The Age of Accountability

[koreahog2005]

John, you said:

Scripture does not say, "Wait until God gives you belief" because we are not saved because of any action on our part including patience. Salvation is purely passive.

John, I agree that election is unconditional. God doesn’t save us because of foreseen faith. Five-point Calvinists say we believe because we are the elect. Arminians say we are the elect because we believe. I think it’s obvious that God’s foreknowledge and his election are in accord with one another, but one does not precede the other. Both are eternal: we have always been known, and we have always been chosen. Our free will decisions fit inside His sovereign will. For instance, Adam and Satan were not forced by God to sin. Adam and Satan made free choices that were foreknown by God. God thus utilizes our freewill decisions to accomplish His sovereign plan. Salvation does not have to be passive in order for God to be sovereign.

I’m trying to imagine what Paul and Silas would have said to the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:31) if they had believed what you believe. Perhaps they would have said the following:

“We don’t know if God is going to save you or not. There’s absolutely nothing you can do in the salvation process, so we really cannot answer your question. Maybe God has already saved you, but you just don’t know it yet. If you later see good spiritual fruit in your life, you’ll know that you have been saved. Thanks for expressing interest in salvation, but at this point there’s nothing you can do. In fact, you will never have any say in your salvation. God will take care of everything, one way or another.”

John, you also said the following:

But some people do wish to glory as if salvation was their free choice. They reject scripture passages that teach infant faith (the ones I have already referenced). Infant faith destroys their glorying in their intellectual decision.

I don’t know of anyone who glories in his decision to accept the gift of salvation and his willingness to surrender his life to Jesus in repentance and faith. Most people understand that they don’t get medals for receiving gifts or surrendering unconditionally.

 

[Matt Black]

Originally posted by John Gilmore:
Matt Black,

No, the reason few are chosen, although all are in unbelief and God will have all to be saved, is not revealed to us. Rom. 11:33.

Ah, so you accept that predestination and free will are mysteries then. Welcome aboard!

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

[John Gilmore]

No, predestination is a mystery; free will, after the fall, is a myth, "a thing with only a name, yea a name without a reality, a figment, in fine, introduced into the Church by Satan..." Council of Trent

 

[koreahog2005]

John, it sounds like you believe that Adam and Satan had free will. If they had free will, then God did not cause their sinful actions. How does that fit into monergism? In monergism, doesn't God cause every action?

 

[Matt Black]

Originally posted by John Gilmore:
No, predestination is a mystery; free will, after the fall, is a myth, "a thing with only a name, yea a name without a reality, a figment, in fine, introduced into the Church by Satan..." Council of Trent

Would this be the same Council of Trent convened by Pope Paul IV? It sees my suspicions of you are correct - you are a crypto-Catholic!

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

[John Gilmore]

Originally posted by koreahog2005:

I’m trying to imagine what Paul and Silas would have said to the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:31) if they had believed what you believe. Perhaps they would have said the following:

“We don’t know if God is going to save you or not. There’s absolutely nothing you can do in the salvation process, so we really cannot answer your question. Maybe God has already saved you, but you just don’t know it yet. If you later see good spiritual fruit in your life, you’ll know that you have been saved. Thanks for expressing interest in salvation, but at this point there’s nothing you can do. In fact, you will never have any say in your salvation. God will take care of everything, one way or another.”

No, such an answer creates doubt not certainty and is contrary to God's revealed word. God's promises are sure. But, to have absolute certainty of our salvation we must believe that it is God's work alone that saves us not our work (e.g., accept Christ, surrender your life to Christ, make a decision for Christ, etc.). How about this monergistic answer, "God alone saves you when you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."? Or, briefly, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."

 

[Matt Black]

Er...because it's not monergist. A true monergist would say "God will cause you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ". Your suggestions are synergistic

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

[John Gilmore]

Originally posted by koreahog2005:
John, it sounds like you believe that Adam and Satan had free will. If they had free will, then God did not cause their sinful actions. How does that fit into monergism? In monergism, doesn't God cause every action?

Monergism addresses how God saves fallen man. How perfectly created beings could sin is indeed a mystery but I don't see it being within the scope of monergism.

 

[koreahog2005]

John, you said:

How about this monergistic answer, "God alone saves you when you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."? Or, briefly, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."

