Question: I was told by a Baptist that Catholics believe babies that die before baptism, all go to hell. He told me he couldn't accept that belief, and therefore rejects the Catholic Church.
Answer:
That's not what we believe. So, ask him this question: Is Jesus is the Savior of everyone? He will say "yes." Then ask if He is the Savior of unBaptized babies who die before they are Baptized? He will again say "yes." Then say, "Good, because we believe that too." However, if Jesus is the Savior of these unBaptized babies, what exactly did He save them FROM? Because, according to the Baptist faith, these babies are totally free from sin and unaffected by what Catholics call Original Sin (the human fallen nature we all get from Adam and Eve). So, what Baptists actually believe is that Jesus is not the Savior of unBaptized babies who die before they are Baptized because there is nothing to save them from! And, if this is the case, then the Bible is wrong; because the Bible clearly says that no one comes to the Father except through the saving power of Jesus Christ. So then, is Jesus the Savior of unBaptized babies or not? If not, then He is not the Savior of everybody; because some people (unBaptized babies) go to Heaven without being Baptized into Him. And, if He is their Savior, then He must (in some way) save them from something.
In other words, these babies must be Baptized by Him in some way in order to be saved. And this is what we Catholics believe: We believe that Christ will do personally what His Church is unable to do in His Name. Thus, if a baby dies without benefit of being Baptized into Christ, Christ Himself (in a mysterious way) will Baptize it. Because He Himself is the Sacrament. So, the Catholic faith (the true Christian faith) has an answer for this. However, the Baptist faith is stuck, and has no answer. The Baptist faith clearly implies that Jesus is not the Savior of unBaptized babies; because (if these babies are totally untouched by sin, as Baptists say), there is nothing for Christ to save them from. So, now, whose religion is wrong???
Mark Bonocore
The Catholic Legate
June 30, 2004