This is in response to John Russell's September 6th question who asked John Tng and the Doves our views regarding the status of children in the rapture:
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/sep2004/johnr96.htm

The only response I saw was Paul Wilson's response:
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/sep2004/paulw97-1.htm

I also wanted to comment on Paul's post the same day that was included in Jovial's response.
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/sep2004/jovial97.htm
In that there are people that believe they know the day and the hour of the rapture, just not the year. The day being the 2nd day of the two day celebration of the Feast of Trumpets in Jerusalem.  The hour being the last hour of daylight on the 2nd day in Jerusalem when the last trumpet of the 100 trumpets that are blown during this celebration is blown.  If the Hebrew calculated month is indeed a month off as put forward by Paul, then that would place the day and hour firmly on October 17th, 2004, the day Clay Cantrell has so faithfully this past many years defended.

But back to John Russell's, request.  I had recently published a book which included a whole chapter on how God deals with children that leave this earth (dieing or in the rapture) before they have become accountable for themselves.
http://www.lulu.com/content/73215

But before I just copy into this post that chapter I also wanted to first pose some questions regarding the rapture of children, realizing this is a one-time specific event. Questions.  If both parents of a child are raptured, is the child left on earth away from his or her parents?  Doesn't God make us parents responsible and accountable for raising our own children?  So, since this responsibility and accountability of a parent doesn't go away until a child reaches a certain age, how could God remove both parents without also removing the child?  And at a time when the child needs his or her parents the most, would God leave only the un-raptured to look out for the welfare of the child?

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.  Luke 12:7

On the other hand, if neither parent of a child are raptured, is the child taken away from both parents?  At the time of greatest tribulation in the parents lives would God compound it by taking away what could be their most precious possession?  The possession they may love more than life itself?  And would God forcibly take away the responsibility and accountability of a parent for their own children?

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:  Ephesians 5:29

Anyway, below I've copied the chapter right out of the book, (which I'm allowed to do I believe since I wrote it.  And I believe you can copy it yourself as long as the source is acknowledged).  However, all of the different fonts, underlines, and italics didn't copy along with the text so you will have to keep this in mind.  If a paragraph ends with a Bible Chapter and number imagine that paragraph was in italics similar to the verses above:
 

5. Age of Accountability
A couple asked a well-known Bible teacher that they believed that babies go to heaven when they die while their pastor believed they went to hell.  Try as they might, they had been unable to convince their pastor otherwise.  The Bible teacher stated that there are believers on both sides of this issue and that this is not a test for orthodoxy so we cannot be adamant either way on this subject.   But rest assured, whatever happens, it would be just, as God is a just God.

The couple said that their pastor had stated that if babies ended up in heaven then abortionists work would be increasing the kingdom of God.  The Bible teacher then related how David, after his sin with Bathsheba where the baby died, believed that he would see this baby in heaven.

Let's think about this.  At how many funerals has anyone said that they believed they would NOT see the deceased in heaven?  And does just David believing something make it true, even to the point of establishing doctrine?  David also believed that his sin with Bathsheba would not be found out.  So what David believed and what is correct cannot be presumed to be the same a priori.

However, in this instance we are comparing David's theology with David's sin which he had justified in his own mind, which may not be a fair comparison.  What we do know though is that no man can enter the kingdom of Heaven unless he is born again.

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  John 3:5

What is correct?  Do babies have the chance to be born again?  Or does this apply just to men and women who have passed the age of accountability?

Harvest of 153
There happens to be exactly 153 Bible Verses (KJV) that have the word "born" in them.  As this is the exact number of fish caught:

Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.  John 21:11

And exactly one third of all numbers in the universe when their integers are cubed and added together ultimately end up at 153; (for the mathematical proof see James Harrison's "The Pattern & The Prophecy, God's Great Code").  An analogy could be made that one third of all humans at the end of time will end up in heaven.  Some believe this is way overly optimistic.  However, the Lord is lord of all.  If one third of the angels fell from grace following satan then why not one third of humans accepting grace and taking their place?

