Geisler, Norman Vol.

3
Systematic Theology II
Chapter 15
“The Results of
Salvation
(Infants and Heathen)”
pp. 430-469
Salvation includes three spectacular
events:

1. The official victory over sin by the Cross;

2. The practical victory over sin within
believers;
3. The final victory over sin at the Second
Coming.
All humans, saved and unsaved, will be resurrected
(cf. Dan. 12:1-3; Jn. 5:28-29; Rev. 20:1-3)
Geisler argues that the condemnation of the lost is
just because all have heard the gospel and have
had an opportunity to respond. Geisler is in error
here. Jesus said the gospel would be taken to all
nations, implying that it had not been, and in fact,
has not yet reached all peoples. So condemnation
is not based on the people’s refusal to accept the
gospel, condemnation is based on the fact that all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God
and there is none righteous, no not one. All are
worthy of condemnation, but by God’s grace some
have heard the gospel and those who receive
grace by faith are delivered from condemnation.
Geisler is correct on the next two points:
The Condemnation of the Lost is Final—
Hebrews 9:27 teaches that every
person “is destined to die once, and
after that to face judgment.” (cf. also
Lk. 16:26 and Rev. 22:11).
The Condemnation of the Lost is Eternal
—The eventual state of the wicked is
not only final, but it is also everlasting
(see Matt. 25:32-34, 41; 2 Thess. 1:7-9)
As Geisler says, “The eternal status of
infants has always been a thorny issue
in orthodox Christian theology.”
They are conceived in sin (Ps. 51:5) and
“by nature children of wrath” (Eph.
2:3), and faith is the condition for
receiving salvation (Jn. 3:16-18).
The Sacramentalist view holds that God only
saves infants who have been baptized because
the sacraments are efficacious and baptism is
necessary for salvation.
However, in that baptism is a “work” and we are
not saved by works (Rom. 4:5; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus
3:5-7) baptism does not save anyone, including
infants.
If only baptized infants are saved, then God is
viewed as cruel and unjust for condemning
infants who are not baptized.
The Elect-Infant View (God Saves Only Elect
Infants)
This position assets that the only deceased babies
who go to heaven are the ones who are elect.
They argue that since the entire human race has
sinned in Adam (Rom. 5:12), the infants who are
not of the elect, will go to hell. Some of the elect
die in infancy and go to heaven, while others grow
to become adults.
Geisler argues that this view denies universally
accessible salvation. Christ died for all. God
desires that all be saved (2 Pet. 3:9). This view
does severe damage to God’s attributes of justice
and mercy.
The Foreknown-Infant View (God Saves Those
Infants That Would have believed)
This position assets that since God is omniscient He
knows which infant, if he or she had lived, would
have believed and as such He will save only
those infants and those who would not have
believed will not be saved from eternal torment.

One main problem (and there are many) is the

question of how someone can be saved by
“potential faith.” It also brings into question the
justice of punishing infants who have never
actually sinned.
All-Infant Salvation Views: God Elects All Infants and Saves
them
1. All who die before the age of accountability are incapable of moral good
or evil.
2. God will only punish people (in the next life) on the basis of evils they
have committed in this life;
3. All who die before the age of accountability, then, will not be punished in
the next life (that is they will be saved);
4. Arminians, however, hold that faith is necessary condition for salvation;
5. Those who die before the age of accountability cannot believe (that is,
have faith);
6. Hence, according to Arminian doctrine, no one dying before the age of
accountability can be saved;
7. Calvinism teaches that God can regenerate people without their consent
(faith);
8. Consequently, only a Calvinist can consistently maintain that all who die
before the age of accountability will be saved
 All-Infant Salvation Views:
God Elects All Infants and Saves them

Problem with this view. The one main problem is that

there is nothing in the Bible that specifically
mentions an “age of accountability.” Second, it
suggests salvation apart from faith. In Nash’s own
view of limited atonement he has no reliable
reason to believe that God’s election is any
broader among infants than it is among adults. If
Christ only saves some adults, as extreme
Calvinists argue, then why should we assume that
He died for all infants?
 All-Infant Salvation Views:
God Saves All Infants Because They Cannot Believe
Basically, this view is that God could not hold anyone
accountable for not believing if they do not have the
capacity to believe. This would violate God’s justice.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not
hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as
these” (Mk. 10:14). Lacking an delimiter, it suggests that
all children are included. David in Psalm 139:13-16 speaks
of God having created him in his mother’s womb and being
written in “your [God’s] book” (v. 16). (cf. also Isa. 7:15;
Deut. 1:39)
 All-Infant Salvation Views:
God Saves All Infants Because They Cannot
Believe
Critics of this view argue that it tends toward
universalism and ignores or denies the fact of total
depravity and inherent sin. Further it eliminates
the faith as an absolutely necessary salvific
condition in this life.

