Scott
Puritan Board Graduate
Cg. 10.3 of the Confession recognizes that in some mysterious way infants and those "incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word" can be saved:
His basic idea is that some people have an implicit faith in Christ but it has not been clarified because they have not yet received the ministry of the Word. He is using the example of infant salavtion to support this possibility (salvation without the ministry of the Word).
Thoughts?
Also, what does it mean to be incapable of being outwardly called? Of course, it would include infants, the mentally infirm and the like. But is the language is broad enough to include ordinary adults who are not in a position to have heard the gospel (dark jungles, whatever)? I think the answer is no, but the language is a bit vague.
I am discussing with an Arminian whether adults who have never heard of Christ can be saved. I am saying no and he is saying yes. He is using the example of the potential salvation of infants, which I admit to the degree above (his scope would be much larger). Anyway, he is arguing that is infants can be saved in a mysterious manner, then so can adults who have never been outwardly called by the gospel. It is hard to understand how the proof texts for footnote c relate to the concept of being incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word. Anyone have any support for this proposition?3. Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit,a who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth.b So also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.c
a. Luke 18:15-16 and John 3:3, 5 and Acts 2:38-39 and Rom 8:9 and 1 John 5:12 compared together. • b. John 3:8. • c. Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:12.
His basic idea is that some people have an implicit faith in Christ but it has not been clarified because they have not yet received the ministry of the Word. He is using the example of infant salavtion to support this possibility (salvation without the ministry of the Word).
Thoughts?
Also, what does it mean to be incapable of being outwardly called? Of course, it would include infants, the mentally infirm and the like. But is the language is broad enough to include ordinary adults who are not in a position to have heard the gospel (dark jungles, whatever)? I think the answer is no, but the language is a bit vague.