Infant Salvation or
Damnation
The special case of those who die in infancy is worthy of our careful consideration. There are no passages of Scripture which deal specifically with the subject. In the earliest days of the church, there is no evidence that the question was discussed. Augustine, however, clearly taught the damnation of infants. He spoke of their sufferings though eternal, as being of the mildest character. Later a special annex to hell, the Limbus Infantum, was assigned to them by the theologians. The Council of Trent refused to commit itself on the subject. Since then, some Catholic theologians follow Peter Lombard in saying that those dying in infancy are punished for original sin, while others, like Cardinal Celestino Sfondrati, say they enjoy as much happiness as their limited capacity permits. Perrone held that they suffer only the lack of the beatific vision.
Turning to the Protestant Church, we find that Zwingli denied the necessity of baptism for infant salvation, and taught that all who die in infancy are elect, and therefore saved.
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Calvin said, "As to infants, they seem to perish, not by their own fault, but by the fault of another. But there is a double solution. Though sin does not yet appear in them, yet it is latent; for they bear corruption shut up in the soul, so that before God they are damnable." "That infants who are to be saved (as, certainly, out of that age some are saved) must be previously regenerated by the Lord is clear."1 He seems to be teaching here by implication that some but not all infants are saved.
The Canons of the Synod of Dort (1619) state, "Since we are to judge of the will of God from his word (which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature, but in virtue of the covenant of grace, in which they, together with their parents, are comprehended), godly parents have no reason to doubt of the election and salvation of their children whom it pleaseth God to call out of this life in their infancy."2 Here we note that no assurance is given to ungodly parents.
The Westminster Confession (1648) contains the following pertinent statements: "The grace promised (in baptism) is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred, by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infant) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's own will, in his appointed time."3 "Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh when and where and how he pleaseth."4 In 1903, however, this last phrase was supplemented by the Presbyterians in America with the following statement: "It is not to be regarded as teaching that any who die in infancy are lost. We believe that all dying in infancy are included in the election of grace, and are regenerated and saved by
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Christ through the Spirit, who works when and where and how he pleases."
Lorraine Boettner (1901-1990) says, "Most Calvinistic theologians have held that those who die in infancy are saved. The Scriptures seem to teach plainly enough that the children of believers are saved; but they are silent or practically so in regard to those of the heathens. The Westminster Confession does not pass judgment on the children of heathens who die before coming to years of accountability. Where the Scriptures are silent, the Confession, too, preserves silence. Our outstanding theologians, however, mindful of the fact that God's tender mercies are over all his works, and depending on his mercy widened as broadly as possible, have entertained a charitable hope that since these infants have never committed any actual sin themselves, their inherited sin would be pardoned and they would be saved on wholly evangelical principles.
"Such, for instance, was the position held by Charles Hodge, W.G.T. Shedd, and B.B. Warfield."5
Arminians hold to salvation of all infants, while Lutherans and others who teach baptismal regeneration, when logical, teach that the unbaptized are lost. The position of at least some within the Church of England is expressed by John Henry Blunt, a High-churchman, "It can hardly, I think, be doubted, that they do sustain a loss, of whatever kind. In the Institutions of a Christian Man, the Church of England declares, 'Insomuch as infants and children dying in their infancy shall undoubtedly be saved thereby (i.e., by baptism), else not.' In the last revision of the Prayer-book is read, 'It is certain by God's word that children which are baptized, dying before they commit actual sin, are undoubtedly saved': in other words we are certain of the future happiness of the baptized, but have no assurance of
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the salvation of the unbaptized infant. The question must thus be left in obscurity, as we have no sufficient warrant to go beyond the cautious statement of our Church."6
The popular attitude toward the subject is expressed by Daniel Poling in a recent magazine article. To the question: "Is there anything in the Bible that directly states that babies, with or without baptism, will be saved?" he answers, "Of course they will be saved. If they are not saved, I don't want to be! And of course I want to be. In 2 Samuel 12:23, David said that he would go to his infant child who had died. Also it was evident that he expected to know his child. Read Matthew 18:10 for the words of Jesus and also what He said about the Kingdom of Heaven and a little child in Matthew 19:14."7
The subject is certainly a perplexing one. Where Scripture is silent we hope for the best. We can be sure that the children of God's people certainly will be saved, whether or not there has has been opportunity for baptism. As to the children of unbelievers, we cannot be certain. Of this we can be sure, God will not punish them unjustly, but whether or not they will experience the joy of heaven, we cannot say with certainty. There is something unrealistic about universal infant salvation. It means that Herod, who killed the infants of Bethlehem was their great benefactor; on the other hand, it would seem to indicate that medical missionaries who save the lives of the children of the heathen are thus increasing their chances of going to hell. We stand confronted by a mystery which we must leave in the hands of our loving heavenly Father, who is far wiser than we are.
Appendix 2 || Table of Contents
1. Calvin, Institutes, iv, xvi, 17.
2. First Head of Doctrine, art. xvii.
3. xxxviii. 6
4. x. 3.
5. L. Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination (Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 1941), p. 143.
6. Dictionary of Doctrinal and Historical Theology (London, 1870), p. 346, note 1.
7. The Christian Herald, May 1955, p. 4.