And there is evidence that 153 was also the number of disciples and apostles Jesus chose which started the Church.  Note the verses:

And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;  Luke 6:13

After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.  Luke 10:1

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.  Luke 10:17

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)  Acts 1:15

And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.  Acts 1:26

From Luke 10:1 it is discerned that the LORD appointed seventy disciples in addition to his original seventy which would make a total of 140.  From Luke 6:13 it is discerned that 12 of the disciples were appointed also as apostles by Jesus.  From Acts 1:15-26 it is discerned that around 120 disciples chose Matthias to replace Judas as an apostle.  The apostles were both apostles and disciples so they would be counted twice (they would have a double portion like Elisha) when coming up with a total count of disciples and apostles which would make a total of 70 + 12 + 70 + 1 = 153.  However, Jesus did not choose Matthias so he cannot count.  Instead, the greatest apostle, one that was not a disciple, the one that wrote most of the New Testament, the one chosen by Jesus after His death, Paul, needs to be counted.  There are no less than 9 verses attesting to Paul being an apostle, the 12th apostle, in the first verse of the first chapters of Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus.

Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)  Galatians 1:1

So what is just?  All humans who die before the age of accountability automatically go to hell?

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Psalms 51:5

Surely the deceased young offspring of two parents bound for hell will not end up away from their parents?  But then the same could be said about the offspring of two people bound for heaven?  But then this is human reasoning.  And what about the offspring of two people, one bound for hell and one bound for heaven?  Would all these offspring be bound for Hell?  Or, to make it even, every other offspring?  God is by definition just in His decision whatever the case, and the Bible seems to clearly states the outcome:

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.  I Corinthians 7:14

It' may be a little unclear how to interpret and accept this verse.  Is it saying that an unbelieving husband can go to heaven on the shirttails of a believing wife and vice-versa?   No.  These are people being sanctified that had never been justified.   The one is sanctified with the other when they became one flesh in the sanctity of marriage, in the same way that the Israelites were sanctified by the High Priest once a year.  But it is still up to each individual to confess with their mouth that Jesus is their Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead for them to be saved from Hell.  But that leaves the children who do not yet know the difference between right and wrong, .ie. the age of accountability.

For years the author had believed that man is conceived with a sin nature and still does.  That man from the moment of conception is sinful.  Still, there is the concept that before they know right and wrong, (like Adam and Eve), they can do wrong and not be accountable, (although weren't Adam and Ever still held accountable).  However, what again does the Bible say?

For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.  Romans 2:12-13

So whether or not you know the law you are still judged by the law and perish.  And even if you know the law, if you do not do it you also will perish.

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)  It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.  Romans 9:11-13

This verse tends to support that God chooses to save whom He chooses to save.  But then it could be asked why He didn't choose to save Adam and Eve and we wouldn't be in this pickle we are all in now?  Maybe a better explanation is God chooses to love whom He chooses to love.  Not all people may be given the choice of the free gift of eternal life, such as apparently Esau, as unfair as that sounds to our human minds.

Who is Accountable?
If children are not accountable for their sins, and they do sin, then who is held accountable both in the moral and the legal arena?  The parents!  The parents are accountable and responsible, as can be seen especially when there are monetary damages involved.  If one of these parents is a believer, that parent when held responsible, has laid all of their own sins at the foot of the cross, and has been forgiven all of their imputed sins, all those for whom they themselves are responsible for, would that not include their children's?

For the "age of accountability" must be when a person is no longer accountable to their parents and their parents no longer are responsible for their children and their children are responsible for themselves.  From a Biblical standpoint, for the examples in the Exodus and David's numbering the people, that age would be just under the age of 20.  From research it appears to be exactly 1000 weeks past birth which is almost right at 20 years from conception, (1000 + 40) * 7 / 365.25 = 19.932 years).

Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.  Exodus 30:14

Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.  Numbers 14:29

These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.  I Chronicles 23:24

Therefore, if there is an age of accountability, and the Bible seems to definitely indicate there is, then that would also appear to answer the question as to whether there are babies in Heaven.  This can be a very emotional issue for those that have lost a young child.

There are indeed babies in heaven.  However, not all babies go to heaven.

