This is not a complete study of the subject, but provides some fence posts to give biblical perspective to the nature of God and how He works, as we seek structure and protection in God’s world.
- “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” – Romans 6:23. We start there because we are born with a sin problem; a separation issue, and need to draw conclusions based on how God has set up mercy in His timeline.
- Secondly, we understand that God is both merciful and just, and anything He judges will be balanced by His eternal nature and perspective.
- Thirdly, we must keep in mind that the sin nature, which Jesus redeemed at the cross, is free indeed, but the flesh and will of any individual can keep that gift from being realized. The question will be: is the individual – whether child or adult, able to actively understand conviction and therefore, have their spiritual heart opened to salvation? It will depend on the mental capacity and age frame.
- King David, in his repentance Psalm 51, says:” in sin did my mother conceive me” … Verse 5. In his grief and brokenness, was he thinking of the baby born from his adulterous relationship with Bathsheeba (II Samuel 12:14)? Did that remind him that though he had a great position in life, he was at center a sinner himself, and that his actions affected an innocent life?
- Remember that this baby died as a result of that sin, yet, would God have meant eternal death for the baby who knew no sin? That is the central question.
- We must look at words and intents of the individual portions of scripture: the Hebrew word “died” there is “muth” and means: “died a physical death”, though the scripture says it was a punishment from God to David, the child, in balancing the mercy of God, would not be eternally doomed for the sin of his father; he would have been taken from this earth because he represented David’s failure and thus, couldn’t be in line for the Davidic succession.
- The Bible also says: “The soul that sinneth, it should die” (Ezekial 18:4,20). This portion explains that a child will not die for the sin of the father, and vise versa. This portion in Ezekial is talking about spiritual death. When did the baby have a chance or choice to sin? We need to consider the whole counsel of God.
- Question as to the nature of God and his mercy: would he eternally judge a baby for the behavior of the parents? No. It would not be consistent with the nature of His love, just as God would have had mercy on the slaughter of the innocents by King Herod when Jesus was approximately two years of age.
- God’s desire is that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth – I Timothy 2:4. Salvation occurs when one knows the truth and responds to it. How can a baby or young child fully embrace that?
- “To know” is the Greek word “ginosko” and means “to know experientially and personally”. It is not mere intellectual assertions.
- In Psalm 51 David says “I was brought forth in iniquity….” “brought forth” is the Hebrew word “chuwl” (pronounced khool) and means “bear, brought forth”. He is returning to the origin of man’s sin – the sin nature comes through the human birthline, beginning with Adam and Eve in their disobedience, and has to be taken care of through the physical birth of the second Adam.
- This “iniquity” is the Hebrew word “avon” (pronounced aw-von), and means “guilt, punishment”. It is the crooked state of our spiritual birth. We are born with the bent to sin and only Jesus’ physical birth, life, and sacrificial death could undo that condition. He suffered the guilt and paid the punishment, but not all will accept the gift. The Bible says “Few there be that find it”.
- Keep in mind that though Jesus changed the state, condition of sin and removed its power and source, only individuals can change their particular spiritual future by allowing that gift to be opened up in their lives. I John 5:1 states that only those who believe in him as Christ, the anointed one are followers. In that same chapter (verse 2), it states that those who understand and comprehend the keeping His commands, have true faith in Him (verse 4). Children – in a generic sense, love God – Jesus, but do they all comprehend the truths of the gospel (repentance, forgiveness), etc? Faith is a muscle which must be exercised, and only God knows for sure who has saving faith in Him.
- Genesis 8:21 is talking about the covenant God made with Noah. In it, it is stated that “…they have imagined evil from their childhood and up” …. The Hebrew word “youth” is “naur” (pronounced naw-oor), and means “youth, early life”, childhood. God draws a distinction as to the evil nature of people and their responsibility for their own choices. He draws the line at youth, childhood.
- This obviously precludes babies and toddlers (for the most part). There are some toddlers of 2-4 years of age that have a special grace to comprehend faith in Christ. They will be tested in life, to be sure, but they seem likely exceptions to the normal rule of thumb here.
- Matthew 18:4 talks about the time the disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest? Jesus points out a child in the midst and says: “Except ye be converted and become ‘as’ little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God” – KJV. Of course, it is indicating that people of all ages need to have the trust a child has, and Jesus is referencing that vital part of faith. The word “Children” or “Child” is the greek word “Paidion”, meaning “A young infant, child; a child under training”. This is the same greek word as in Matthew 19:14, where Jesus tells the disciples not to forbid the little children coming to him. These little children, infants, ones under training, would be over the toddler stage, yet still not have an understanding, conviction of their sin nature; thus, they would be under grace if they died at that time period.
- Many commentators think this age would cap around 7 or 8, although those considering the age Jesus was when he went to the Temple to teach (12/13), equates to the Bar Mitzvah, when that young child becomes a man. The Bible is not fully clear on what the age of accountability is (there are many factors, to be sure, including mental capabilities or lack thereof, plus birth deficiencies, etc. Thankfully God is the ultimate judge of what is in the heart.
- Also consider the cities of refuge in the Old Testament – a type of the mercy of God for those who sinned unintentionally and then were left to the judgment of God (Numbers 34:9-12). God allowed a place of safety- six such cities, so they wouldn’t be judged by the mass, but by grace. This gives a sight into the heart of God. Judgment is rendered by the intention of the sinner. Innocence comes under the blood of Jesus – the sin offering of the Old Testament, but when people sin intentionally and are not repentant, which puts them in a precarious place.
- All of this relates to children in these ways:
- “Children are a heritage from the Lord” – Psalm 127:3 KJV;
- Jesus always expressed a special tenderness for them;
- Psalm 139:13 reminds us that “We were covered in our mother’s womb”, which means the blood of the sacrifice protected us from the judgment of sin, because in whole, babies and little ones are not fully cognizant of sin, and therefore, if they died in that state, they would still be under grace, covering;
- Even the New Testament love chapter of I Corinthians 13 (verse 11) reminds us that there is a line drawn between the acceptability of a child’s response, as opposed to an adults.
- The main conclusion is this: why do we evangelize to children?
- We don’t know how long they will live, so we are to plant that seed in every life as early as possible in their earth journey. A farmer always scatters the seed into the entire field, no matter how long the soil has been there;
- Many times the children do bring the love of Jesus to their parents and family;
- Babies and young children up to that invisible age of accountability, which is different in each person, are under the covering of grace, or else the 55 million killed by abortion, plus all the wee ones killed throughout the centuries would have fallen eternally through the law, since grace couldn’t reach them;
- The bible says to train the child, so when they are older they will come back to him (proverbs 22:6);
- Finally- we are to evangelize to children because we are to share the good news with everyone, and though “few there be that find it”, we’re not responsible for their response; we’re responsible to share it. We leave the results in God’s hand.