My heart aches every time I read this part of the Bible. Innocent children die because of Jesus’ birth. If this were not a fulfillment of prophecy, we might simply blame King Herod and move on. But since this event is clearly recorded as fulfilling prophecy, it appears to have been allowed by God.
To be honest, whenever I encounter such passages in the Bible, I find it difficult to reconcile them with a God of love and justice. At times, God seems unfair and beyond my understanding. Moreover, these tragedies still happen today—the death of young children who cannot even have faith. I have wrestled with these questions many times.
“God, why did you allow this to happen? How can these children be saved if you take them like this? If those who don’t believe in Jesus go to hell, what sin do these children have to be sent to hell?”
I’m sure many of you have struggled with these questions too. So today I want to share an explanation that helped me wrestle with this dilemma, though it may be controversial. While it is based on Scripture, it may be difficult for those with conventional faith to accept. I myself am not fully convinced by this explanation, and I simply hope that God might save them in this way. Please take this with a grain of salt, even if you disagree.
Let’s consider the possibility of salvation for young infants who cannot yet have faith on their own.
Here are a few premises for this approach:
1) Original sin is not the sin itself, but the potential within each person to commit sin, arising from judging and acting by one’s own standards rather than God’s.
2) Salvation is strictly individual.
3) Forgiving sin is the authority of God and Jesus, and salvation is given by God to those He chooses, not by people.
The first premise assumes, as explained in the section on original sin, that all people inherit original sin not as sin itself, but as the tendency that makes it inevitable to commit sin. This provides an important logical basis for the explanation that all people are bound to become sinners because there is no way to never violate God’s standards after abandoning God’s standards and judging by their own.
The second premise is that salvation is received through one’s own faith, not through the faith of others. So even if parents have faith, children are not automatically saved. Conversely, even if parents don’t have faith, children may be saved if they come to faith themselves.
The third premise is that salvation is under God’s sovereignty, not human control. It is God who forgives sins and gives faith. Of course, the God mentioned here refers to the triune God, including God the Father. Even those who disagree with the first premise may agree with the second and third.
Now let’s think about the possibility of salvation for young infants based on these three premises. In Numbers, when the people who left Egypt complain after spying on Canaan, there is a scene where God speaks of judgment:
“Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all who were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me, surely you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, that you said should be a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected.” (Numbers 14:29-31, WEB)
Many people mistakenly think that among those who left Egypt, everyone except Joshua and Caleb could not enter Canaan, and only those born in the wilderness entered. But to be precise, not all people who left Egypt died. Only Joshua and Caleb entered among those twenty years old and above who were counted in the census. The rest, even if they were born in Egypt and spent their childhood there, could enter Canaan after spending 40 years in the wilderness.
Seeing that God makes an exception for minors under twenty, I thought there might be a possibility that He would make an exception for infants who cannot have faith on their own.
As explained in the section on original sin, people become sinners only when they actually commit sin. They don’t become sinners if they haven’t committed any sin. However, if they commit sin even once, they become eternal sinners, so no one can escape the bondage of sin.
Romans and 1 Corinthians state that through one man, Adam, all people were condemned and died. You might think my explanation is wrong remembering these words. However, Paul’s words can be understood as describing our universal situation due to Adam’s sin. Just because it says “all people” doesn’t mean it literally includes everyone, because there are two exceptions in the Bible who ascended to heaven without experiencing death: Enoch (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:1,11). These two people don’t exactly fit Paul’s words, but at the same time they are included, as people who should die due to Adam’s sin generally ascended without dying exceptionally. Of course, this exception will happen to us at Jesus’ second coming. Therefore, the words in Romans and 1 Corinthians can be thought of as a generally valid rule with exceptions.
Focusing again on sin, sin is anything that violates God’s standards. This is such a strong standard, including not just actions but also thoughts, that it’s impossible for humans not to be sinners. This applies even to young children. In God’s eyes, if one commits sin, they become a sinner whether young or old. However, for newborns and fetuses who have almost no ability to judge for themselves, they may die without actually committing sin. So we can consider the possibility that God may make an exception for them. If these babies truly did not commit sin, while they may not be righteous, at least they are not sinners, so the possibility of salvation arises.
You may feel this explanation creates a logical contradiction with Jesus’ words that no one can come to the Father except through him. But is that really the case? Wouldn’t it be different if this method of salvation were also through Jesus?
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.’” (John 14:6, WEB)
Jesus clearly states that one can only go to God through him. Where God is, that is heaven where we receive salvation.