While it is through grace, unmerited favor, they go, it is still the same grace that is extended towards believers.  And as such, God tells us to whom it is extended.  A believing parent saves the fruit of their seed or womb unto heaven should that fruit die young, from conception till they are no longer under the headship of their parent, around their 20th year of life.  At that point the parent is no longer responsible for the child and the child is no longer accountable to the parent.  (Notice that one's 20th year of life is one year shy of one's 20th birthday as we currently count years.)

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.  I Corinthians 7:14

Consider if a child of a believing parent makes a confession of faith and becomes a follower of Jesus Christ before their 20th year, then that child when he or she looses the protective covering of their parent which even today is around their 20th year, does not also loose the protective covering of the Holy Spirit.  They are bound for heaven should they die.  If they have not become a believer, then they are not bound for heaven.

In addition, there are other circumstances that can be put forth.

When a parent is saved after a child has been conceived, that child falling under the protective covering of that parent is saved or predestined for salvation at the moment that parent believes.

Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.  Acts 11:14

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  Acts 16:30-31

This and verses like it of the whole household being saved when only the head of the household believed just does not make sense on the surface.  There must have been children involved that were too young to understand the concept of believing in Jesus Christ to forgive their sins.  The children had never repented so how could they be saved?

However, let's look at the two signs of the last days, the sign of Noah and the sign of Lot.  Noah was saved along with all His family, making a total of 8, when the whole rest of the world was wiped out by the flood.  Yet we know that not all his family was righteous.  Ham looked upon his father's nakedness in the manner of the fallen world that had been destroyed, and was subsequently cursed by Noah.

Likewise, Lot's family were not righteous even though all were offered to be saved from destruction.  Of the possible 6 total who were offered salvation, only 3 accepted and didn't look back.  Lot's two daughter's husbands who had kept their wives virgins, when offered the chance to be saved, refused.  And Lot's wife, following her husband out of the city, looked back longingly at what she had left, and was turned to salt.  And Lot's two daughters were not followers of the true God.  They subsequently each got Lot drunk and slept with him.  Their decendants were a cursed people.

The message here is God is in the business of saving the whole family even though it is only the head of the household that believed.  It is also apparent that the members of the family can later reject that salvation and the grace they found themselves in, just as the Angels can reject the salvation they found themselves in.  And just as the Angels that were under leadership of Michael when following their leader are already saved, those Angels that followed the leadership of Lucifer were condemned and a special place of torment called hell was prepared for them.  All just for following their leader because that leader strayed outside the will of God and would set himself up above God.

Let's look at another analogy.  If the parents with their whole household after they have been saved out of Egypt (the world), refuse later to enter the promised land (heaven) because of their unbelief, they will die in their unbelief (the wilderness).  But their children, those who are not yet in their 20th year, do not have to share the same fate, but may enter into the promised land (heaven).

And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.  Joshua 6:25

And in God's grace may we pray that the entire household that will be saved includes those young ones that have gone before the head of the household in death, as God knows who are His.  -Shalom!

Not all Babies Saved
Some may still think it's not fair unless all babies who die should go to heaven, yet it is also written:

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;  Exodus 20:5

Does this sound fair to punish the CHILDREN unto the third and fourth generation, for the sins of the fathers?  If it doesn't, then your assessment of what is fair does not line up with God's and your assessment is the one that needs to change for God is not only fair but he also does not change or lie.

Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.  Exodus 34:7

The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.  Numbers 14:18

What about pregnancies aborted for the purpose of killing the baby?  Some would argue that the baby before it was born is sinless and therefore able to go to heaven.  However this ignores the passing down of iniquity from the fathers unto the third and fourth generation as shown in the verses above.  Even if it could be argued that with abortion it is more often the sin of the mother killing her own child, not the father, the father is usually not blameless, being guilty of at least fornication or adultery.

(It is noted that the word "abortion" as now commonly used means the aborting of a pregnancy for the purpose of ending the life of the baby.  The word's definition does include any aborted pregnancy including caesarian sections for the purpose of saving the life of the child.  However, although this used to be the prevalent definition, it is understood now in context to be regarding the aborting of a pregnancy for the purpose of ending the life of the baby.)

