John Broadus (1827–1895), second president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY, unequivocally asserted his view of all infants dying in infancy in his classic commentary on Matthew's gospel amidst his exposition of 19:14--"But Jesus said, 'Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'”
Broadus concludes:
"No question is here made that those dying in infancy are saved. They are saved through the atonement of Christ and the work of the Spirit, but this must hold true of all alike, without reference to any ceremony, and no matter whether their parents were believers, unbelievers, or heathen"
--John A. Broadus, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, 1888, p.404
All
How absolutely unlike old Southern Baptist Calvinists are today's self-professed agnostics filling the new Calvinist slots among Southern Baptists who insist we have no solid basis to believe all infants dying in infancy are saved. Hence, they "choose to be silent" where, they say, "Scripture is silent."
I've got a feeling had they tried that "Reformed" mantra with Baptist Calvinists like Broadus, they'd have been taken to the theological woodshed.
Posted by: peter lumpkins | 2013.09.10 at 06:34 PM
Pete:
Silent on the eternal state of infants because "scripture is silent." Couldn't same logic be applied to the social status of those held in physical slavery?
Some pretty disturbing statements (understatements) arising from scripture on that particular subject should the "scripture is silent" interpretive approach be employed.
Posted by: Scott Shaver | 2013.09.11 at 02:53 PM
Hey Scott. Absolutely. "Scripture is silent" has devolved into an enigma with content only when some Calvinists give it some.
Posted by: peter lumpkins | 2013.09.11 at 03:28 PM
Ahhh...the GNOSIS crowd.
Posted by: Scott Shaver | 2013.09.11 at 03:36 PM