Beth-El Baptist Church

10/07/2007

Greg Tomlinson


Why do innocent children die?


There are many questions that well meaning people raise regarding Christianity that Christians often have difficulty answering. Sometimes the given answer remains unclear or not actually answering the question. One such question centers around the reality of children who die. To many people, including many Christians, this remains one of the great mysteries and it becomes very challenging to the faith of some.


  1. How are children described in the scriptures?

Psalm 127:3-5 Deuteronomy 21:16-21

Genesis 30:1-2 1 Samuel 1:1-8


Children are used to describe blessings being bestowed from God. For a woman to be childless is taken to be an indication that God is not pleased with them. It is the picture of a type of curse upon them from God. To have many children is an expression of great divine pleasure.


  1. Are there examples of children dying in scripture?

2 Samuel 12:9-23 1 Kings 3:16-28; 14:1-16

2 Kings 4:31-37


In several passages, children are taken by sickenss as a direct result of the father's disobedience to God. The child, a sign of God's blessing, is removed from life in this world as a picture of God's removing his hand of blessing from them or as an indication that he would be righteous and just to remove his hand of blessing from the parents.


  1. Are there examples of children being killed in scripture?

Deuteronomy 3:1-7 1 Samuel 15:1-9


The destruction of the Amalekites is a great study all by itself. The basic summary of the point is that the Amalekites were highly aggressive in their attacks against Israel when they first came out of Egypt. The time had come for God to judge the Amalekites for their godless cruelty toward Israel and toward others. He judged the Amalekites by having them killed by the sword. God also used the killing of the Amalekites to test the obedience of Saul and Israel to God. Unfortunately, Saul refused to be obedient which later manifested itself it Haman and the account of Esther.


  1. How innocent are children?

Psalm 58:1-4; 51:5 Isaiah 59:2-5

cmp: Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 2:17; 1 Timothy 1:15

cmp: 1 John 3:9; Romans 5:12-14 Romans 3:10-17; 9:10-16

1 Samuel 16:6-7


The scriptures are very clear. There is no such thing as an innocent child. They may be innocent according to our standard of measurement based upon their behavior but God's measurement and standards are different. It is God that measures a man according to their heart. The heart of every man, regarless of age, is evil and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Until the condition of the person is equal to the condition of God, the person is a sinner and they are not innocent but they are guilty. The only way to be innocent before God is to have your sins not just covered, but removed. It is only Jesus Christ that can remove sins. All that we can do as parents is to pass along to them our sin nature.


The lack of innocence in children can also be seen in their interactions with one another. When children gather together to play it is not uncommon for them to fight over toys or throw things at them. These are behaviors that they have not learned from others but they are behaviors that they have inherited because of sin.


  1. How would you summarize why children die?

Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-9 Romans 5:12-14; 6:23

1 Corinthians 2:14; 15:21-22


Children die for the same reason that everyone else dies, sin. As a result of Adam's sin, man is left in a state of determining for himself whether to sin or not sin. At the same time, the natural man cannot comprehend the desires and the ways of God so he chooses his own way. When man chooses his own way it is naturally contrary to the ways of God. It is this nature, to decide for oneself what is right and wrong, which results in the death of an individual. Without the presence of the spirit of God in an individual, they cannot but help to sin against God.


Summary:


Although we like to point out the innocence of children, in the real measurement of things, this is just one more lie from Satan. There is no such thing as an innocent child. Every child is born in iniquity, born in sin. It should be clear by now that there has never been a child that was truly killed or that has died in true, eternal, divine innocence. Every one that dies has died because of sin.