Post by Admin on Dec 20, 2014 13:19:07 GMT -5
This question was posed on a Christian Forum.
Here is my response:
I think the key to understanding the fate of children who die is to simply understand how God has always judged men. First, we understand that God judges according to the understanding. In other words, those who rejected God prior to the revelation of the Gospel of Christ, though they will receive eternal judgment, will not be judged as severely as those who have, as the writer of Hebrews states, done despite unto the Spirit of Grace. So we apply that principle to, not just babies or young children, but to those with mental impairment as well. God will hold everyone accountable according to their understanding, and when it comes to children, their understanding does not bring them into a place where they can be held accountable for the only sin which cannot be forgiven, which is rejection of the revelation of Christ to a person.
We then ask, "How is their sin dealt with?" The same way that the sin of men like Abraham, Moses, and David was dealt with: grace. These men died still in need of having their sin atoned for by the Death of Christ, and few would suggest these men are or were eternally separated from God. So too with children, the Atonement of Christ will extend to them just as God refrained from imposing eternal judgment on the people from Ages prior to the one we now live in, where the Gospel of Christ has been revealed to us, and where the ministry of the Comforter assures that no man will stand before God and say..."But you didn't tell me!"
We can apply this same grace to the children who died in the Flood. Not many consider that death was, for the children of godless men and women, the most merciful thing that could have happened. Had they grown up, they would have likely followed in the footsteps of their fathers and mothers.
And I would just say, in regards to the "age of accountability," just because a child is young does not mean their hearts are not or could not be evil. Very young children can be observed to commit heinous acts, which is in large part due to their nature, as well as the circumstances surrounding their lives. So while I take a view that God will judge all according to their response to the revelation He has provided them, that does not mean that no children could be found that are not, by their own choice, worthy to remain separated from God.
There are three primary ways in which God has and still reveals Himself to men:
1. Creation (Romans 1:18-21, 28, 31).
2. The internal witness of God (Romans 1:18-21, 28, 31).
3. Direct revelation, which includes direct interaction as we see with Moses or indirect interaction through His Word
While that guy in deepest darkest Africa may not have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that does not mean that he is without hope of a relationship with God, or free from judgment should he reject the revelation God provides to him. Paul makes it clear that Gentiles could perform the Law in their hearts despite not being of Israel, to whom the Scriptures were given (Romans 2:13-15, 26-29; Romans 3:1-2), and in this we see that God acknowledges the response to the revelation He has provided man.
In the Rapture, therefore, it would be my view that babies in the womb will remain there until the end of the Tribulation, where the mother may, during the Tribulation, come to a saving knowledge of Christ and enter into the Millennial Kingdom. For the babies in the womb who have believing mothers, I believe they will be caught up with their mothers in the Rapture. For young children, I think we can apply the principle stated above, which is just a biblical standard, and say that when the Rapture takes place, if they have turned to Christ already, then they too will be caught up. If they have not, then they will go through the Tribulation.
According to Matthew 25, when Christ returns there will be a judgment, called by most the Sheep and Goat Judgment. At this time we see that those that have survived will be separated between believers and unbelievers, or, sheep or goats. Believers live on to enter into that Kingdom physically, while unbelievers are sent into judgment (to Hades, not the Lake of Fire). As the Millennial Kingdom progresses, the believers that enter into that Kingdom will have offspring, and possibly (this is speculation on my part) some of those that enter in as children, who will reject the revelation they have in that period, and at the end of the Millennial Kingdom join themselves with Satan when he is released from his bondage (which begins at the Return of Christ).
The thing to keep in mind is that every Age is specific in the revelation provided, and everyone in that Age is judged according to that revelation. This principle remains true of every Age, and today, when the Gospel of Christ is both readily available accompanied by the ministry of the Comforter, there is no excuse for not responding positively to His efforts. How young one is when they respond to the Gospel cannot be set at any particular age, because the Gospel is simple enough for a child to understand. So too, we cannot set a specific age in which children can, with full knowledge, commit evil. It is simply in their nature to sin, so we shouldn't be surprised...when they do.
But the Grace of God is consistent throughout Scripture, beginning first and foremost with Adam and Eve. God could have destroyed them and started all over, but He chose to show mercy and make provision for the covering of sin. Today, there is no covering of sin except the shed blood of Christ, and while in modern times we might think everyone has heard, the truth is not everyone has. So again we look to God's judgment concerning man's response to the revelation which is available to those that have not heard the Gospel, and God will, as He always done, judge with both grace and mercy, and this according to each individual's understanding of that revelation.
