What Shall I Do To Be Saved?

By Rev. Dr. Curian Kaniyamparambil

Question 55. Can infants who are not yet able to believe, and people who didn't have the opportunity to believe, be saved?

There were people who objected infant baptism even during the early periods of the church. Their views were based on an argument that, infants couldn't believe in Jesus Christ.

1) When God works with us, it starts with God initiating it. In this process our duty as humans is to commit to, and obey to His acts (King's Highway). E.g. Peter, Andrew, Jacob, John, Matthew, and Saul. They were all called to God before they believed in Jesus Christ. It was God's plan. The important factor is that they obeyed the call.

2) There are many examples in the Bible, which proves that infants can receive blessings from God (Matt. 19:14) before birth (Jeremiah 1:5, Luke 1:15,45). They can even get into the covenant with God on the 8th day after birth (Genesis 17:12). This is because infants belong to God, before and after birth. (Psalms 22:9, 10; 139:13; Judges 13:2, 5; 1 Sam 1:27)

Then the word of Lord came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the belly I knew you and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet unto the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5) (KJV)

This is my covenant between you and your descendants after you must keep: every male among shall be circumcised "through our ages every male among you when he is eight days old shall be circumcised." (Genesis 17:12)

"The angel of the Lord". said to her, "Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son. Now, then careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean." (Judges 13:2)

I prayed for this child (Samuel), and Lord granted my request? (1 Samuel 1:27)

You drew me forth from the womb, made me safe at my mother's breast? (Psalms 22:9)

You formed my inmost being; You know me in my mother's womb? (Psalms 139:13)

"The angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah and said, your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John." (Luke 1:13). "and he will be filled with Holy Spirit, while he is still in the womb of his mother." (1:16). "Later Mary heard that Elizabeth was conceived and she visited her. Mary greeted Elizabeth, And when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with Holy Spirit." (1:41)

The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name? (Isaiah 49:1)

It is obvious that children and infants will receive blessings from God. God even calls people who are non-believers. Further more we can also see that?

1) Not only for infants and non-followers, a person can receive blessings from God by virtue of another persons belief. The examples are:-

And it happened when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with Holy Spirit? (Luke 1:41)
Because Jairus believed in Jesus, his daughter came out of death and lived. (Mark 5: 21- 41);
Then they brought to Him a paralytic lying on the bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, Son be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven.??(Matt 9:2). The paralytic man was saved because of the faith of the people who brought him to Christ.
A child was saved and drove out a mute Spirit because his father believed in Jesus Christ and prayed. (Mark 9:24)
Because of The Centurion's belief and faith, his servant was healed. (Mat 8: 5 - 13)
The Cananite woman believed in Jesus Christ and her daughter was saved of a chronic illness. (Mat. 15:21-25)

2) When God approaches us we should commit ourselves to Him. God came to us in order to save us when we were sinners. God became man for our salvation, because of God's grace alone and never because we requested Him to. Please refer to the following versus:

"But the Lord said to Ananyas, Go, for he (Saul) is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles, kings and children of Israel." (Acts 9:15)
"But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His Grace." (Gala. 1:15)
"It was not you, who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain so that what ever you ask the Father in my name he may give you." (John 15:16)

The above versus, reveals an obvious truth, that God acts on a person without his knowledge.

But again people who argue for baptism by faith hides Mark 16:17-18. "And (who believe) they will handle snakes; and if they should drink any poison of death, it will not harm them; and they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be healed." [Snake in Aramaic is an idiom for enemies]

In the case of anyone who is unable to do these miracles mentioned above, does it not mean that he did not believe? Are all those, baptized after believing, able to do these signs? A few may, but many who have received child baptism have done these miracles too.

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