Are those who die in infancy justified by faith?

[Aron_Befekadu]

The Bible teaches that we are justified by faith. Does that exclude the death of infants? I thought deeply about this in the past and here is my conclusion.

I believe that regeneration precedes faith. In order for humans to excercise faith, they must be born-again by the Holy Spirit. The seed of faith and repentance are planted into the hearts of the regenerate, and then the regenerate excercise that faith and repentance. I don’t believe infants can excercise faith and repentance. Are they justified outside of faith then? I don’t believe so. If God has elected a person unto salvation and appointed their regeneration in infancy, then the Holy Spirit quickens the spirit of the infant and plants the seed of faith and repentance into the infant’s heart. Even though the infant is unable to excercise that faith and repentance, the infant is justified by faith nonetheless, due to the seed which is planted. Once the infant child grows enough to understand the gospel, they will excercise faith and repentance when they hear and comprehend the gospel.

I do believe that those who die in infancy are justified by faith if God has elected them. As for whether all who die in infancy are elected and go to heaven or not, I am unsure since scripture doesn’t say. What I am sure of is that God is not unjust and everything He does is righteous and good, so nobody who dies in infancy is done any wrong. I tend to assume all infants go to heaven, but I’m pretty confident they are justified by faith–justified by the seed of faith, not the excercise of faith. This is not an official teaching by Reformed theologians, but this is my own view which I believe strongly in.

As a side note, I have been influenced by Saint Augustine in how I think quite deeply and even philosophically about many things related to truth. I own and have read in its entirety the Anti-Pelagian Writings of Saint Augustine from the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Series. I was influenced by his deep thinking, and that is what led me to hold the position that infants can be justified by faith since faith is a gift of God, and not a common grace given to all without exception.

What are your thoughts?

 

[JonNC]

The Bible teaches that we are justified by faith. Does that exclude the death of infants? I thought deeply about this in the past and here is my conclusion.

I believe that regeneration precedes faith. In order for humans to excercise faith, they must be born-again by the Holy Spirit. The seed of faith and repentance are planted into the hearts of the regenerate, and then the regenerate excercise that faith and repentance. I don’t believe infants can excercise faith and repentance. Are they justified outside of faith then? I don’t believe so. If God has elected a person unto salvation and appointed their regeneration in infancy, then the Holy Spirit quickens the spirit of the infant and plants the seed of faith and repentance into the infant’s heart. Even though the infant is unable to excercise that faith and repentance, the infant is justified by faith nonetheless, due to the seed which is planted. Once the infant child grows enough to understand the gospel, they will excercise faith and repentance when they hear and comprehend the gospel.

I do believe that those who die in infancy are justified by faith if God has elected them. As for whether all who die in infancy are elected and go to heaven or not, I am unsure since scripture doesn’t say. What I am sure of is that God is not unjust and everything He does is righteous and good, so nobody who dies in infancy is done any wrong. I tend to assume all infants go to heaven, but I’m pretty confident they are justified by faith–justified by the seed of faith, not the excercise of faith. This is not an official teaching by Reformed theologians, but this is my own view which I believe strongly in.

As a side note, I have been influenced by Saint Augustine in how I think quite deeply and even philosophically about many things related to truth. I own and have read in its entirety the Anti-Pelagian Writings of Saint Augustine from the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Series. I was influenced by his deep thinking, and that is what led me to hold the position that infants can be justified by faith since faith is a gift of God, and not a common grace given to all without exception.

What are your thoughts?

Hi Aron,
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” If infants are included in that “all”, then how can you say they’ve done nothing wrong?
Your question here is exactly why infants must receive the sacrament of Baptism, as the Augsburg Confession says:

Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary 2] to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God’s grace.

3] They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children, and say that children are saved without Baptism.

Jon

 

[Aron_Befekadu]

Infants are not guilty of actual sin, but are guilty of original sin which is imputed to them as descendents of Adam, the old humanity (as Romans 5) teaches. Jesus Messiah had to die for their original sin.

As for baptism being necessary, at this point I understand baptism in some contexts to be referred to the baptism into the body of Christ–to be fully immersed into the body of Christ. Which verses refer to water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism is the question (for me)? If baptism is necessary, then the desire to be baptized is sufficient if a person dies before receiving water baptism. I also tend to agree that martyrdom is a baptism. I deny baptismal regeneration though. One way I define regeneration is the baptism of the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ (done without water, although the Holy Spirit is symbolized by living water). I believe people are regenerated before water baptism, because nobody can have faith unless they be born-again. I must interpret the ambiguous passages in light of clear passages. The Bible is clear to me that regeneration precedes faith, and thus baptism must be interpreted in light of that.