And even if the father is blameless, having had his sins forgiven by the blood of Jesus, the baby is still not sinless as the Bible is clear that sin starts at conception, not birth:

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Psalms 51:5

No one is sinless according to the Bible, except Jesus Christ who actually is God, who without an earthly father was the only one born genetically without a sin nature and could legitimately not have the sins of the fathers visited upon him to the third and fourth generation.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Romans 3:23

This verse doesn't say that all have sinned except those too young to know better.  Or that one has to act out a sin before it is considered sin by God.  For Jesus said:

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  Matthew 5:27-29

Let's also look at the Bible verses:

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 19:14

There are many Bible verses that say that you must become like a little child to enter the kingdom of heaven.  You must have faith like a child.  In fact, you must be born again, like a child.  It is not saying that you must be a child, or else no adult could be saved.  Or that the kingdom of heaven is composed of physically, just little children.

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.  Matthew 18:10

It is hard to disagree that this is stating that the guardian angels of these little children do always behold the face of Father God.  It does not state though that these little children are in heaven, just their guardian angels.

In fact we, as Christians, are addressed as little children in the Bible:

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.  I John 3:7

Some have taken the following verse:

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.  Psalms 76:10

And interpreted the "wrath of man" as applying to the abortion holocaust while "shall praise thee", means that the babies would end up in heaven.  However, Psalms 76:10 is a general statement applying to the wrath of man which could just as well mean anyone who murders someone else.  And that would mean according to this pattern of interpretation, that whosoever gets murdered, no matter if they are avowed atheists or even murderer themselves, would end up in heaven.  And this would circumvent the whole plan God laid out for salvation.  But still grace can triumph over law.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.  Genesis 6:8

Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD and his whole household, including his grown children and their wives were saved.  Every other single living human being was killed in the flood.  We also know that:

For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;  Romans 2:12

Adoption
This is an argument of Nature vs. Nurture.  What about the child from unbelieving natural parents who is adopted into a family that at least one of the parents is a believer?  Isn't it true that God adopts us into His family?  But what about the fact that God also visits the sins of the father unto the 3rd and 4th generation?  This is genetic and can't be avoided.  From personal experience it has been observed being played out in other families that have adopted and also had natural kids at the same time, that the heartaches and troubles invariably come from the adopted children.  What gives?  To quote an old commercial, it appears that "you can't fool mother nature".  The unbelieving natural parents still appear to hold sway regarding the nature of the children.  Well, more precisely, the sins of the father are passed on regardless of whether they are adopted.

Water Immersion
As Christians we know that water immersion doesn't save, yet it is an outward sign that believers do of their faith, or at least are commanded to do.  It also appears that the whole household in the Bible is immersed regardless of a child's decision regarding faith.

And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.  Acts 16:15

And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.  I Corinthians 1:16

In some faiths there is controversy regarding only doing "Believer's Immersion".  However these scriptures show that there is nothing wrong with the parents having their children immersed before they have personally made a confession of faith.  Whether it is the child's decision or the parents decision it is an outward sign of the child's or the parent's profession of faith.

Does Love Save?
While we may make God in our own image to be only a God of Love, the Bible reveals that he is also a God of Justice and Judgement.  To appeal to love only is to ignore the requirements of that love:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

Now one may call it legalistic that God requires people to believe in His only begotten Son, especially with all the other religions out there, but it is actually called justice.  It is grace, undeserved favor, when God allows us to petition Him to have Jesus pay the sin price of death that His justice demands for our sins.  It is also grace when God appears to honor our headship He has established for our seed..

But don't basically good people go to heaven?  If one believes this then by definition one isn't a believer in the saving grace and redemptive work of Jesus Christ and is destined to Hell.  But how can a God of love send a basically good person to hell?  This question assumes that there is such a thing as a basically good person which is contrary to what the Bible clearly teaches.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Romans 3:23

And regardless, "goodness" alone will not get one into heaven.:

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  Luke 13:5

Not everyone makes it to heaven, whether they are adult or child.  In fact only a few:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  Matthew 7:14

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.  I John 3:8-10