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So you're there in Romans chapter 7, I want to preach on a subject, and straight up the name of the sermon is Where Do Children Go When They Die? And this is a subject that actually a lot, or some in the church have asked me about, and then, no lie, last night I was thinking about it, I was like, you know what, I'm going to end up preaching this tomorrow, a pastor called me up and was asking me about the same subject. And I'm like, well, I guess this is a subject that needs to be talked about. And it's one of those subjects, too, that's kind of a harder subject, because it's not just super clear everywhere in the Bible when it comes to this. But I have my belief on this as far as what I believe the scripture teaches on this. So I'm going to give you the clear cut, this is what I believe is going on when it comes to children, babies, and stuff like that. As far as, spoiler alert, I believe they go to heaven, right, babies, you know, that die when they're either in a miscarriage or, you know, at a young age and stuff like that. But I want to get into something a little deeper, and it's going to get into a little more of a, these are my thoughts, these are my opinions as far as what the scripture says, and so we'll get into the gray areas and the questions you may have with that. But Romans chapter 7, I believe, is a key passage here to understanding why babies would go to heaven. If a baby died in the womb, or if a baby died right after, or even at, you know, like two years old, four years old, stuff like that, why that's super clear that they would go to heaven. But in Romans chapter 7 here, the reason why is I believe that children are born spiritually alive, okay? So there's a belief out there, and I know the Catholic Church believes this, that basically original sin, now there is original sin, I'm going to get into that, dealing with the flesh, okay? Basically, we're all born sinners, and physically speaking, we are sinners, okay? But what I believe is that that doesn't happen spiritually until later on, meaning that there's a time in a person's life when they become spiritually dead, just like Adam and Eve, okay? So I just wanted to tell you where I'm at, okay, as far as what I believe, and then I'm going to show you why I believe that by the scriptures. But Romans chapter 7 here, let's start in verse 7 there. This is what I believe is going on when someone becomes spiritually dead, and once someone's spiritually dead, they have to get saved, okay? So that's what it comes down to. In verse 7 there, it says, What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin but by the law, for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin taken occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, for without the law sin was dead. Now here's the key in verse 9. For I was alive without the law once, okay? So Paul is saying this, and he's saying this under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. This is not a story. This isn't where, like, you know, we're in Acts and Luke's saying, you know, this is what Paul said. This is clearly what he said, and I believe it's validated as far as being right, meaning this, that he was alive once, and it says without the law, okay? Now what did he just say about the law? The law is what is how I knew sin, okay? And what we're going to get into is the fact of the knowledge of good and evil, okay? The knowledge of good and evil is where you get into where you understand the knowledge of good and evil, and you can, at that point, you would die spiritually. Now verse 9 there says, For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came. Notice that there's a time. When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died, okay? Now what is that talking about? And that's what you've got to reconcile with yourself, okay? So what is this talking about? What died, okay? So and listen, there's a lot of people that believe that children are dead spiritually when they're born, but the term that I've heard in the fundamental Baptist realm is they're safe. They're not saved, they're safe, okay? And I've heard that term, and listen, there's many people I respect, many people that believe that, okay? You know, if you want to believe that, that's fine, but I don't see that in scripture, okay? Because I don't see where it says they're safe or that, you know, so what I'm showing you is, but this is what I believe according to scripture as far as this is why I think a child will go to heaven. Now if you think about this too, if a child was dead spiritually, how would they go to heaven, okay? And that's the question you have to ask yourself because obviously a baby can't believe on Christ, you know? Even my children aren't even at that age. Now Clara is getting to the point where she can tell you the story like how you get saved and what you have to do and even talk about hell, but I don't believe she can comprehend what that means yet. She's four years old, so she's getting to that point where I think she can, she knows what to say, and she realized hell's bad, heaven's good, but I don't think she really comprehends it completely, okay? And so that being said, you know, I believe my children are still in that realm of innocency, but notice that, keep going here in verse 10. So there was a time when Paul was alive, okay? Well now the question that I'm going to be getting into later is when did he die, okay? Now spoiler alert, I don't know exactly when he died or how old he was, but that's the question people would ask, you know, when does that happen? And what age or what realm of time? But in verse 10 there it says, in the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death, for sin, taken occasion