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| Volume 25 Number 11 November 2023 |
Page 16 |
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| Volume 25 Number 11 November 2023 |
Page 16 |
Louis Rushmore, Editor
“Where do babies go when they die?” someone inquired. Such a question would never have been asked except for the worldwide influence of the Roman Catholic Church. For centuries, it taught that unbaptized (unchristened) babies who die were neither eligible for Heaven nor candidates for Hell. Thus, Catholic religionists devised an intermediary eternal abode hovering between Heaven and Hell, which they dubbed, “Limbo.” “Limbo, which comes from the Latin word meaning ‘border’ or ‘edge,’ was considered by medieval theologians to be a state or place reserved for the unbaptized dead, including good people who lived before the coming of Christ” (Pullella).
Though not Hell itself, Limbo was imagined to be closer to Hell than it was to Heaven. “A supposed border-land of hell; a region which has been believed by many to exist on the borders of hell, and to be the appointed abode of those who have not received the grace of Christ while living, and yet have not deserved the punishments of wilful and impenitent sinners” (“Limbo.” Wordnik).
A further synopsis regarding “Limbo” includes the following.
The place between heaven and hell to which Roman Catholics believe that the spirits of dead children who have not been baptized go: Limbo is the theological belief that children who die before being baptized are suspended in a space between heaven and hell. In 1905 Pope Pius X declared that children who die without baptism go into limbo, where they do not enjoy God, but they do not suffer either. (“Limbo.” Cambridge)
Merriam-Webster defines “Limbo” as “an abode of souls that are according to Roman Catholic theology barred from heaven because of not having received Christian baptism” (emphasis added). Did you get it that the source of a supposed place in eternity called “Limbo” pertains exclusively and originally to “Roman Catholic theology” rather than to any biblical reference? The word “Limbo” does not appear anywhere in our Bible translations.
Therefore, it is not surprising that when religionists of any sort rely on humanly devised doctrines instead of “sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:10; 2 Timothy 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1), upon the pages of the divinely inspired Scriptures, that manmade doctrines are changeable. On the other hand, divinely inspired doctrine by which we are supposed to live today and by which we ultimately will be judged does not change.
Any proposed changes to the Gospel of Christ warrants divine censure, as well as a heavy, irreversible and eternal penalty.
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9 NKJV)
What the Holy Spirit caused to be written about changes to the book of Revelation generally applies to all Scripture – because it is wholly divine in origin (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ made it abundantly clear that manmade theology will be the eternal ruin of a host of souls. He said:
Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Furthermore, our Lord forewarned that every religious institution (composed of its members) that is foreign to His church will not survive Final Judgment. “But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted’” (Matthew 15:13).
Rejoining the discussion about “Limbo,” because it is the product of human ingenuity, we cannot be too surprised that finally it has been sort of put to rest. The Catholic Church’s International Theological Commission in 1992 addressed “The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die without Being Baptized.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church for that year made no mention of “Limbo.” “Rather, the Catechism teaches that infants who die without baptism are entrusted by the Church to the mercy of God…” (“Hope of Salvation”). “The Roman Catholic Church has effectively buried the concept of limbo, the place where centuries of tradition and teaching held that babies who die without baptism went” (Pullella emphasis added). Worldly traditions war against the divinely revealed Word of God – the Bible (especially the New Testament under which we live today and by which we will be judged, John 12:48). “And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men…” (Mark 7:7-8). “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
The Methodist Church preceded the Catholic Church in dispensing with the doctrine of original sin as the basis for baptizing babies – though both religious groups continue to administer christening of babies. Prior to 1910, the Methodist Discipline taught that babies were born guilty of original sin, but from 1910 to the present, the Methodist Discipline teaches otherwise. Imagine a mother whose dear children were born to her in 1909 and 1910. She was expected to believe that the former of the two was born in sin but that the latter of the two was born into Christ at birth. Do you suppose that the young mother found herself perplexed, confused and more than a little aggravated?
For instance, the 1894 edition of the Discipline says, “…All men are conceived and born in sin…” while the 1910 edition reads, “…All men, though fallen in Adam, are born into this world in Christ the Redeemer…” (qtd. by Nichol 49 emphasis added). Oddly, Methodists still practice infant baptism, but the reason that they practice it is no longer a doctrine to which they subscribe. Secondly, the rewording of the baptismal recitation when christening babies conflicts with their doctrine regarding baptism and the new birth; if each child born is already in Christ, then what’s the point of going through the motions of baptism for any persons of any age? With brother McCord we heartily agree. “To be born ‘in Christ’ is quite different from being born ‘in sin’” (McCord “NIV in Psalm 51:5,” 925 emphasis added).
