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William said:
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Pilgrim said:
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William said:
Does not God elect infants and convert young children? Are not God's promises of faith and santification, God's work of salvation? God also commands that they repent, obey, believe and the elect seed does so from a new heart.
William,

No, God does NOT elect "infants". Election occurred in eternity, not when someone is an infant.
In His grace . . .


OK then, Does not God regenerate infants and convert young children?
Though we have some arguable texts in which some children were converted from the womb (Luke 1:41-42) we also have examples of God not regenerating covenant infants from the womb (on top of ‘ol baldly, 2 Kings 2:23-24; the sons of Eli, 1 Sam. 2:22-25; Esau, Rom. 9:13; Ishmael, Gal. 4). Oh, don't forget that "all" Israel is not Israel as another example.

What I find interesting is Matthew 18:11-14 which states,

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Matthew 18:11-14 For the Son of man came to save that which was lost.

12 How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray?

13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth over it more than over the ninety and nine which have not gone astray.

14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Did you notice the use of the phrase “little ones” (micron). Our Lord states that these elect (they are sheep not goats) “little ones” are “lost.” Now just in case you don’t get it, Matthew uses this term in 14th chapter (vss. 6, 10) interchangeably with paidion (vss. 2, 4, 5). Paidion means very young child or infant. Though Christ looked at these particular Jewish children as being in the covenant and had some VERY stringent rules concerning them, he also considered them “lost” until they were found by the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls (1 Pet. 2:25). Moreover, in light of the first examples given, this text may not be biblically interpreted that all covenant children are saved -- only the ones that God blessed in his decree of election will be saved.

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Psalm 58:3-4 The wicked are estranged from the womb: They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear.

Reformed and Always Reforming,