The merit of this view is that it both satisfies God’s

justice and magnifies His omnivbenevolence. It
also has some biblical justification.
 The Limbo-Infant View
This view offers a third view to eternal salvation or
eternal punishment. It is limbo. Some Roman Catholic
theologians have posited limbo for babies who die
unbaptized.

However, even proponents of this view find it difficult to

defend. There is nothing in Scripture to support it. If it
existed, wouldn’t God do the same for people who
have never heard the gospel? What is the nature of
limbo? Eternal separation from God is one of the
torments of hell. Ceasing to exist is annihilation.
 The Evangelized-After-Death View
This position contends that infants will mature after
death (perhaps immediately) and will then be given
an opportunity to believe. Those who believe will
be saved, those who do not, will be lost.

1. People are condemned to hell for their own willful

sin;
2. Jesus died for all people, including young children
who die;
3. All people receive sufficient grace for salvation;
4. The act of faith is necessary for salvation.
 The Evangelized-After-Death View
There is no Scriptural support for the position that
infants will mature after death, though this is not
an uncommon belief, i.e., that in the glorified body
small children who have believed will grow up in
heaven.

Second, even if they do grow up, there is no evidence

that they will then be evangelized.

Scripture plainly teaches that there is no hope for

salvation beyond the grave.
 What are we to conclude?
None of the views are without their difficulties.
Geisler states that there are three crucial factors in
determining which of these positions are correct:

1. Is faith an absolute condition for salvation?

2. Does God always offer everyone the opportunity to
believe?
3. Is inherited depravity alone sufficient for
condemnation?
 The General-Revelation View (Heathen
Can Be Saved Through God’s Creation)
Those who believe today’s non-evangelized can be saved apart
from hearing the gospel reason from the following:

The Love and Justice of God. Arguing from God’s attributes it is

argued that it would be both unloving and unjust to condemn
people who never had the opportunity to hear the gospel.
There are Scriptures (e.g., Ps. 19:1-4) that appear to suggest
that creation itself, through general revelation, one can
believe in God. However, Paul references this very passage
(Ps. 19) in saying that no one can hear without a preacher
(i.e., special revelation—Rom. 10:18).
The General-Revelation View (Heathen Can
Be Saved Through God’s Creation)
All evangelicals believe that Christ’s death and
resurrection (the fact of His finished work) are
necessary for anyone’s salvation. However, those
who maintain that salvation can be obtained through
general revelation insist that it is not necessary to
know about what Christ has done. Accordingly, all
verses indicating that Christ’s death and resurrection
are soteriologically necessary are taken to refer to the
fact of Christ’s sacrifice rather than to explicit
knowledge of that truth.
~Geisler, p. 457
 The Special-Revelation View (Salvation
Comes Only Through the Gospel of Jesus
Christ)
The standard orthodox position down through the
centuries—held by Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin,
and their followers—is that, in this age, salvation is not
possible apart form knowledge of and believe in the
death and resurrection of Christ.

This position seems to call into question God’s justice

and omnibenevolence. Nonetheless, there are several
biblical passages pointing in this direction.
~Geisler, p. 458
 The Special-Revelation View (Salvation
Comes Only Through the Gospel of Jesus
Christ)
Biblical support:
John 3:36—“whoever believes in the Son has eternal life”
John 3:18— “whoever does not believe stand condemned”
John 8:24—”If you do not believe that I am . . . You will indeed die in
your sins”
John 10:1, 9, 11, 14—“the man who does not enter the sheep pen by
the gate . . .is a thief and a robber . . . I am the gate”
Romans 10:13-14
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How,
then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And
how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?
An how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
 The Special-Revelation View (Salvation
Comes Only Through the Gospel of Jesus
Christ)
The argument from the special-revelation view is that all humanity had
inherited sin and only through belief in through knowledge of the gospel can
one be saved. As Paul indicates, they cannot believe if they have not
heard.

General revelation declares that there is a Creator, a God, but it does not
reveal the plan of salvation, which is why evangelism and missions is so
important.

The argument that it is unjust or unloving of God to judge those who have
never heard the gospel is an argument made from a faulty premise,
namely, that somehow people merit grace. Grace by definition, is
unmerited. It is grace that anyone hears and believes. The justice is that
everyone goes to hell, because all have sinned and come short of the glory
of God. Grace and mercy is revealed in those who hear and believe.