…in 1910 Methodists repudiated the doctrine of inborn sin. Since that date Methodist pastors are instructed, when sprinkling a baby, to say: “forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in Christ, I baptize you into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” If babies are “born in Christ,” then they are born sinless, and so what the Methodists and others call “baptism” is now only a dedication ceremony. (McCord “Baby Dedication,” 261 emphasis added)
That [baptismal] formula was altered in 1910 to say: “Forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in Christ, I baptize you into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Thus the Methodists removed the reproach they had previously laid on humanity, and then made another error by teaching that all people are in Christ before baptism. (McCord “Four Facts of Life,” 524 emphasis added)
The reason that Catholicism theorized Limbo for a place of unbaptized babies who died before being christened (not biblical baptism for multiple reasons) to exist eternally is because of another theorized doctrine – original sin. This latter theological doctrine teaches that every person bears the original sin of Adam and Eve that they committed in the Garden of Eden. Thus, original sin – Catholics think – taints every baby born into this world, and so, Catholicism had to find a remedy to avoid condemning unbaptized (unchristened) babies to Hell without promoting them to Heaven. Every spinoff from the Catholic Church or spinoff from a spinoff of the Catholic Church that does or historically did christen babies borrowed the theological errors of original sin and baptizing babies (e.g., Calvinists in general, Lutherans, Episcopalians [also called Anglicans or of the Church of England], Methodists).
Aside from whatever the Catholic Church, the Methodists or some other religious group devised regarding the whereabouts of babies after death, we need only concern ourselves with what the Bible teaches. Particularly, the Bible teaches directly and implicitly regarding the location of babies after they die. We’ll examine implicit teaching first.
Our Lord used the innocence of children to characterize the citizenry of Heaven. “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 18:2-3). “But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 19:14). In their innocence, “little children” have no sins for which to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38), and “little children” cannot choose for themselves to have faith, which precedes baptism (Mark 16:16).
The Old Testament also acknowledges that babies or little children do not bear the sins of their parents. “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself” (Ezekiel 18:20). Also note the understanding of King David regarding Bathsheba’s first-born son to him. “And he said, ‘While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me’” (2 Samuel 12:22-23).
Thus, it is with young children who bear no sin as it is with faithful saints of any age when they die. Ultimately, they can anticipate an eternity in Heaven. The body returns to the soil and the soul returns to God. “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
The intermediary abode of all souls who cross the threshold of death is Hades. Both the rich man and Lazarus entered Hades upon their deaths, though into different chambers apart from each other (Luke 16:19-31). The rich man was “in torments in Hades” (v. 23), but Lazarus was in “Abraham’s bosom” (v. 22). Upon His death, Jesus Christ also went to Hades (Acts 2:27, 21), as did the penitent thief, but to the chamber He described as “Paradise” (Luke 23:42-43). The “Paradise” of which Jesus spoke is comparable to the “bosom of Abraham” to which He referred in the narrative about the rich man and Lazarus.
In summary, when babies die, they go to Hades generally and specifically to “Abraham’s bosom” or “Paradise” to await the General Resurrection and the Judgment Day, precursors to entrance into Heaven itself. This is the same for faithful Christians, too.
Works Cited
“Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die without Being Baptized, The.” International Theological Commission. 1992. 11 Nov. 2023. <https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070419_un-baptised-infants_en.html>.
“Limbo.” Cambridge Dictionary. 11 Nov. 2023. <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/limbo>.
“Limbo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. 11 Nov. 2023. <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/limbo>.
“Limbo.” Wordnik. 11 Nov. 2023. <https://www.wordnik.com/words/limbo>.
McCord, Hugo. “Baby Dedication Ceremony.” Hugo McCord’s Articles in PDF Format. Digital Database. Henderson: Freed-Hardeman U., n.d., 258-261.
_ _ _. “Four Facts of Life.” Hugo McCord’s Articles in PDF Format. Digital Database. Henderson: Freed-Hardeman U., n.d., 522-527.
_ _ _. “NIV in Psalm 51:5, The.” Hugo McCord’s Articles in PDF Format. Digital Database. Henderson: Freed-Hardeman U., n.d., 924-929.
Nichol, C.R. A Study in Methodist Discipline. Abilene: ACU P., n.d.
Pullella, Philip. “Catholic Church Buries Limbo after Centuries.” Reuters. 20 Apr. 2007. 11 Nov. 2023. <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-limbo-idUSL2028721620070420>.