by the commandment, deceived me and by it slew me. So now again, what's slaying him? The commandment, okay, and what is the law? The knowledge of sin, okay? So in going on with that, it says in verse 12, wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good. So he's making a point, he's saying the commandment's not bad, it's not that the commandment is doing something wrong here, it's just the fact that you're realizing that you're a sinner. Does that make sense? And once you realize you're a sinner physically, right, that you've sinned, and you realize that you've sinned against God, that's where that commandment comes in and slays you spiritually. That's what I believe, is that there comes a point where the soul then becomes dead and trespasses and sins, and once you're dead and trespasses and sins, you need to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And notice it says in verse 13, was then that which is good made death unto me, God forbid, but sin that it might appear sin, working death in me, by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. So it's not saying, because I'll say this, I don't believe, I have children, okay, they're sinners from birth, so I'm not contesting that. But here's the difference though, I believe fleshly speaking they are. Because lust when it hath conceived bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death. So if they weren't sinful physically, then they wouldn't die, right? Because how, you know, the wages of sin is death. So basically a child that's in the womb, if the child dies in the womb, their soul would just go to heaven because it's innocent. And go to Romans chapter 9, because Romans chapter 9 shows you that children in the womb have done neither good nor evil. So but then I'm going to show you some verses where it talks about how, you know, basically they're estranged from the womb and they come, you know, as soon as they're born they're seeking lies. Okay? Anybody who has children knows that that's true, right? But again, you have to separate the flesh from the spirit and the flesh from the soul, right? Because you have the same issue when it comes to salvation where you go to 1 John it says if we say that we have not sinned we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But then it says over here, whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remain within him and he cannot sin because he is born of God. Those are happening at the same time, okay? So the same thing would apply here, but it is different than a saved person because a baby can't believe on Christ, and toddlers can't believe on Christ, and what it really comes down to with this is I'm going to show you the scriptures, but really what it comes down to is that God's not willing to end he should perish. And we'll have all men to be saved. So there's no way that babies are going to hell if he's not willing to end he should perish because there is zero opportunity for them to be saved then. And what I'm going to get to at the end, and I'm kind of getting ahead of myself, but I want you to know where I'm at before I get into the verses. I do not believe that any person that's born into this world has zero percent chance of getting saved. I don't believe that. Because that would go against the fact that God is not willing that any should perish and that he'll have all men to be saved. And that goes into this Calvinistic view of like God predestined people to hell and all this other stuff, right? And now do people have better chances than others? Yes. You say, well, you know, well, you know, what if everybody all the Christians, you know, because how should I hear without a preacher? Right? Well, here's the thing. Yes, I do believe that I do believe that if we don't go, they can't get saved. But you're talking about a hypothetical impossibility that no one is going to go out and preach the gospel in any given time in history. It's never happened. Never will happen. OK. If it did, then we wouldn't be saved right now, right? Because someone had to preach the gospel to the person that get you saved, and someone had to preach the gospel to them that got them saved. So guess what? It's never happened. It never will happen. So that means that even that person that's born into a family that's out in Buddhist country somewhere, I believe they have a chance to get saved. And God will either, they're either innocent or they have an opportunity to find that route before they die. OK. That's what I believe. But let me show you some scriptures on this and show you just some thoughts on it. But first of all, you need to realize in Romans 9, verse 10 here, is that children that are in the womb, it is telling us that they haven't sinned. OK. Verse 10, it says, And not only this, but when Rebekah also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, 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. And what is making a point here is that it's really just kind of saying, hey, they haven't done anything to prove why one's going to serve the other, right, because they haven't done good or evil. But that does show us approved text here that, hey, you know, Esau wasn't sinning in the womb, and that's why God picked Jacob and not Esau. Does that make sense? And it does show you that, hey, listen, when when they're in the womb, we know that's a child. You know, we're coming up on Christmas, right? That Mary was with what child and she conceived and was with child and all that. So that being said, is that a child in the womb hasn't done neither good or evil. I don't believe they're spiritually dead. Therefore, if they were to die physically, their soul would be in heaven. And it comes out to this, it'd be kind of like if Adam and Eve were to somehow die before they