Dear Saints,
In a discussion on WCF X.III on Sunday afternoon, our pastor said that believers can be assured that their children dying in infancy will be in heaven. I am not at all certain that that is what the Confession teaches. I would point to the fact that the text says “elect infants,” not “children of believers.”
Our pastor continued on to say that there are some elect among unreached peoples who never hear the gospel and yet are, somehow, in the kingdom. It was not explained how this works, just that this happens in the same way that infants dying in infancy are saved, or, at least, that this mystery is similar. We were even told that there can be some grain in truth in some pagan religious texts that can lead someone to saving faith. I cannot accept this, first, as it is not even what this section has in view, and, what is more, it appears to flatly contradict the very next section of the chapter.
I have worked out my thoughts on this in some detail, but I wonder if the saints here could help me and my wife with this one.
I’ll add that our pastor is referring to a book by R.C. Sproul. I am not sure how much he is getting from Sproul, however.
Many thanks in advance for your help with this.
[Edited for typographical errors.]
In a discussion on WCF X.III on Sunday afternoon, our pastor said that believers can be assured that their children dying in infancy will be in heaven. I am not at all certain that that is what the Confession teaches. I would point to the fact that the text says “elect infants,” not “children of believers.”
Our pastor continued on to say that there are some elect among unreached peoples who never hear the gospel and yet are, somehow, in the kingdom. It was not explained how this works, just that this happens in the same way that infants dying in infancy are saved, or, at least, that this mystery is similar. We were even told that there can be some grain in truth in some pagan religious texts that can lead someone to saving faith. I cannot accept this, first, as it is not even what this section has in view, and, what is more, it appears to flatly contradict the very next section of the chapter.
I have worked out my thoughts on this in some detail, but I wonder if the saints here could help me and my wife with this one.
I’ll add that our pastor is referring to a book by R.C. Sproul. I am not sure how much he is getting from Sproul, however.
Many thanks in advance for your help with this.
[Edited for typographical errors.]
Last edited: