Centuries ago, theologians decided that little children are sinners, and therefore they must be baptized so their sins can be forgiven. When one believes this false idea, the obvious conclusion is that an infant who dies in his infancy and has not been baptized (usually by having water sprinkled on him) cannot go to heaven. This is not what the Bible teaches but is what theologians convinced many Christians to believe. Are children who die in infancy doomed to go to an eternal hell?
To see that this doctrine is not found in the Bible, consider the Bible definition of sin which separates one from God (Isa. 59:1-2). How does the Bible define sin? Listen to the words of God. “Sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4, KJV). Using this definition, the obvious question to be asked is what sin had a newborn baby committed? Has he put some other God ahead of Jehovah God? Has he created a graven image to worship? Has he taken the name of the Lord in vain? Has he dishonored his parents? Is he guilty of being a thief? Has he committed adultery? Has that newborn told a lie or coveted anything? The answer is obvious. What law of God has a newborn broken?
The theologians realized that a helpless newborn could not actively violate God’s teaching, so as they developed their theology, they came to the conclusion that babies inherit the sins of Adam and Eve. They created a new concept—one not found in the Bible—that a baby’s sin is not an action but an inheritance.
What does the Bible say about this? God so clearly gives us the answer. The Jews in Ezekiel used a proverb about how a father ate sour grapes and his children had that bitter taste in their mouth. God rebuked them saying, “As I live you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel” (Ezek. 18:3). The father’s actions do not determine the destiny of the child. The theologians were wrong! “The soul who sins shall die…The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son” (Ezek. 18:4, 20). Ancient Jewish theologians were wrong as are more modern “Christian” theologians. The very basis of infant baptism is destroyed. Babies have no sin, and therefore do not need to be baptized for the remission of sins.
How does Jesus describe the spiritual nature of little children? “Of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). To enter the kingdom of heaven we must “…become as little children” (Matt. 18:3). The greatest in the kingdom is the one “…who humbles himself as this little child” (Matt. 18:4). Oh, how our world would be drastically changed if religious people quit listening to theologians, priests, bishops and pastors as they tell their thoughts and just listen to Jesus!