet.
Ken · 581 weeks ago
Mankind was made for the earth, not heaven, and God will place us some day on a new and perfect earth where their will be no more tears or dying.
shannon · 581 weeks ago
I could not fathom the God of John Calvin. :(
Sue · 580 weeks ago
Sue · 580 weeks ago
Lutherans baptize by pouring or immersion, depending upon the congregation.
We consider baptism a sacrament – a means of grace, not a “good work” in the sense of securing our salvation. But has a good work per Ephesians 2:10, a work God has prepared for us as members of the body of Christ to do. The efficacious part of baptism is entirely a divine act of God where He for the sake of Jesus bestows forgiveness, saving faith, and rebirth to the one being baptized.
We believe Scripture teaches that all people are dead to sin – including babies – and cannot by their own power, reason or will come to God without the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that creates, sustains and perfects saving faith. Our salvation comes entirely by God’s Grace through faith alone.
There is ample proof in Scripture that babies have the capacity to believe: Psalm 22:9-10; Psalm 71:5-6; Luke 1:44; Luke 18:15-17; Mark 9:42; Mark 10:13-16; and Matthew 18:1-6.
thehomemakerdream 0p · 564 weeks ago
For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.
I believe this scripture negates the idea that one who does not hear the gospel cannot choose against God. If what you are saying is correct I am making the assumption that you also believe adults in the corners of the world where the gospel has not reached also got to heaven?