Is One More Fortunate Who Dies in Infancy?


Question:
"How do we reconcile the doctrine that little children, who die before they arrive at the years of accountability, shall be saved in the celestial kingdom when the scriptures generally teach that the celestial kingdom is a goal to be achieved through effort in living the gospel principles? Several students have propounded the thought that to merit the celestial kingdom education and living the gospel principles should be required and not in absence of temptation to sin. One of the students expressed the view that we would have been more fortunate had we all died prior to the age of accountability and thus be assured of a place in the celestial kingdom.

"Does the revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith imply that children who die before the age of accountability, to be saved in the celestial kingdom must also, sometime, somewhere, learn and apply the gospel principles, and also subject themselves to the same consequences and temptation to sin, after the resurrection that we are confronted with while obtaining maturity?"


Answer: In a previous answer, the status of little children was clearly declared, as revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith and to Mormon as recorded by Moroni . (See Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol. 1, pp. 53-61.) It appears that what has been revealed in relation to the salvation of little children who are denied all the vicissitudes of mortal life, and who are without sin, has left in the minds of some that our Eternal Father has perpetrated an injustice and shown favoritism to those who were denied a mature mortal existence. This view is centered in the thought that to be fair with the rest of us who reach maturity, all such little children should be turned over to the temptations of Satan and pass through the fire and be proved just the same as we are who survive in this mortal life.

WHY QUESTION THE WISDOM OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER?

Is it not a little presumptive on our part to question the wisdom of our Eternal Father? Moreover, have we thought this matter through? If we fail to see clearly it is because all the factors are not before us. First, then, it behooves us in this mortal frame of mind to have explicit faith in the justice and also the mercy of the All-wise Father of us all. Our faith should be, as it is written, that he doeth all things well, and we should never question his mercy and his justice. We should accept him as being possessed with all wisdom, and have full confidence in the truth that "God is no respecter of persons."

There are too many things in this mortal life which are not clear unto our thinking as judged by mortal philosophy, but this is not the fault of the Creator. The things of eternity, the things that endure, are kept hidden in large measure from our blinking eyes. Nor could we understand them were they revealed because of the lack in our knowledge and experience. We might compare this with a figure which we can comprehend. Should the teacher place before a group of students in the first grade a problem in algebra no matter how clear it might be to him, his pupils could not comprehend it. So we may not have all the answers, our finite minds do not comprehend the infinite. We are called upon to accept many truths on faith, and yet through the aid of the Spirit, we know they are true.

SHOULD STRIVE FOR THE HIGHEST DEGREE

This truth, however, we can understand. Entrance into the kingdom of God , the celestial kingdom, is not the goal which true Latter-day Saints are seeking. There will enter there many who are entitled to be only servants. That kingdom has different degrees in it, and to obtain the highest there are many blessings and commandments which have to be kept. The children who die in infancy or early childhood must comply with all of these, just the same as do those who gain their maturity in this mortal life. Children cannot be punished for what they have not done. Were they not punished in being deprived of the blessings which come to us in mortality? They are cut off without the privilege of having posterity to carry on in their name to the end of time. There are other blessings that we receive that they are denied, and are they not entitled to some favors to compensate for what they have lost?

The Savior, according to the decree before the earth was formed, has redeemed them from Satan's power. In relation to our situation, all who reach maturity, Satan has no power over except as we, exercising our own free will, grant him that power. No person is tempted beyond his power to resist, only as he yields to sin.

Let us not lose sight of the fact that the time will come in the day of the reign of peace when the earth is renewed that Satan will be bound, the Saints "shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation." (D&C 45:58. Compare Mal. 4:2.)

Gospel Questions & Answers are taken from -
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 5 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1957-1966], 3:.) 21