Paul also says:
“That if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10, WEB)
This explanation appears throughout the New Testament, summarizing that one can only be saved by believing in Jesus. I completely agree with this teaching. There is no other way of salvation apart from Jesus. However, I want to suggest the possibility that God may make an exception for cases like young babies who cannot hear, believe in their hearts, or confess with their mouths.
We can glimpse this possibility in Paul’s words about Gentiles. In his sermon in Athens, he says:
“The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent.” (Acts 17:30, WEB)
The fact that God overlooked idol worship in times of ignorance can be understood as making exceptions in certain situations. This is like the situation we’re discussing today—the death of young babies who cannot have faith.
Now let me explain specifically how salvation through Jesus is possible in these particular situations. As in premise 3 above, the authority to forgive sins belongs to God. And Jesus received that authority by offering his body as an atoning sacrifice.
Jesus says:
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—then he said to the paralytic—‘Arise, and take up your mat, and go to your house.’” (Matthew 9:6, WEB)
Forgiving sins is an act containing Jesus’ will, not something that happens automatically. When we repent, Jesus forgives us with the authority he received, but forgiveness doesn’t automatically happen just because we repent. That’s why, as John the Baptist said, we need to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Anyway, since Jesus’ forgiveness and salvation are not based on human actions but are purely gifts containing God’s will, I thought there could be a possibility for babies’ salvation as well.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8, WEB)
If we receive faith as God’s gift and obtain salvation through grace by that faith, couldn’t God create a way of salvation for young babies who cannot believe and confess on their own? Does this explanation contradict what Romans says about faith and salvation?
“As it is written, ‘There is no one righteous; no, not one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’” (Romans 3:10-12, WEB)
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God. Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God set forth to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance; to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we then nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” (Romans 3:19-31, WEB)
As Paul explains, people can only become righteous through faith. Whether by law or any other method, people cannot become righteous by their own strength. The only way to be declared righteous is through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the truth.
However, what I’m talking about here is about babies and fetuses who are incapable of action, understanding, or faith. I’m explaining about children who don’t meet any of the conditions Paul mentions—children who cannot confess Jesus as Lord and be justified by that faith. If Jesus decides to forgive the sins of children who have not committed any sin against God’s standards, but cannot prove their own righteousness by any action, and bring them to God’s side by His own authority—if such a method of salvation is actually possible, I cautiously think that this too might be salvation through Jesus.
I think this is where many people’s faith will clash. Of course, even as I give this explanation, I naturally feel resistance. But what can we do about the exceptions already recorded in the Bible, as in the Exodus event? Is it really the right attitude to ignore God’s sovereignty over salvation in order to keep my faith?
I’m not saying that fetuses and babies can be saved unconditionally. Rather, it’s closer to desperately wanting God to save them by any means possible, as exceptions. I’m talking about God and Jesus’ sovereignty in salvation now. This is not about works, law, or faith.
Jesus said:
“You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? But which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore, the one who offers the gift on the altar is holy; but the altar makes the gift holy also.” (Matthew 23:17-19, WEB)
Let me put it this way: Is the faith that brings salvation more important, or is it God’s sovereignty that grants faith and salvation? Undoubtedly, God’s sovereignty is paramount. God does not save all people who can judge for themselves unless they believe in Jesus as written in the Bible. This is settled. But in cases where judgment, understanding, and faith are impossible, even if God’s sovereignty comes in a little stronger, would that distort God’s justice?
Looking at King Herod’s massacre of infants from this perspective, we can see something we couldn’t see before—the possibility of salvation for the children who were killed. In fact, the reason I’m explaining this at such length is because of the verse that follows immediately after Jeremiah 31:15, where the prophecy of the infant massacre appears. Matthew only records up to the part where Rachel refuses to be comforted, but the original Jeremiah contains the following:
“Yahweh says: ‘Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work will be rewarded,’ says Yahweh, ‘and they will come again from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your latter end,’ says Yahweh, ‘and your children will come again to their own territory.’” (Jeremiah 31:16-17, WEB)
God says their sons and daughters will return to their homeland. This primarily means returning from Babylonian captivity, but since this prophecy was also used for Herod’s infant massacre, couldn’t this latter part also be interpreted as about sons and daughters returning to God’s kingdom?
While I can’t say this interpretation is biblically certain, if there’s even a minimal possibility, I want to try believing this path—relying on the love of Jesus who died on the cross in our place for our sins.
“But Jesus said, ‘Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.’” (Matthew 19:14, WEB)
