non-Catholics' thought on children who die before professing their faith

[water]

I am not sure if I use the term correctly but what non-Catholics believe about children who do not come to the age where they can think or decide Jesus is their Savior. If they die before they truly know or believe that Jesus is their Savior, what will happen to them?

Thanks!

 

[Mannyfit75]

I am not sure if I use the term correctly but what non-Catholics believe about children who do not come to the age where they can think or decide Jesus is their Savior. If they die before they truly know or believe that Jesus is their Savior, what will happen to them?

Thanks!

I think the majority of them, their death can only be known by God. I believe God’s mercy is endless. It is given when we ask for it and forgive others.

 

[iamscifimike]

If they have been Baptized, then their sins have been washed away and they have not yet been able to commit a sin that separates them from God.

If they have not been Baptized then we can only Hope that God is just and merciful and He grants them His grace.

 

[scottm]

Baptists believe that until you achieve a level of maturity such that you understand right from wrong, your sins are not counted against you. In a sense, then, you cannot sin. If you die in this condition then you go to heaven (because you have no faults against you).

Such children as these would fall into that category.

Some people reach the requisite level maturity at age 4. Other people don’t get there until age 8. If you have a serious mental disease you might never reach that maturity level.

 

[iamscifimike]

I apologize for my 1st post, I should really learn to read.

Scott,

What would a Baptist say about the consequence of original sin? is this too not counted, where does this assurance come from?
Do you have to acknowledge/reject Christ before it is counted against you?

 

[scottm]

What would a Baptist say about the consequence of original sin? is this too not counted, where does this assurance come from? Do you have to acknowledge/reject Christ before it is counted against you?

Baptists believe that because of original sin every person will eventually “sin” in the sense of doing that which God would not have them do. Baptists agree with Catholics that sin can come in the form of thoughts, acts of comission, and acts of omission. Everything is covered. We then immediately fall into their belief that these sins don’t count until the person comprehends right from wrong.

Well, I suppose you could argue that a newborn baby who dies at the hospital hasn’t sinned yet because his brain doesn’t form such thoughts. I don’t even know what goes on inside newborn brains and it doesn’t make a difference to the Baptists because such a person falls into the first category anyway.

As for the need to accept or rejecting Jesus, Baptists take different positions. Some will read the first couple chapters of Romans the way Catholics read it, and say that God measures a person against the amount of information about Jesus that that person has been given. Other Baptists will say, “Hey, the NT says there’s only one name given to men by which they must be saved, and that’s the name of Jesus. Therefore no one gets into heaven unless he has explicitely believed in Jesus.”

 

[Singinbeauty]

Matthew 18:10:

10 “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

Jesus made it an incredible point throughout the New Testament to say that children were VERY precious to God. He even says:
Matthew 18:5:

5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. 6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

We do not know what happens to children if they die at such an early age. But from the looks of it, God takes special care of the little ones because children all need someone to protect and take care of them!

 

[mozart-250]

I am not sure, but I have a hard time believing that a just God will sentence aborted babies to hell.

The most common explanation that I have heard is some type of age of accountability. However right off the bat, this theology has a cutoff point problem.

Baptists believe that until you achieve a level of maturity such that you understand right from wrong, your sins are not counted against you. In a sense, then, you cannot sin. If you die in this condition then you go to heaven (because you have no faults against you).

Such children as these would fall into that category.

Some people reach the requisite level maturity at age 4. Other people don’t get there until age 8. If you have a serious mental disease you might never reach that maturity level.

This quote describes not an age of accountability but a maturity level of accountability. Same cutoff point problem though.

According to this viewpoint, somewhere there is a child burning in hell for all eternity who died one day older than the maturity cutoff point. While another child is in heaven with the Lord for all eternity who died one day under the maturity curoff point.

This doesn’t seem right.

No matter how you slice this problem, you still have the same cutoff point problem. Or else you have an inconsistent God.

This really troubles me.

 

[scottm]

This quote describes not an age of accountability but a maturity level of accountability. Same cutoff point problem though.

Those are one and the same to a Baptist.

According to this viewpoint, somewhere there is a child burning in hell for all eternity who died one day older than the maturity cutoff point. While another child is in heaven with the Lord for all eternity who died one day under the maturity curoff point.

Yes. But now we’re talking about whether and why any person goes to heaven. Where’s that verse about if you break one law, you break them all?

This doesn’t seem right.

The question of hell is very troubling no matter whom we’re talking about. It’s really just a way of addressing the question of evil in the world, which is just a way of discussing why there is suffering in the world, which is just a way of addressing the question of whether or not we have free will. As I recall, God did not give Job an answer.

 

[BrianH]

I have never once heard anyone mention it. I suppose because most Methodist babies are baptized, it just does not come up. What a sad thread, but a good question.

 

[peary]

I had (and still do) have a hard time reconciling the Church’s stance on eliminating the concept of Limbo. Although it came as a total surprise to me (and to the vast majority I presume) that Limbo was never an official Church teaching but a theological construct, I still feel that it is still a valid explanation as to what happens to those good souls who have never been baptized.
Catholicism teaches that every newborn babe born has the effects of original sin on his/her soul, and that baptism, as a “sacred act” (sacrament) washes away this effect and imbues the soul with supernatural grace. Thus, the individual now becomes part of the Church community and his/her journey towards sanctification has begun.
So, if a newborn does not have this opportunity, what happens to his/her soul if he/she dies? Medieval theologians believed that they might exist in a ‘limbo’ state, a state of happiness but without the Beatific Vision. In that sense, they are never condemned to Hell but do not attain Heaven either. And what happens on the “last day” when bodies are finally united with their souls? Hopefully, they will eternally be in Heaven as all other "in-between’ states will no longer exist.