You will often hear people speak about the innocence of babies. The unstated assumption being that only by consciously choosing to sin can we be sinners. This is patently false. Whether or not we are aware of our sin, it is still sin. Babies do not need to be taught to look out for themselves… crying when they want something or later growing up and taking something from others or yelling “mine!”. In fact, babies are products of a sinful and fallen mankind. Each is born inherently sinful and will ultimately need to repent of that sinful nature and embrace Christ as Lord if they are to be in right standing with the Creator. If both mother and father are sinful beings, how can a baby be sinless?
Leviticus 12 documents additional support for this understanding. While I am not in a position whereby I can meaningfully comment on the distinctions God makes between ceremonial uncleanness for birthing boys vs. girls, I can easily point out that God considers the children unclean from birth until they are ceremonially cleansed.
1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying:
‘When a woman gives birth and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days, as in the days of her menstruation she shall be unclean. 3‘On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4‘Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. 5‘But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days.
6‘When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. 7‘Then he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female. 8‘But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
While there is obviously more to Leviticus 12 than I have the clarity of understanding to address in this article, I do find it serves as a meaningful reminder that we are all born inherently sinners rather than innocent. Let us then address children with that understanding and begin at our earliest opportunity to train them up in the ways of the Lord so that when they have grown they will not part from it. Do not leave them simply to make their own choices without guidance and boundaries our Lord has already provided to us.
6Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
—-
Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.