The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-23, titled "Questions and Answers--Part 51."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. Copyright 2001 by John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

After your second preaching [sermon] on the salvation of babies, I was walking out to the parking lot and I overheard two college girls walking out to their car, and one college girl was telling the other one that because babies couldn’t comprehend sin and the law and election and stuff like that, that no grace was needed to take them to heaven. I was wondering how you would respond to that.

Answer

Well, I hope I made that clear in the two messages that I gave. I’m sorry if I didn’t and if they might have misunderstood me. Nobody ever goes to heaven apart from grace. Babies who die go to heaven by pure grace whether they understand it or not.

Question (continued)

They have to be born again?

Answer (continued)

Well, the terminology “born again”--yes, I mean, they have to be regenerated. They have to be made into new creations. But, for the baby that dies, that cannot be separated from glorification. In other words, it’s not like they have to be regenerated and then later on, you know, sanctified, and then later on, glorified. Their regeneration occurs at the time of their glorification. At the time they die, I think they are at that moment regenerated by the grace of God, the sheer, pure grace of God, apart from all or any work.

It is all grace because they are all sinful. They are all culpable. They are all guilty before God. That’s why death is a reality in their lives. But, it isn’t necessary for them to comprehend any of that because that’s the very point: they can’t. And so, it is sheer grace, which makes it such a wonderful illustration of how all of us are saved by the same kind of grace--only in an adult case, God, by that grace, effects repentance and faith in our hearts.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
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