Baptism and the Holy Spirit
Hi, My wife and I were discussing infant Baptism, more specifically infant and unborn babies being able to believe and be saved who have not been baptized and come from parents who do not believe. My feeling was that a baby has to be able to hear the Gospel in order to be saved. In more detail, the Holy Spirit works through that message, and that babies that do not hear the Gospel cannot be saved. My wife's thought is that the Holy Spirit cannot be limited by people, and we do not know how he can work and what his power is. What are your thoughts? Thanks!
The Bible teaches that all people are sinners from conception and in need of God’s forgiveness (Psalm 51:5). The Bible also teaches that the Holy Spirit works saving faith in people’s hearts through the gospel (Romans 10:17).
Can God bring people to saving faith apart from the means of grace, the gospel in word and sacraments? Certainly. God can do anything. When we limit ourselves to what the Bible teaches, then we acknowledge that Scripture does not inform us of any other way of God working saving faith in people than through the gospel in word and sacraments.
Possessing that information, the Christian Church seeks to reach all nations with Baptism and the word of God (Matthew 28:19-20), recognizing that faith in Jesus saves, while unbelief condemns (Mark 16:16).