The Salvation of Those Unable to Believe
While Scripture doesn’t explicitly address the eternal state of children and the mentally disabled, biblical principles point to God’s merciful disposition toward those incapable of moral comprehension.
The Reality of Original Sin
- All inherit Adam’s sinful nature (Genesis 5:3; Romans 5:12)
- Humanity bears corruption from birth (Psalm 51:5)
The Principle of Moral Accountability
- Judgment based on rejecting clear revelation (Romans 1:20)
- Children lack capacity to “reject wrong and choose right” (Isaiah 7:16)
- Jesus distinguished between willful unbelief and incapacity (John 9:39-41)
Evidence of God’s Merciful Nature
- Christ’s atonement sufficient for all (1 John 2:2)
- David’s confidence about his deceased child (2 Samuel 12:23)
- God’s character as compassionate protector (Psalm 103:13-14)
Theological Considerations
- Age of accountability not specified but implied
- God judges according to ability to comprehend
- Christ’s sacrifice covers those incapable of faith response
While maintaining the seriousness of sin, we trust a just yet merciful God to deal rightly with those who never possessed the capacity for saving faith.