I actually like that answer. The saving is indeed monergistic, but the believing is synergistic. I believe that God alone saves us. I don’t believe we can save ourselves. God alone regenerates us and justifies us. We cannot regenerate and justify ourselves. Clearly, however, repentance and faith are not the result of salvation; rather, they are requirements for it. Notice the following passages:

" 'If God therefore gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?' And when they heard this, they quieted down, and glorified God, saying, 'Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.' " (Acts 11:17-18)

"For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death." (2 Corinthians 7:10)

"And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' And they said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.' " (Acts 16:29-31)

"And He said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace.' " (Luke 7:50)

"I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins." (John 8:24)

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:40)

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should
boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We can see from the above passages that faith and repentance are requirements for salvation rather than the results of it. Faith and repentance are active, not passive. Faith and repentance involve synergism. God gives us (grants us) the ability to believe and repent, but we are actively involved in the believing and repenting. Five-point Calvinists say regeneration (the new birth) is a precursor to faith/repentance. They say faith/repentance is a precursor to justification (salvation from the penalty of sin). In contrast, Arminians and three-point Baptists like me say that regeneration and justification occur at the same moment when God saves people. How does He save people? God does it by regenerating, renewing, justifying, and adopting them. We see all four of these aspects of salvation in Titus 3:5-7:

"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Three-point Baptists say that the Holy Spirit convicts non-Christians in a special way before they repent and, in faith, accept God’s offer of salvation. A key question concerns their status as passive puppets during this time of special conviction. Is a divine puppeteer manipulating the non-Christians during the time of conviction? For three-point Baptists, the answer is both positive and negative. Yes, God forces them to be convicted. The Holy Spirit places them under irresistible conviction. God does not force them, however, to accept His offer of salvation.

Free will is a reality. Adam and Satan freely chose to commit their first sins. God did not force them to do so. Some of the angels freely fell with Satan and became permanently evil. The other angels, called the “chosen” (NASV) or “elect” (KJV) angels in 1 Timothy 5:21, freely chose not to sin, and they were permanently confirmed as God’s servants. The five-point Calvinist J. I. Packer commented:

Like human beings, the angels were originally set under probation, and some of them fell into sin. The many who passed the test are now evidently confirmed in a state of holiness and immortal glory.

(Packer, Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs, page 64)

The elect angels are proof of the fact that elect beings can freely choose not to commit willful sin, and they can also freely choose to serve God. Conversely, the non-elect angels such as Satan are proof of the fact that non-elect beings can freely choose to commit willful sin. This was an active choice for the angels, not a passive one. God knew exactly what their choice would be before they were set under probation, and God did not force them to choose one way or the other. Their choices fit into His sovereign plan for the universe.

It's bedtime in Korea.

 

[John Gilmore]

Originally posted by Matt Black:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by John Gilmore:
No, predestination is a mystery; free will, after the fall, is a myth, "a thing with only a name, yea a name without a reality, a figment, in fine, introduced into the Church by Satan..." Council of Trent

Would this be the same Council of Trent convened by Pope Paul IV? It sees my suspicions of you are correct - you are a crypto-Catholic!

Yours in Christ

Matt </font>[/QUOTE]If I am, I am in good company with Luther, Calvin, and all the other 16th Reformers who universally preached against free will. The full quote from the Canons on Justification is:

If any one saith, that, since Adam's sin, the free will of man is lost and extinguished; or, that it is a thing with only a name, yea a name without a reality, a figment, in fine, introduced into the Church by Satan; let him be anathema.

The papists at the Council of Trent condemned the Reformers to hell because they rejected free will! The Arminians have embraced this papist doctrine that was dug from the deepest pit of hell by the Anti-Christ. The Christian world has once again been overwhelmed by synergy being promoted by Arminians (who think monergists are cryto-Catholics), Papists, and other Pelagianists.

 

[Matt Black]

John, thanks for the Tridentine clarification; it does help if you quote in full.

I don't accept that you are a monergist, since you demand that people believe and repent, which are active words despite your request that we take such liberties with the English language (to say nothing of the Greek!) in order to somehow render them passive.

As a Lutheran, what do you make of Augustine's teaching on the subject?

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

[John Gilmore]

Matt Black,

Belief is necessary but it is imparted by the Holy Spirit without man's cooperation so monergism is upheld.