Hope that helps.
Here is my response:
I think the key to understanding the fate of children who die is to simply understand how God has always judged men. First, we understand that God judges according to the understanding. In other words, those who rejected God prior to the revelation of the Gospel of Christ, though they will receive eternal judgment, will not be judged as severely as those who have, as the writer of Hebrews states, done despite unto the Spirit of Grace. So we apply that principle to, not just babies or young children, but to those with mental impairment as well. God will hold everyone accountable according to their understanding, and when it comes to children, their understanding does not bring them into a place where they can be held accountable for the only sin which cannot be forgiven, which is rejection of the revelation of Christ to a person.
We then ask, "How is their sin dealt with?" The same way that the sin of men like Abraham, Moses, and David was dealt with: grace. These men died still in need of having their sin atoned for by the Death of Christ, and few would suggest these men are or were eternally separated from God. So too with children, the Atonement of Christ will extend to them just as God refrained from imposing eternal judgment on the people from Ages prior to the one we now live in, where the Gospel of Christ has been revealed to us, and where the ministry of the Comforter assures that no man will stand before God and say..."But you didn't tell me!"
We can apply this same grace to the children who died in the Flood. Not many consider that death was, for the children of godless men and women, the most merciful thing that could have happened. Had they grown up, they would have likely followed in the footsteps of their fathers and mothers.
And I would just say, in regards to the "age of accountability," just because a child is young does not mean their hearts are not or could not be evil. Very young children can be observed to commit heinous acts, which is in large part due to their nature, as well as the circumstances surrounding their lives. So while I take a view that God will judge all according to their response to the revelation He has provided them, that does not mean that no children could be found that are not, by their own choice, worthy to remain separated from God.
There are three primary ways in which God has and still reveals Himself to men:
1. Creation (Romans 1:18-21, 28, 31).
2. The internal witness of God (Romans 1:18-21, 28, 31).
3. Direct revelation, which includes direct interaction as we see with Moses or indirect interaction through His Word
While that guy in deepest darkest Africa may not have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that does not mean that he is without hope of a relationship with God, or free from judgment should he reject the revelation God provides to him. Paul makes it clear that Gentiles could perform the Law in their hearts despite not being of Israel, to whom the Scriptures were given (Romans 2:13-15, 26-29; Romans 3:1-2), and in this we see that God acknowledges the response to the revelation He has provided man.
In the Rapture, therefore, it would be my view that babies in the womb will remain there until the end of the Tribulation, where the mother may, during the Tribulation, come to a saving knowledge of Christ and enter into the Millennial Kingdom. For the babies in the womb who have believing mothers, I believe they will be caught up with their mothers in the Rapture. For young children, I think we can apply the principle stated above, which is just a biblical standard, and say that when the Rapture takes place, if they have turned to Christ already, then they too will be caught up. If they have not, then they will go through the Tribulation.
According to Matthew 25, when Christ returns there will be a judgment, called by most the Sheep and Goat Judgment. At this time we see that those that have survived will be separated between believers and unbelievers, or, sheep or goats. Believers live on to enter into that Kingdom physically, while unbelievers are sent into judgment (to Hades, not the Lake of Fire). As the Millennial Kingdom progresses, the believers that enter into that Kingdom will have offspring, and possibly (this is speculation on my part) some of those that enter in as children, who will reject the revelation they have in that period, and at the end of the Millennial Kingdom join themselves with Satan when he is released from his bondage (which begins at the Return of Christ).
The thing to keep in mind is that every Age is specific in the revelation provided, and everyone in that Age is judged according to that revelation. This principle remains true of every Age, and today, when the Gospel of Christ is both readily available accompanied by the ministry of the Comforter, there is no excuse for not responding positively to His efforts. How young one is when they respond to the Gospel cannot be set at any particular age, because the Gospel is simple enough for a child to understand. So too, we cannot set a specific age in which children can, with full knowledge, commit evil. It is simply in their nature to sin, so we shouldn't be surprised...when they do.
But the Grace of God is consistent throughout Scripture, beginning first and foremost with Adam and Eve. God could have destroyed them and started all over, but He chose to show mercy and make provision for the covering of sin. Today, there is no covering of sin except the shed blood of Christ, and while in modern times we might think everyone has heard, the truth is not everyone has. So again we look to God's judgment concerning man's response to the revelation which is available to those that have not heard the Gospel, and God will, as He always done, judge with both grace and mercy, and this according to each individual's understanding of that revelation.
Hope that helps.