Because the elders want to raise awareness about individuals with special needs in PBF’s own ministry efforts, Pastor John and I have written several blog posts this year on that topic. In this post, I will address a somewhat difficult component involving individuals with more severe special needs (e.g. those unable to communicate with others or have very limited cognitive ability). I hope to show 1) the relationship between their physical condition and their spiritual condition, and 2) how surrounding believers should continually engage such individuals with the gospel. Because the Bible itself contains very little, if any, direct passages that address this issue, we must reason from what we do know from Scripture. A good place to start is with another group of individuals whose mental capacity is less developed – namely young children and infants. We can reach several conclusions that we can then apply to this issue.
Before diving in, it's important to note that these are my opinions only. This is not an official position of the elders or PBF. This is a difficult topic and the Bible does not explicitly address the question. It's certainly possible that there are others in PBF who hold a different view, and that doesn't impede our ability to fellowship together.
1) All individuals are born with a sin nature, and as a result of this sin nature, infants are not innocent. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5). “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.” (Psalm 58:3). “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19). We can conclude that we are by nature, children of wrath; we are born to be rebels against God, possessing hearts that are bent towards evil.
2) We sin because of the sin nature we inherited; that is, we sin because we are sinners. But the Bible also indicates that God’s judgment is a response to sins that we, ourselves, commit. God judges us based on our own works. “And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.” (Revelation 20:13). Sinners deserve eternal judgment and separation from God because they brought it upon themselves by their sin.
3) There are several passages in Scripture which suggest that God’s judgment happens to those who are aware of their own sin. In fact, to borrow the language of a Desiring God contributor, I believe that accountability occurs when there is some degree of recognition and cognition.[1] Jesus said in John 9:41 “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.” Romans 1:20 also records “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Everyone who can see God’s evidence of creation and design in this world are without an excuse. This principle applies to even our own hearts since God’s law is written there, and we are judged by our own conscience. Romans 2:15 tells us that the Gentiles, who were not given the law through Moses, are still accountable because of what is written in their hearts.
After God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, they complained and rebelled against God in the wilderness. God’s judgment was to deny them entry into the promised land. However, God was merciful to the children because they did not have the capacity to understand sin “And as for your little ones…and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.” (Deuteronomy 1:39)
4) Because infants have not yet reached a level of mental capacity or maturity to understand good from evil, we may conclude that infants are not condemned to hell when they die. It is important to remember that they are spared, not because they are innocent, but because of God’s mercy. David laments the death of his son, but he writes that he will go to his son when he dies. How is this possible unless God has mercy on infants?
What then can we conclude about individuals with more severe special needs? Some theologians who describe the mercy of God on young children and infants reference a concept called the age of accountability.[2] There is a certain time in one’s life when they possess the knowledge of good and evil, and God will judge them for the evil works they have done. However, a better (and broader) term might be someone’s “standing” of accountability. Why use the word “standing” instead of “age”? In our country, the law judges whether a person is capable of standing trial based on their mental state. Now while this concept is notoriously abused by people who claim to be crazy in order to avoid going to jail – there certainly exist individuals in mental conditions who are incapable of taking the stand to defend themselves.
Similarly, individuals with severe developmental delays may look like, and have the body of, an adult, but their standing is still of one who is an infant. They don’t have the mental capacity to know good from evil. And so, what does this mean for how we treat individuals in this condition? First, no one knows someone else’s ultimate standing with God, though we can observe the marks of a follower of Christ. “then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind).” (I Kings 8:39). We should never presume to know whether someone has reached a standing of accountability. On the surface, it may appear that someone is severely deficient in one aspect, but in reality, they may be fully aware of their own sin. We must therefore be eager to share the gospel with this individual.
Second, because no one knows where anyone stands in their accountability to God, we should preach the gospel to all people, at all times, in any place. The way the gospel is preached certainly may change depending on the individual, but we must continue to preach. This holds true even with young children and infants. I read Scripture to my own children when they’re young because I don’t know when they began to fully understand their condition. No parent knows the time when their child will be held accountable for their sin. Why then should we not always share the gospel? Even if the child doesn’t understand what is being said, our own soul is benefited by verbalizing the gospel. We stand faithful as those heralding God’s life-giving message of hope. And so, let us continue to share the gospel at all times.
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