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The Christian Citizen

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01
January

Are All Covenant Children Dying in Infancy Regenerated?

By

E.J. Young

ARTICLE

“ARE we justified, from Scripture, in saying that all covenant children dying in infancy are regenerated? I know that we may not say that all children dying in infancy are among the elect, but I have heard several Orthodox Presbyterian ministers declare that the children of believing parents, if such children die in infancy, are unquestionably saved. On what basis can such a statement be made?” —C.C.B.

There is no explicit answer to this question in the Scripture. Consequently it is easily understandable that devout and reverent students of the Bible should differ among themselves as to the manner of dealing with this problem. Charles Hodge, the great Reformed theologian of the nineteenth century, goes so far as to say that not only all covenant children but also all who die in infancy, whether “baptized or unbaptized, born in Christian or in heathen lands, of believing or unbelieving parents", are the subjects of redemption (Systematic Theology, I, 26).

To support this conclusion Hodge appeals to the analogy between Adam and Christ. All descendants of Adam, he maintains; are saved, unless there is an express Scriptural revelation to the contrary. There is no express Scriptural revelation to the effect that any who die in infancy are to be excluded from heaven as there is, for example, regarding adulterers or drunkards. Hence, Hodge concludes that all such children are saved. He further appeals to the nature of God. God would rather bless than curse, save than destroy. Lastly, our Lord's attitude toward little children is mentioned as supporting this proposition.

Is this reasoning of Hodge, however, conclusive? There is always a temptation to go beyond the plain teaching of the Bible. Such a procedure can sometimes lead to harm, as for example, when men try to explain the trinity or to reconcile predestination with man's free agency. The Scripture itself speaks upon this subject, "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things that are revealed are for us and our children for ever that we may do all the words of this law" (Dent. 29:29).

In the light of this passage it appears to the writer to be unwise to make dogmatic pronouncements upon a subject concerning which the Bible is silent. At the same time, there seems to be every presumption in favor of the view that the children of Christian parents, should they die in infancy, are truly saved. This presumption is to be found in the nature of the covenant of grace. When, therefore, God in His infinite wisdom sees fit to take one of these little ones, may not these parents who truly and sincerely plead the promises of God have every reason to believe that God has taken that little one to Himself?

This consideration, together with the thought of God's great love for His people in their sorrows, may be used to bring comfort to Christian parents who have lost an infant by death.

Notes

E.J. Young

Professor of Old Testament from 1936 until his death in 1968. He served as the moderator of the OPC general assembly in 1956 and was also a member of the American Oriental Society, the Evangelical Theological Society, and the Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis.

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