Salvation: 2 Infants

[kenblogton]

Infants. Dr. Charles Stanley writes in the June 2009 In Touch magazine: “Though physically alive at birth, we are spiritually dead.” This is consistent with the salvation formula, but inconsistent with what other Scriptures say on the topic. Jeremiah 31:30 states “All people will die [spiritually] for their own sins….” And Ezekiel 18 states in verses 4 and 20 that only the soul that sins will die [spiritually]. Since no one can sin before they are old enough to make a sinful choice – the age of reason or accountability – it is incorrect to state children born before or after Christ’s death and resurrection who died, or will die, before that age, even in the womb, are excluded from heaven. Scripture teaches this in Deuteronomy 1:39 (emphasis added): “And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the [Promised] land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.” Numbers 14:31 and Isaiah 7:15-16 support the same notion regarding the salvation of children. But what about the salvation of Old Testament believers, who died before Christ’s atonement? Since Jesus’ salvation message is the Good News of the New Testament, how can anyone in the Old Testament be saved?