Reformation Faith Today

Finally I have reached the last of these delimmas put forth by Craig Brown in The Five Dilemmas of Calvinism,a book which I have been using as an outline for discussing Calvinism. The previous posts are listed under the Calvinism category at the bottom of my blog.

The last dilemma is the Dilemma of Mercy: If people are born totally depraved, as Calvinism says (and here in these discussions we assume Calvinism to be true), where do babies go when they die?

This is admittedly a very hard one to tackle. Emotions can become our driving force as we seek answers to questions like these involving infants. Many of us have, or know people who have, experienced the loss of a baby, either born or unborn. So almost all of us are affected.

But, the question still remains. What of these children?

First, let me say that I believe that all infants dying in infancy are regenerated and thus go to be with the Lord at death. I will try to show why I believe this as we proceed.

Second, I need to affirm a few things.

1. I believe that the Bible teaches original sin. That is, since Adam, every individual (save one) has been born in sin–Adam’s sin. WCF 6.3 They [Adam & Eve] being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.

2. I believe that no one will see God as their Savior except He justifies them. WCF 11.1 Those whom God effectually calls, He also freely justifies; not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.

3.  I believe that the usual, or normal, way that God saves people is by the Word  of God. WCF 14.1 The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word,… (emphasis mine)

4. I believe that those individuals who may not be called by the ministry of the Word, infants and mentally deficient, are graced by God with a non-ordinary salvation. WCF 10:

I. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.

II. This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.

III. Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit, who works when, and where, and how He pleases: so also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.

Point three above just talks about elect infants and other elect persons (incapable or mentally deficient) and that God regenerates them. The WCF divines seem to not have gone any farther than speaking of elect infants. Of course that statement above is true and I affirm it as well. But the question still is, “Are all infants elect?” I believe so.

I urge you to get Brown’s book and read his rationale for the same position I take. Further, I posted twice on this subject in 2005. One post is basically John MacArthur on why he believes that infants dying in infancy go to be with the Lord. The other is Charles Spurgeon on his reasons why he affirms this as well. So, I will refer you to these posts to read their rationale. Theirs is consistent with mine.

I should also refer to one of the better 19th century writers and his book The Theology of Infant Salvation by R.A. Webb. You can purchase this gem here.

Other contemporary churchmen who hold this view are R.C. Sproul and John Piper, for example. By the way, the view I and Brown and these other men hold has been the dominant view of Presbyterians for, well ever since Presbyterians have been around!

Finally, may I say that while I believe that Reformed theology (Calvinism) is really the only branch of Christianity which is theologically equipped to deal with this question, we must do so humbly. All of us must humbly submit to the Scriptures and interact with one another pastorally and lovingly, even if we disagree on this.

Your thoughts?

May God receive all praise!