Where does prevenient grace originate in the Bible?

Question

What is the Biblical basis for Prevenient Grace?

I am specifically referring to the belief that if a child is born and dies before reaching the age of responsibility, and so did not have the oppurtunity to accept Christ, that child will still go to heaven.

Answer 1

Romans 7:7 states,

What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet."

Therefore, as Wesley defined

Sin is a willful transgression of a known law of God.

Without known laws of God, without knowing what God wants us to/not to do, we cannot do anything "in opposition" to His commandments. Sin isn't accidental. Your conscience tells you when you're doing something wrong, and once you understand that concept, then you are responsible for your actions, but prior to the understanding of God's commands you cannot "sin".

Answer 2

From a Lutheran perspective:

We do not believe in us having to do anything. Even accepting Christ.

Ephesians 1:4

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

He chose us. Not the other way around.

If we don't accept Christ, how do we know that we're saved?

Baptism.

1 Peter 3:21

21 Baptism now saves you

Only God can really know whether someone goes to heaven or hell, but if the child were baptised, I would say that 1 Peter 3:21 provides a good basis for the belief that they could still go to heaven.

Answer 3

As Nathan said, before you are able to distinguish not just right from wrong (a four year old can do that if you tell him to do this but not do that) but actually comprehend why doing something is either good or bad. You are incapable of sin and so can't therefore go to hell. As an aside to some of your comments where in the bible does it say that babies should be baptized? And can anyone give an example from the New or Old Testament saying that a baby was baptized so that it could be saved? The first documented cases of infant baptism that I am aware of happen well after the death of Christ and the apostles.