Augustine is frequently quoted in the Lutheran Confessions. One quotation is directly related to the discussion at hand: "I erred in this, that I held that the grace of God consists only in this, that God in the preaching of the truth reveals His will; but that our consenting to the preached Gospel is our own work, and is within our own powers." (Formula of Concord, Free Will)

 

[John Gilmore]

koreahog2005,

We can see from the above passages that faith and repentance are requirements for salvation rather than the results of it. Faith and repentance are active, not passive. Faith and repentance involve synergism. God gives us (grants us) the ability to believe and repent, but we are actively involved in the believing and repenting. Five-point Calvinists say regeneration (the new birth) is a precursor to faith/repentance. They say faith/repentance is a precursor to justification (salvation from the penalty of sin). In contrast, Arminians and three-point Baptists like me say that regeneration and justification occur at the same moment when God saves people. How does He save people? God does it by regenerating, renewing, justifying, and adopting them. We see all four of these aspects of salvation in Titus 3:5-7

Faith and repentance are necessary and active but they are imparted to us instantly by Holy Spirit through the word. God enables us to cooperate after we have been saved/regenerated/given faith.

 

[koreahog2005]

John, you said the following:

Faith and repentance are necessary and active but they are imparted to us instantly by Holy Spirit through the word. God enables us to cooperate after we have been saved/regenerated/given faith.

I’m glad to see that you are describing faith and repentance as active. I think, however, that our cooperation (synergism) happens before we are saved but after we are placed under special conviction. As I said earlier, faith and repentance clearly precede salvation, and I pointed out Scripture passages to that effect. Thus our active cooperation would also precede salvation but would follow our being placed under special conviction. I guess you are in agreement with five-point Calvinists on the logical order of events.

Most five-point Calvinists believe that non-Christians as free agents can freely choose to sin but cannot freely choose to surrender to Jesus in repentance and faith until God changes their will during the regeneration event. Many five-point Calvinists refer to John 3:3: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” They interpret the word “see” in the verse as “perceive” or “discern,” and they say that an unregenerated person cannot perceive (spiritually understand) the kingdom of God well enough to choose it. In contrast, Arminians and three-point Baptists interpret the word “see” in John 3:3 as “participate in” or “experience” as in the phrase “see death” found in Luke 2:26: “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” Three-point Baptists believe, however, that a non-Christian cannot spiritually understand the kingdom of God until he is placed under the special conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Five-point Calvinists believe that unregenerated non-Christians cannot repent because their will is inclined toward sin. Therefore, they believe that non-Christians are totally passive during the event where they are regenerated (born again, given new life). They use John 1:13 to show that regeneration is totally a work of God: “Who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” They say that faith, an act of the human will, does not precede regeneration.

Arminians and three-point Baptists agree with five-point Calvinists that the regeneration event is totally a work of God, but they believe that faith is required prior to regeneration. John 1:13 is actually contrasting the action of God in regeneration to the action of a human male in biological reproduction. The word “man” (andros in Greek) in the verse always refers to males, not to the human race. William Hull, a former professor of New Testament at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, discussed the contrast with biological reproduction:

This initial becoming in v. 12 is further clarified as a divine begetting in v. 13. Three negative phrases, which are virtually identical in meaning, insist that such birth is in no sense the result of biological reproduction.

(Hull, “John,” The Broadman Bible Commentary, vol. 9, 1970, page 217)

We must admit that physical birth can result when a male forces himself physically on a female. Such a birth, however, would be the result of rape. God does not force spiritual birth on human beings. Regeneration follows voluntary assent.

Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, described faith as a requirement for regeneration:

In the fourth Gospel we read that faith is not only a sign but also a condition of the new birth: ‘To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

(Akin, “1, 2, 3 John,” The New American Commentary, 2001, page 189)

Arminians and three-point Baptists believe John 1:12 indicates that in logical order (not temporal order) a person receives Christ before he is born again. Many five-point Calvinists say that the phrase, “He gave the right to become children of God,” refers to adoption, not the new birth, and they see God as adopting children (John 1:12) to whom He has already given birth (John 1:13). Arminians and three-point Baptists respond by pointing out that the Greek word for “children” (tekna) in John 1:12 indicates birth, not adoption. The apostle Paul used the Greek word for “sons” (huioi) when he discussed the related Greek word “adoption” (huiothesia) in Romans 8:14-15. Marvin Vincent, former Baldwin Professor of Sacred Literature at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, elaborated:

Except in Apoc. xxi. 7, which is a quotation, John never uses huios to describe the relation of Christians to God, since he regards their position not as a result of adoption, but of a new life. Paul, on the other hand, regards
the relation from the legal standpoint, as adoption, imparting a new dignity and relation (Rom. viii. 15; Gal. iv. 5, 6). See also Jas. i. 18; 1 Peter i. 3, 23, where the point of view is John’s rather than Paul’s.

(Vincent, “The Writings of John,” Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. II, 1887, page 49)

John used birth as an illustration for salvation, and Paul used adoption. If one mixes the illustrations, an illogical situation arises. Women who give physical birth do not have to adopt those children. Five-point Calvinists make an error when they say the apostle John was indicating that God adopts (John 1:12) the children to whom He has already given birth (John 1:13).