fell, you know, physically, like someone killed them or something like that. And it's obviously not it's not possible because it's different because they didn't have a simple nature, but they didn't get saved. Right. Because they didn't need saved. OK, that's what it comes down to, is that they're innocent, they're without sin at that point. So they don't need you know, they're not damned spiritually yet. Now, I do want to show you in Psalm 58, I need to start moving faster here because I got so much to get to here. I need to stop going rogue. I need to stop. I just need to read my notes. OK, so in Psalm 58, verse three, Psalm 58, verse three, I do want to show you that again, the Bible is very clear that children are sinful from, you know, coming out of the, you know, being born. OK, in verse three of Psalm 58, it says the wicked are estranged from the womb, they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. OK, I mean, this this happens with toddlers, you know, you think my toddlers haven't lied to me as far as like, did you eat that cookie? No. You know, did you hit your sister? No. Now we're teaching them about that and about how it's wrong to do that, but you don't have to teach them to lie. That's that that comes, you know, that standard equipment with your children. But go to Proverbs 22 and verse 15, Proverbs 22 and verse 15. Proverbs 22 and verse 15 says, foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. OK, we know that the thought of foolishness is sin. So, I mean, if foolishness is bound in the heart of the child, then we know that, fleshly speaking, children are sinful. OK, and anybody who has children will not contest me on this. OK, but, you know, the reason that this sermon is is is or something I've been thinking about is because I have children and I have children that, you know, will be getting to the age to where they can understand the gospel. And it's definitely real. It's real to someone that has children. And I thought about this before I had children, but you don't think about it as much. You just kind of like, oh, you know, well, God will take care of it and I'm not worried about it. But when you have children, you're like, yeah, I want to make sure they're OK. I want to make sure that they they go to heaven. Like if there is just so you know, if anything ever happens to me and Holly or I want you to know my one desire is that my children get saved. So if you do anything for me after I die, make sure that happens, OK? Obviously, I want them to follow the Lord and everything, but ultimately I want them to get saved. OK, so, you know, that's something that I think about. It's something that I worry about. I think any parent would, you know, a parent that's that's saved thinks about this stuff. Now, I go to Rome in Chapter five because I do want to show you that we do have sinful nature. We have this sinful nature that we inherit from Adam. And if you think about this, how do we inherit it by blood and what is blood that's physical, right? Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And we have Adam's blood running through all of our veins. We have Eve's blood. She's the mother of all living. Right. So we have their blood running through every single person that lives on this earth is running through our our veins. Therefore, we have that fallen nature that is there physically. OK, so that is true, meaning that if you want to talk about original sin, that's true. But it's not spiritual. It's not like we need to start baptizing babies or baptizing pregnant women to make sure that like they're OK. I mean, no, that's not what we're talking about. We're talking physically now and Romans 512. It says, wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin. So death passed upon all men for that all have sinned. OK, so because of one man's sin or one man's disobedience, sin came into the world and death by sin, you know, for the wages of sin is death. And it's basically saying that death passed upon all men for all have sinned. So it's not saying that just because Adam sinned and you didn't sin at all, you're going to die. It's just stating the fact we've all sinned, OK, because then we just see that from being born, we come forth from being born speaking lies. So it's not like, well, there's this case where this person hasn't sinned physically. Right. That's not true. It's not there. OK, so we don't even need to get into that argument because there's no it's not real. OK, so knowing that we come being born sinning, then we've condemned ourselves. But see, that simple nature was there, meaning that, you know, if Adam and Eve didn't sin, I believe children would be born without that. OK, we wouldn't become being born speaking lies. And therefore, you know, we'd be innocent and all that now, physically speaking as well. Notice in verse 13 says for until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression. Who is the figure of him that was to come? I'm going to get into this a little bit later, but this is talking about the fact that the law of Moses wasn't given it, you know, until Moses. But you think about Mount Sinai and all that. But people were still dying. And it's saying that sin isn't imputed and where there is no law and it's saying that they didn't they died even though they didn't commit the same similitude of transgression, meaning that they didn't even the knowledge of the tree. Does that make sense like that? They're not doing the same thing that Adam did, but they're still sinners. OK, and I'm going to get into this a little deeper as far as why they would still be accountable. And even before Moses's law, people still died and still be accountable for their sins and all that. OK, now to give you some examples of children, you know, in the Bible