Infants

Question: Are those who die in infancy lost forever?

There is NOT a line of Scripture to indicate that they are. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14). It is true that infants are born into this world as members of a fallen race under the condemnation of God, that Adam's sin is imputed to all his descendants, but the sins of the whole race were atoned or by the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross (1 Timothy 2:6; John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 John 2:2). This includes the children.

When a child reaches the age of accountability and commits sin, there must be a definite personal acceptance of Christ before he can be  saved, but of course this does not apply to those who die in infancy. To them Christ's "one act of righteousness" (Romans :18) - His atoning death on the Cross - brings the free gift of "justification that brings life" (v. 18). The time will come when these children will see Christ and believe in Him, and thus be saved in the fullest sense. They will never perish for Adam's sin. Jesus Christ bore the penalty of Adam's sin for them. No one is lost merely because of Adam's sin. There is absolutely no basis in Scripture for the doctrine of the damnation of infants.

Question: Is there any Scripture that demonstrates that the children of unbelieving parents will be saved if they die in infancy? If so, what does the latter part of 1 Corinthians 7:14 mean: "The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy"?

The latter part of this verse undoubtedly teaches that the children of believing parents stand in a different relation to God than the children of unbelieving parents. However, there is no teaching anywhere in the Bible that an infant who dies is eternally lost, as explained in the preceding answer.

Question: Where do those who die in their infancy go in the other world?

The Bible does not tell us specifically. It does, however, say that "of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14). There is absolutely no basis in Scripture for the doctrine that while infants do not go to the place of torment, they go to a place where there is not that fullness of blessedness that hose who live to maturity and accept Jesus Christ enter into. We are not wise to go beyond what is written and make theories of our own regarding their future destiny, but certainly there is not the slightest ground for any anxiety regarding them.

~R. A. Torrey~