 

[John Gilmore]

koreahog2005,

I’m glad to see that you are describing faith and repentance as active. I think, however, that our cooperation (synergism) happens before we are saved but after we are placed under special conviction. As I said earlier, faith and repentance clearly precede salvation, and I pointed out Scripture passages to that effect. Thus our active cooperation would also precede salvation but would follow our being placed under special conviction. I guess you are in agreement with five-point Calvinists on the logical order of events.

No, I am not in agreement with their Order of Salvation. Regeneration/faith/enlightenment/salvation are all given at the same time when and where it pleases God in them that hear the gospel, whether through preaching or baptism.

The preaching of the law produces contrition. But contrition (sorrow over sins) does not save us. The gospel is then preached to those who have despaired of their own efforts. Despair is not cooperation. Where the word is efficacious (the Holy Spirit works faith), the fruits of faith follow. So, neither the contrition that precedes not the fruits that follow faith justify us. Faith alone justifies us before God but contrition and the fruits of faith are always present in those who have been saved by Christ alone.

[ September 09, 2004, 06:10 AM: Message edited by: John Gilmore ]

 

[koreahog2005]

John, you said the following:

Regeneration/faith/enlightenment/salvation are all given at the same time when and where it pleases God in them that hear the gospel, whether through preaching or baptism.

I hope that you are talking about temporal, chronological order when you say that faith and salvation occur at the same time. I believe that at the moment that true faith and repentance occur in a person, God saves the person. In logical order, however, faith and repentance precede salvation. They are requirements (conditions) for salvation. We are justified by faith. By faith, through faith, God can immediately justify us in the temporal sense, but in logical order faith precedes justification.

Galatians 2:16 says the following in the NASV:

“Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.”

Galatians 2:16 says the following in the KJV:

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

The KJV is used in an English translation of Martin Luther’s commentary on Galatians.

http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/gal/web/gal2-14.html

Do you notice any significant differences between the two translations? The NASV describes “faith in Christ” twice. The KJV describes “the faith of Christ” twice. Which one is correct? Timothy George, a five-point Calvinist (Th.D., Harvard) and founding dean at Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, commented on Galatians 2:16:

Faith in Christ. This expression is a good example of the relationship between grammar and theology in the proper exegesis of a New Testament text. Paul said that we are not justified by works of the law but rather dia pisteos Iesou Christou, which the NIV translates “by faith in Jesus Christ.” This translation assumes the traditional view that Iesou Christou is an objective genitive, so that the faith in question is that of those who believe in Jesus Christ. More recently, however, other scholars have argued that this expression should be read as a subjective genitive, referring to the faith or faithfulness of Christ. While the faithfulness of Jesus Christ is a prominent theme in Paul’s theology (cf. the kenotic hymn of Phil 2:5-11), what is being contrasted in Galatians is not divine fidelity versus human fickleness but rather God’s free initiative in grace versus human efforts toward self-salvation. Thus when Paul spoke of faith as essential for justification, he was thinking of the necessary human response to what God has objectively accomplished in the cross of Christ.

(George, “Galatians,” The New American Commentary, vol. 30, 1994, pages 195-196)

The Greek scholar A. T. Robertson agreed with George that “faith in Christ” is the proper translation:

The two ways of getting right with God are here set forth: by faith in Christ Jesus (objective genitive). . . .

http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries/RobertsonsWordPictures/rwp.cgi?book=ga&chapter=2&verse=16

Look again at the following passages:

“ ‘If God therefore gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?’ And when they heard this, they quieted down, and glorified God, saying, ‘Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.’ ” (Acts 11:17-18)

Notice in the above verse that “repentance leads to life.” Repentance precedes life.

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Notice in this verse again that repentance leads to salvation. Repentance precedes salvation.

“And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ ” (Acts 16:29-31)

Again, faith precedes salvation.

“And He said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’ ” (Luke 7:50)

In the verse above, faith is seen as a requirement for salvation.

"I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins." (John 8:24)

Again, faith is seen as a requirement for salvation.

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:40)

Again, faith precedes salvation. “He who believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36).

It's bedtime in Korea.

 

[John Gilmore]

korehog2005,

Thanks for the reference to Luther's Commentary to Galatians. Luther provides the true Order of Salvation. There is, in fact, only one step: Sinners who have been crushed by the law are brought to faith by the gospel.

