Featured Infants in Heaven

The Scripture regarding King David and his son settles it for me. Those dying in infancy are covered by the Grace of God.

And then there is:

Luke 18:15, 16
15. And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16. 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.

The above passage, and the verse that follows, is routinely misinterpreted to justify condemnation/baptism of young children!

 

I believe the same sir. :thumbs:

 

Good post. Yes, the Jews held 13 years old as the age of accountability for boys, age 12 for girls! :smilewinkgrin:

So, even the ancient Jews recognized that women tend to be more mature than men.

The words Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah mean "son of the commandment" and "daughter of the commandment". This is when Jewish boys and girls were taught the law. Afterward they were held to be accountable for God's law. I believe this is what Paul is explaining in Romans 7, when he says, For I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. Paul thought the law was good and would lead to life, but sin, taking occasion by the law convicted him as a sinner and slew him.

Paul was saying that he was spiritually alive until he learned the law. When he came to know the law he was convicted as a sinner and died spiritually.

Little children do wrong things all the time, but they are not guilty before God because they do not fully understand their actions.

It is no different with our laws, if a three year old boy picked up his father's pistol and shot his sister, no court in the land would try the boy as a criminal, because he did not understand his actions.

 

No one will enter through the portals of heaven w/o God's grace being upon/in them......

 

Yes, Paul said that Jacob and Esau had done no evil in their mother's womb in Romans 9:11. What were they doing in Rebecca's womb? FIGHTING. But Paul says they had done no evil, because they could not possibly understand their actions.

They were most likely simply fighting for space and comfort, fighting to comfort their flesh. The flesh has lusts and desires, but this is not sin. Sin is when we knowingly obey the flesh when it would transgress God's law.

Eve displayed the three lusts when she was tempted by the tree of knowledge of good and evil. She saw it was good for food, this is the lust of the flesh. She saw it was pleasant to the eyes, this is the lust of the eyes. And she saw it was desired to make one wise, this is the pride of life.

Eve displayed all the worldly lusts shown in 1 John 2:16. But was she evil at this point? NO. She was only evil when she obeyed these lusts and ate the forbidden fruit. It is not wrong to eat or enjoy beauty, or even to be wise, but Eve had been commanded not to eat this particular fruit, and that is why it was sin.

But fleshly lusts are not sin, Jesus came in the flesh and was tempted in ALL POINTS as we are, yet without sin.

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

According to this verse Jesus fell the pull and tug of every temptation known to man. But he was not a sinner because he never obeyed these lusts.

Likewise, babies are born flesh with many lusts and desires, but this does not make them evil. Only when they know right from wrong and choose evil do they become sinners.

 

Please reference Scripture which states that "Grace" is applied to the sinfullness of an infant:

I await that passage.

 

That is absolutely Scriptural...and absolutely true. You haven't re-defined any words...
You've accepted Scripture as written... and you are absolutely correct :thumbs:

 

Then why did Jesus himself speak of persons who never went astray and need no repentance?

Luk 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Mat 18:13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Luk 15:29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Why did Jesus twice speak of 99 persons who never went astray and which need no repentance?

Why did Jesus speak of the elder son who never transgressed his father's commandment at any time? This elder son was never "dead" or "lost" like his younger brother.

Why would Jesus say such nonsensical things if Original Sin is true? Did he forget correct doctrine? Absurd!

 

OR, although I agree that infants are afforded some "grace", I am not convinced that this scripture is what defines it. It seems to me to simply an observation of David regarding his expectation and "hope" of seeing his child again. For me, it is personally important that scripture does not always address our questions and tensions in life.

 

I don't claim that Scripture defines anything other than King David's statement; but as I responded to the Inspector I don't believe any human makes it to heaven outside the Grace of God.

 

Dern, is this the Second thing we actually agree on.

 

I look to Moses and David for instruction in this matter. Did infants perish in the flood? Is not a blessing pronounced on him who dashes Babylonian infants? Yes to both questions. Infants were recipients of the judgment of God.

There is only one way for descendant of Adam to enter Heaven, and that is through the Door, and there is only one way through that door—faith.

 

Sport you can insist all you want.:BangHead:

No one of the human race will enter heaven except by the Grace of God.:godisgood: If you believe otherwise then speak up.:saint:

Don't take that "inspector" label too seriously.:tonofbricks: It is made up you know!

 

Infants are recipients to the temporal judgment of God, not His eternal judgment!

Those "infants", 20 and under, of the Israeties who would not enter the Promised Land were not even subject to His temporal judgment.

Faith in what?

There is only one way through the door: The Grace of God!

 

Scripture says your eisegesis is incorrect!

Ecclesiastes 12:1, 7
1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.