This debate happened in the 19th century. In that debate as in this argument (MacArthur's position is not new and is widely held among Baptists).
In contrast, Canons of Dort 1:17 says
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 the parents are comprehended, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom it pleases God to call out of this life in their infancy (Gen. 17:7; Acts 2:39; I Cor. 7:14).
The WCF 10:3 says essentially the same thing:
Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit,[12] who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth: so also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.
The CD may be a little more pastoral inasmuch as they are willing to say to
believing parents that "your children elect."
In any case, being an infant doesn't make one elect. Further, the "saved until age of accountablility" view doesn't account for covenant or election. Worse, it is dependent upon the dubious notion of an age of accountability.
COVENANT not "accountability" is the biblical structure for thinking about this problem. The covenant promise is: I will be a God to you and to your children. The promise is to believers and their children (Gen 17; Acts 2:39).
Contra the FV boys the promise isn't to those who are baptized
because they are baptized nor does baptism make anyone elect nor is the promise to those who are only outward members of the covenant of grace nor to those who only make a profession of faith.
Faith is the sole instrument of the covenant of grace. The promise is to believers. They should not doubt that their deceased infants are with Christ. The ground is not the infancy of the deceased but the promise of Christ administered through the covenant of grace and the instrument of the covenant of grace is faith.
To those outside the covenant we should make no promises nor give false hope. Those hypocrites inside the covenant of grace who do not believe should not be given any further reason for deluding themselves.
Both classes of folk (those outside the covenant of grace and hypocrites within) should be called to repent and believe.
Believers should take comfort in the promises and grace of Christ in his covenant in which he has graciously included them.
rsc
Originally posted by Puritanhead
Safe in the Arms of God: Truth from Heaven About the Death of a Child
Has anyone every read John MacArthur's book here? If so, how much do you think his thoughts are rooted in Scripture rather intuition? Is it a good book.
I lost one of my baby brothers, who was stillborn / miscarriage. I saw that it grieved my mom very much back in the 1980s. I remember when the news was broken to her after a sonogram, because I was with her when she went to the doctor. She blames herself because she took unnecessary risk to the pregnancy by rearranging heavy furniture rather than wait for my father to do it.
I look forward with expectation to meeting my
other brother, and I believe that I will be cognizant of who he is in the Heavenlies.