In contrast to the doting dreams of the scholastics, we teach this: First a person must learn to know himself from the Law. With the prophet he will then confess: "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." And, "there is none that doeth good, no, not one." And, "against thee, thee only, have I sinned."

Having been humbled by the Law, and having been brought to a right estimate of himself, a man will repent. He finds out that he is so depraved, that no strength, no works, no merits of his own will ever deliver him from his guilt. He will then understand the meaning of Paul's words: "I am sold under sin"; and "they are all under sin."

At this state a person begins to lament: "Who is going to help me?" In due time comes the Word of the Gospel, and says: "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee. Believe in Jesus Christ who was crucified for your sins. Remember, your sins have been imposed upon Christ."

In this way are we delivered from sin. In this way are we justified and made heirs of everlasting life.

Notice, there is no vainglorious work of the decision for Christ, surrendering one's life, the sinner's prayer, etc. Instead the sinner cries out in terror, "Who is going to help me?" Then the gospel immediately comes in, "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee. Believe in Jesus Christ who was crucified for your sins. Remember, your sins have been imposed upon Christ." This is what scripture means when it says, "repentance unto life" Acts 11:18 and "godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation" 2 Cor. 7:10

 

[Eric B]

How is this any different from what the basic steps of the traditional Arminian revivalists (minus the sinner's prayer, of course). All those hellfire preachers of old preach the Law, terrify people with the judgment from breaking that Law, and then offer them the way of forgivness: Christ died for you and you must believe on Him. The sinner's prayer is only to verify that the person did believe-- sort of what baptism was supposed to be. (since no one baptizes right away anymore, the altar call and sinner's prayer kind of replaced it, whether authorized by scripture or not). The other main difference is, instead of telling the person he must believe, Luther's model seems to assume his sins are already forgiven and imposed on Christ. On one hand, you were saying contrition did not save, but then how does the evangelist know the person is saved based just on his contrition? (They could always fall away later, or show themselves to have not truly been saved).

 

[John Gilmore]

Eric B,

How is this any different from what the basic steps of the traditional Arminian revivalists (minus the sinner's prayer, of course). All those hellfire preachers of old preach the Law, terrify people with the judgment from breaking that Law, and then offer them the way of forgivness: Christ died for you and you must believe on Him.

What's wrong with hellfire? That's the pattern of the old Calvinist and Lutheran pastors. It's the Arminians that have gotten away from it with their seeker sensitive sermons.

The other main difference is, instead of telling the person he must believe, Luther's model seems to assume his sins are already forgiven and imposed on Christ. On one hand, you were saying contrition did not save, but then how does the evangelist know the person is saved based just on his contrition? (They could always fall away later, or show themselves to have not truly been saved).

Luther's salvation model is different from Calvin's. Luther really believes that the Lamb of God has taken away the sins of the world, Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the world, and God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. So Luther pronounces an unconditional absolution. And those who believe his absolution obtain the forgiveness of sins.

 

[koreahog2005]

John, you said the following:

Notice, there is no vainglorious work of the decision for Christ, surrendering one's life, the sinner's prayer, etc. Instead the sinner cries out in terror, "Who is going to help me?" Then the gospel immediately comes in, "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee. Believe in Jesus Christ who was crucified for your sins. Remember, your sins have been imposed upon Christ." This is what scripture means when it says, "repentance unto life" Acts 11:18 and "godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation" 2 Cor. 7:10

I don’t know if you intended to do this or not, but you put sorrow (terror?) before forgiveness, and you put forgiveness before belief. Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 7:10 again:

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

I think the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) illustrates 2 Corinthians 7:10. Remember the order of events:

1. The prodigal son sinned.
2. The prodigal son realized his need and was sorrowful. He “came to his senses.”
3. The prodigal son returned to his father with the willingness to be a servant.
4. The father saw him coming and ran to meet him with affection.
5. The prodigal son made a public confession.

Obviously, the father could have come to rescue the prodigal son when the son was feeding the pigs and longing to eat pig feed, but the father waited until the son returned to him before he restored the son’s position. The father waited until the son “came to his senses” (Luke 15:17) and returned to him in repentance and faith. Notice that the son was willing to be a servant (faith, surrender) to his father before his father met him on the way back (Luke 15:18-19). Sorrow led to repentance and faith, and repentance and faith led to forgiveness. That is the correct logical order: first sorrow, second repentance and faith, third forgiveness.

Here’s how our current confession of faith, the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, describes repentance, faith, and justification:

Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Savior. Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.

Having said all that, I must point out that infants cannot, as you say, cry out in terror and ask who will help them solve their sin problem. They are incapable of understanding that Jesus was crucified for their sins.