Strange Love

About two weeks ago, I attended a friend’s infant thanksgiving and memorial service, remembering the life of the baby who never got to see this world. The baby died in the mother’s womb just few days before delivery. When I heard of the news, my heart broke. God’s love seems so strange. Why did this happen to a faithful Christian couple?  Where is the child now?  Is he saved?

Some maintain that because the child was stillborn and never sinned, he is not guilty before God.  Therefore, he is not responsible for sin.

However, the Scriptures tell us that sin is inherited by all people through Adam (Romans 5:12-21).  Sin originated from Adam, but we all are born with the tendency to sin.  Even before birth, children have a sinful nature that not only gives them a tendency to sin but also causes God to view them as sinners.  We have to accept the scriptures that talk about us having a sinful nature before the time of birth such as in Psalm 51:5 “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me”. So, what then do we say about infants who die before they are old enough to understand and believe the gospel?

At the memorial service, both the parents said that they are certain that the infant will live forever in the Lord’s presence.  They are also confident that they will see his infant son again one day in the glory of the heavenly kingdom.  This assurance comes from God’s promises in the Scriptures.

It is possible for God to bring regeneration to an infant even before he or she is born.  This happened to John the Baptist (Luke 1:15).  In a similar example, King David says in Psalm 22:10 “From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God”. We can also observe a frequent pattern throughout the Scriptures to save the children of those who believe in him (Gen 7:1 c.f Hebrews 11:7; Psalm 103:17; Acts 2:38-39; Titus 1:6).  These passages do not show that God automatically saves the children of all believers, but they do indicate that God brings the children of believers to himself.  Hence, God is able to save infants in an unusual way.  We have to affirm very clearly that this is not the usual way for God to save people.  Salvation occurs when someone hears and understands the gospel and then places their trust in Christ.  Moreover, we must say that if such infants are saved, it cannot be their own merits or on the basis of their own righteousness or innocence, but solely on the basis of God’s sovereign choice.

How about the children of unbelievers? The Scripture is silent about the children of unbelievers.  When scripture is silent, we have to remember that it is unwise for us to make definite pronouncements. We simply have to leave this matter in God’s hands and trust him to be both just and merciful.

I spoke to the parents a week after the memorial service.  They miss the child a lot and sometimes wonder what he would have been doing if he were here with them. I am truly encouraged by their faith in God.  Instead of me saying any consoling words to them, they reminded me that God is good and gracious despite the pain of loss that they are experiencing now.  At times like this, God’s love seems strange.  Yet as Christians and people who belong to God, we are blessed and comforted with God promises.  We can trust in His words.

Amy Leong - Children’s Worker