beads wrote:The Bible doesn't teach infant salvation "by default" either.
The Bible, as The Cleric noted, does teach we are born as sinners. The Bible also teaches that God saves whomever He wills to show grace towards. If infants are not condemned, it is because God has chosen not to condemn them, not because they have made a conscious decision to have faith in Christ, or because they are exempt from the teaching that "no man comes to the Father, except through Jesus", or because they are to young to understand sin and are therefore saved by default until they know better.
The Bible teaches we are born with a sin nature, on that we agree. However, the Bible also teaches that children do not know the difference between right and wrong. Those who advocate original sin applies to infants and teach infants are damned usually base this belief on:
Exodus 20:4-6
5 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. NAS
While at the same time ignoring these:
Jeremiah 31:29
29 "In those days they will not say again,
'The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children's teeth are set on edge.' NAS
Ezekiel 18:2-4
2 "What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel saying,
'The fathers eat the sour grapes,
But the children's teeth are set on edge'?
3 "As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. 4 "Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. NAS
Ezekiel 18:20
20 "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. NAS