“Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who works when and where and how he pleases. The same is true of every elect person who is incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word. —1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Article 10, Section 3”1
This section of the Baptist Confession acknowledges the problem in trying to reconcile infant depravity, and the necessity of regeneration while illustrating the grace and calling of God on all who will be saved—including infants. In short, it’s an honest approach to the mystery leaving it open to all infants being considered heaven-bound. In the estimation of Obbie Todd writing for the Founders Ministry, “The idea of ‘elect infants’ [in the confession] neither asserts nor denies that all infants dying in infancy are saved”; What it does assert is that “infants dying in infancy are ‘saved by Christ.’”2
The teaching of Cornerstone Church will affirm this historical position as articulated in the past by Baptist theologians like Charles Spurgeon, John Gill, and John Broadus as well as more contemporary Baptist Theologians like John MacArthur, and John Piper who “believed that all infants [who died] were saved”.3 The reasoning for this view:
God's Sovereign Role in Life and Death: It is held that God, in His absolute sovereignty, orchestrates all events, including life and death. This belief stems from the scriptural view that every life event, including the lives and deaths of infants, is part of God’s divine ordination (Psalm 139:16; Job 12:10).
The State of Humanity and Original Sin: Humanity, initially created to exist eternally, was subjected to sin and death through the fall of Adam and Eve. This condition encompasses all of humanity, including infants, who are born into this fallen state as part of the human race, not by their own actions (Romans 5:12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:22).
The Nature of God as the Savior: At the heart of this defense is the depiction of God as inherently merciful, compassionate, and a Savior desiring to rescue those unable to save themselves, including infants (Matthew 19:14; Psalm 145:9).
Principles of Accountability and Knowledge: Based on the teachings in Romans 1, moral and spiritual accountability to God is believed to be connected to an individual’s capacity for understanding and acknowledging God. Infants, due to their developmental stage, lack the capacity to process this knowledge and thus are not held accountable in the same way as those who knowingly reject God (Romans 1:20; Deuteronomy 1:39).
Condition, Not Age, of Accountability: The emphasis here is not on age but on the condition of moral and spiritual understanding. Infants, not yet able to grasp moral and spiritual concepts, are seen as innocent in terms of accountability for sin (Jonah 4:11; Isaiah 7:15-16).
Salvation Through Grace and Christ’s Sacrifice: Essential to this position is the doctrine of salvation by grace, a divine gift made possible through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. This grace is believed to extend to all who cannot make a conscious faith decision, including infants (Ephesians 2:4-5; Romans 6:23).
The Concept of Election: In this view, infants who die are considered elect by God, chosen for salvation. This concept of election is understood as an act of divine grace, independent of any actions by the infant (Ephesians 1:4-5; 2 Timothy 1:9).
Judgment Based on Deeds and Conscious Rebellion: According to scripture, eternal condemnation is linked to conscious acts of rebellion against God. As infants are incapable of such deliberate rebellion, they are believed to not possess a record of sin that would lead to condemnation (Romans 2:6; Matthew 19:14).
Our position is that babies who die are welcomed into heaven honoring the benevolent and compassionate nature of God, reflecting His profound care for the most innocent. As Spurgeon Summarized:
“Some ground the idea of eternal blessedness of the infant upon its innocence. We do no such thing; we believe that the infant fell in the first Adam…[yet] No doubt, in some mysterious manner the Spirit of God regenerates the infant soul, and it enters into glory made meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light.”
“Citing Anglican John Newton, Spurgeon appeals to Luke 18 in order to advocate the ‘known character of our Lord Jesus Christ’ and to the ‘very great part of the kingdom of heaven’ made up of children. Ultimately grounding the redemption of infants in the sheer goodness of God, Spurgeon’s exegesis is in many ways characteristic of most arguments for the salvation of all infants.”4
https://founders.org/library/chapter-10-effectual-calling/
https://founders.org/articles/infant-election/
https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/80-242/the-salvation-of-babies-who-die-part-1; https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-happens-to-infants-who-die
https://founders.org/articles/infant-election/