Thanks again for a great site. Common sense tells us that all children and those unable to make a decision for Christ due to mental capacity would be taken in the Rapture, but is there anything in the scripture to back this up?
Let’s begin by reviewing our position that all children are saved, because being saved is the single qualification for being included in the rapture.
In 2 Samuel 12:23 David explained that the child he had just lost due to illness would not return to him, but David would go to be with the child. David knew his child was with the Lord, just as he would be.
In Romans 7:9 Paul wrote that he had life until the commandment came. Then sin sprang to life and he died. That means before he was able to understand it, he was not accountable to the Law, and had eternal life. But as soon as he could understand it, he became accountable. At that time his sins were counted against him and he was scheduled for death. After that he had to be born again to regain eternal life.
And Jesus said unless we change and become like little children we can never enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 18:3). He was speaking of the need to be born again as a child of God, pure and innocent in His eyes. But He was also confirming that all children are welcome in Heaven, In fact in Matt. 19:14 He said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”
If adults who are born again become like children and are qualified for the rapture, how much more will the children themselves, who don’t need to be born again, be qualified?
“Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed are they whose sins whose sins the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit” (Psalm 32:1-3).