The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Praying for the Dead (Purgatory)

God has chosen to remain silent about whether any particular unborn child, or newborn infant, or mentally incapacitated individual goes to heaven. Where God is silent we ought also to be (this is certainly a massive problem within Roman Catholicism, where the doctrine of limbo, not to mention purgatory, was virtually invented wholecloth to address these concerns). Such individuals deserve to go to hell with the rest of humanity; we can trust that some of these are saved by the sovereign grace of God because His elect are from every tribe, tongue, and nation, but we cannot presume upon His grace with any particular such individual. Where He does extend His grace to such, the Spirit works within them the same faith that He works in those who are able to confess that faith outwardly, as fits the whole tenor of Scripture concerning the way of salvation.

Now, as the you said in the post of yours I originally responded to, you believe that there are some folks who "aren't ready for God" (presumably even at their death). The truth of the matter is, as I mentioned before, that if anyone rests on the finished work of Jesus Christ, trusting in Him alone for His salvation, then HE IS READY for God. God has put the believer's sins to Christ's account, and He has put Christ's righteousness to the believer's account. At physical death, the old nature of the believer dies as well and His sanctification is complete, having been purchased by Christ Himself.