11/18/25 ALLOW THE CHILDREN AND FORBID THEM NOT

11/18/25 ALLOW THE CHILDREN AND FORBID THEM NOT

INTRODUCTION
(The photo shows me at the age of two. I came to know and accept Jesus at a very young age. In fact, within a year of this photo, I knew God had called me to preach the gospel. Also take note, my parents (though I always loved them dearly) were not Christians and they were not church attenders. I came to know Jesus by hearing Bible stories. I became aware at a very young age that I had "been ugly" (a term for bad, evil, sinful), and I was sorry that I had displeased God. I asked Jesus to forgive me and to come into my heart. AND HE DID. And He called me to tell others about Him.

Reach children while they are very young. They are more receptive then than they will be as they get older. Then teach them in the way they should go. Lead them into total commitment and save them from backsliding.)

I WISH I HAD BEEN PART OF A CHURCH AND FAMILY THAT PROCLAIMED FULL SALVATION. I did not hear about it until I went to John Wesley Bible College in Greensboro in 1965. (Among other superlative mentors and favorite people was, President J. Neal Anderson).

THE LESSON
Even when I have encountered verses and passages, which I could not explain, I still accepted them as being God's word. I realized the problem was not with the Scriptures, but with me. On the occasions when I finally understood them, it was like, "duh, of course that is what it means." Here is a verse with a phrase that took me a while to explain correctly.

1 Timothy 4:10
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
(dlg... the phrase, SAVIOR OF ALL MEN)

I did not have any question that God wants all men to be saved and that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, and that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But I also knew that all men will not be saved, and that sinners must believe on and receive Christ, repent of and turn from their sins, confess their sins and confess faith in Christ. In other words, I believed in the universal availability and offer of salvation, but I knew that all men will not be saved, therefore salvation is not, "universal." I looked at several explanations of this verse, but none of them satisfied me. Still, I knew that the verse was true, even if only in the limited scope of the various explanations.

Though I did not believe in universal salvation (all men will be saved), I did believe (because of Scripture) that pre-born and newborn and infant children were not condemned to eternal judgment because of Adam's sin, regardless of the erroneous explanations attached to Romans 5:12.

I knew that the Bible taught that all children of Adam are conceived and born with a sinful nature (the Carnal Mind, the Old Man), and I knew that no sin can enter heaven.

I also knew the Bible taught that no man would be justified or condemned because of another person's sins or another person's right relationship with God, but I knew also the Bible taught that the pre-born and newborn and infants were accepted by God.

Then, at some point, it dawned on me (because God cleared up my understanding). It all fit together because of the atonement of Christ. Yes, we were all conceived and born with a fallen nature because of Adam. We were born corrupted, but we were not born guilty. (the Bible says we are born corrupted, it does not say we are born guilty). Our inborn sin disqualified us from heaven, but we were not guilty. Guilt requires willful disobedience, and babies have not willfully chosen to sin. However, the atonement of Christ covers every "man" at their conception. Every child is born corrupted, but every child is covered by the unilateral and unconditional grace of God, through Christ. This is how and why He is, "the Savior of all men."

As a child comes to an age of knowing and choosing right from wrong, he becomes accountable for his own sins. This is why the rest of the verse says, "...especially those who believe."

It is not unusual for Christians to believe that deceased pre-born, newborn and infant children go to heaven. We just don't usually refer to them as being saved because they were not "converted," or "born again," or "saved." However, they actually were saved by the grace of God. Those who live to the time that they become accountable for their sins, must receive Christ as their Savior in order to inherit eternal life. In this case, the provision of salvation is unilateral, but there are conditions for the willful sinner, which must be met by the sinner in order for him to be saved from his sins (believe on and receive Christ, repent of and turn from sin, confess sins and confess faith in Christ).

The Scripture is right in saying that Christ is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe. This also nullifies the idea that a person cannot, "lose his salvation." We all "lost" our covering (our salvation) when we deliberately disobeyed that which we knew to be right. BUT GOD, Who is rich in mercy, calls us to faith and repentance.

We need to lead children, very young children, into love of God and faith in Christ. By turning to Christ at a very young age can save them from a life of debauchery, and misery. God designed us for salvation, and He prepares us for salvation while we are very young. When it comes to salvation, the sooner the better.