In the January issue we noticed what can save mankind: only the blood of Jesus. In the last issue we noticed who can be saved: anyone that will come to Christ. What we want to notice in this issue is when can one be saved.
As most of us are aware, there are religious bodies that practice infant baptism. There are also groups that are opposed to it. As in all things, we need to turn to the scriptures for an answer to the question of when can one be saved.
In Mark 16:16 we read, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved….” Notice that in order for one to be saved he must not only be baptized but he must also believe. Does this not exclude children being saved? Let me make it clear that children don’t need to believe and be baptized because they are safe. We learn this from Matthew 18:3. There Jesus is recorded as saying, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” You and I must become as little children, innocent, in order to enter into heaven. Little children are not born with sin despite the teaching of Calvinism. Jesus would be telling us to become sinners again in Matthew 18:3 if Calvinism were true.
Romans 10:9-10 reads, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” It doesn’t take a Solomon to see that babies and even young children don’t have the verbal ability to confess Christ or the comprehension to believe in His resurrection.
One can be saved when there is the ability to believe and the comprehension of the death of Christ and His being the Son of God. There also has to be a knowledge of sin in one’s life; an ability to distinguish between right and wrong. Lord willing, in our next issue we will notice where one can be saved.