Children and the Kingdom of God

Children and the Kingdom of God

Main Verses

Genesis 17:10-14 … every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised.

Psalm 22:9-10 … you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast.

Psalm 51:5    Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Matthew 18:2-6 … a little child … one of these little ones who believe in me.

Matthew 21:15-16 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.

Mark 10:14-16 He (Jesus) said to them, “Let the little children come to me

… for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

Luke 1:15    … he (John) will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.

Acts 2:38-39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off.

The Question

The Bible clearly states that we must believe and be baptized to be saved (Mark 16:16). We are commanded to repent and to be baptized so that our sins may be forgiven (Acts 2:38). We are told to believe in our heart and to confess with our mouth (Romans 10:9-10). And, of course, we are told in John 3:16 that whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life.

The question arises: What happens to infants and children who are too small to speak? Can they truly repent, or believe, or confess with their mouth? If not, how do they receive salvation? Related to this, then, is a further question: If a small baby dies, where does it go? To heaven or to hell? These are hard questions, because the Bible does not give definite answers to them. There are only a few verses that relate to the question of children and the kingdom of God, and many of these are only indirectly related.

Children in the Bible

The Bible says that all have sinned (Romans 3:23; 5:12). The Psalmist says that he was not only sinful at birth, but was sinful from the time (his) mother conceived (him) (Psalm 51:5). Job says similar things (Job 25:4). Thus the Bible says that all of us, even newborn babies, have natures that are sinful and set against God. Every human being needs God’s GRACE to be saved from sin and to be made RIGHTEOUS.

The Bible says that by God’s help and grace even newborn babies can place their trust in God (Psalm 22:9-10). Jesus called a little child to stand before Him and talked about the little ones who believe in me (Matthew 18:6). Jesus also quoted from Psalm 8:2, which says: From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise (see Matthew 21:16). It was promised that John the Baptist would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth (Luke 1:15,41-44). Therefore, at least some babies seem able to have a kind of faith in God.

Jesus commanded His disciples to let the little children come to Him, and He prayed for and blessed them (Mark 10:13-16). This even included little babies (Luke 18:15). He said that the kingdom of God belonged to such as these (Mark 10:14). God looks kindly on children. … their angels always stand in God’s presence (Matthew 18:10). But it is not written here whether all children have angels in heaven or only some children; namely, those who “believe” in Jesus (Matthew 18:2-6; Mark 9:42).

In the Old Testament, God told the Jews to CIRCUMCISE all male infants in order to bring them into the family of God. This had to take place at eight days of age, and was a sign of the COVENANT between God and the Jews (Genesis 17:1013). God even declared that if a male infant was not circumcised, that infant would be cut off from his people, because he had broken God’s covenant (Genesis 17:14). There is no mention of female infants, nor of what happened to them in regard to the covenant.

The New Testament makes it clear that we are free from the Old Testament LAW. To be in God’s family, physical circumcision is not necessary. We are made children of God through faith, not through the Jewish law. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26).

Children in the Church

Little children and even newborn babies¹ are able to have some kind of FAITH by God’s power and grace, and are able to be in God’s kingdom (Psalm 22:9-10; Luke 18:15-16). But is this true of all children, or only some? And how can this be true? Throughout church history scholars have given many different answers to these questions.

Many Christians believe that water BAPTISM replaced circumcision as the means by which children are brought into the family of God. They think that water baptism is the “circumcision of Christ” (Colossians 2:11-13), by which our sinful nature, through faith, is cut off and thrown away and we come into God’s family. Jesus commanded that the children be allowed to come to Him (Mark 10:14), and promised that whoever believes and is baptized will be saved (see Mark 16:16; General Article: Water Baptism). Some of these Christians think that infants can believe in Jesus. Others think that the parents can believe for the baby and that God accepts the faith of the parents (1 Corinthians 7:14). Then, when the child is old enough, he must accept or reject Jesus for himself.

Many other Christians believe a second view. According to this view, God does not choose all people to receive salvation, but only some (see John 15:16,19; Romans 9:18; General Article: Salvation—God’s Choice or Man’s Choice?). God chooses some babies to be saved and does not choose others. Those that God chooses will go to heaven if they die; the others will not.

Still other Christians hold a third view. These Christians believe that God offers salvation to all (young and old), but that not all will accept it. Many will resist God. This is true for children also, they say. These Christians believe that babies are able to believe with their spirit or heart even if their minds are unformed (Psalm 22:9-10; Matthew 18:5-6; Luke 1:15). But they do not think that all babies will believe. Just like adults, some resist God. Only those babies who actually believe will go to heaven if they die.

Still other Christians hold a fourth belief; namely, that by God’s grace and power all babies (or at least all babies of Christian parents) automatically believe in Jesus and are already in the kingdom of God (Mark 10:14-15; 1 Corinthians 7:14). Therefore, they believe that all babies who die (or at least all babies of Christian parents) go to heaven.

Finally, some Christians believe that although babies have a sinful nature, they do not commit actual sin. They say that babies are in a “state of innocence.” Because of this opinion, these Christians believe that all babies who die go to heaven automatically.

Summary

Whatever we believe about this matter, our responsibility as parents is clear. Baptism is important for every person, of course. Whether we baptize or dedicate our children, we must place them in God’s hands, and trust Him for their salvation. We must teach them about God and His word (Deuteronomy 4:9-10; 6:6-7; Psalm 78:5-6), and we must discipline them in a loving way (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21). The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call (Acts 2:39).

¹ The word translated babies in Luke 18:15 means “newborns.”