that I believe is clear that they would be in heaven, go to Second Samuel Chapter 12, Second Samuel Chapter 12. And again, this isn't just like, well, I want them to go to heaven, I just want to believe that they're going to heaven. Now, I believe there's a lot of scripture for this. And it does come down to this, that I don't believe that with many scriptures that God would bring someone to the world that has zero percent chance of going to heaven, that they're just born to die and go to hell. That that's just not that goes against so many scriptures when it comes to God's mercy, long suffering and his and his will for them to be saved, if he was willing for all to be saved, and how is it not possible for some people to get saved? OK, now we know that reprobation exists in the Bible, but see, they had a chance. It's not that it was never possible for them to get saved. It's the fact that there comes a point where now it's impossible for you to get saved. OK, so that's where Calvinists and what we believe, what the what the Bible actually teaches is different. Now, in Second Samuel, chapter 12, verse 22, it says now this is the story where the child dies, the Bathsheba's child that David had through committing adultery. And obviously this is a judgment that's being put upon him. But in verse 22, it says and he said, while the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept. For I said, who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the child may live? But now he is dead. Wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? Now, here's the key. I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. And where's David going? Well, according to Psalm 23, a very famous psalm and the last verse, verse six, it says, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. So if he's going to go to him, where do you think that baby's at? Where do you think that child's at? OK, now go to Matthew chapter two. Now, this one I noticed when I was actually going through the book of Matthew, when we were preaching through the book of Matthew. But this story in Matthew two is where Herod has all the children from two years old and under killed. So he murders all these children because he's trying to kill Jesus. OK, it's a very famous passage, obviously dealing with, you know, Jesus. And when he was born into this world now, Herod was trying to kill him. And so here's here's a group of children that are two years old and under. So we're not talking about them in the womb. We're talking about children that have been born. And in verse 16 there, it says, then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked, the wise man was exceeding wrath and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem and all the coast thereof from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men, then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy, the prophet, saying in Rhema, was there a voice heard, lamentation and weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and would not be confident because they are not. OK, so it's fulfilling a prophecy that's in Jeremiah about the fact that these children are going to be killed and they're going to be weeping because they are not meaning they're dead. OK, now go to Jeremiah 31, because that's where this is quoted from, because it's actually going to give you some more information after it says they will not be confident because they are not. It's actually going to give you some more information about that. And I believe it's going to prove to you that these children are in heaven, these children, you know, are going to we're going to see them again, you know, as believers. Jeremiah 31, by the way, this is me to the word this morning, this is not milk, so strap in that we're getting deep this morning. I think you already figured that out as we're going through this. I am putting the King series on hold tonight because I had another sermon that was going to preach this morning. And so I'm moving that to so we're going to have another doctrinal sermon tonight. So don't miss that. But but there just comes a time where there's things you want to preach and, you know, the series can wait. But in Jeremiah 31, verse 15, it says, Thus saith the Lord, a voice was heard in Rhema, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel, weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children because they were not. Now, that's what was quoted in Matthew. Matthew, too, right. And we know what that's referring to now is referring to Herod killing all the children from two years old and under. Well, keep reading verse 16. Thus saith the Lord, refrain thy voice from weeping and the eyes from tears. Now, do you think she's talking about the same thought? Because that wouldn't make any sense if he's talking about news thought here, because he's just talking about how there's weeping and lamentation and he's saying refrain from weeping and tears. It says for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord, and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. Now, who's the they? The children, the children, and you say, well, what's the land of the enemy? Death is the final enemy that's going to be destroyed, isn't it? Isn't that the ultimate enemy that the Bible talks about? Oh, death, where's that victory? Oh, great. Oh, great. Where's that victory? Yeah. Anyway, I'm going to misquote that. But we know that in Revelation 20, verse 14, it says, and death and hell is cast in the lake of fire. This is the second death and there's going to be no more death. And that was the final enemy, you know, when he's going to deliver up the kingdom and the final enemy that's going to be destroyed is death. OK, so I believe that's the enemy it's talking about. Now, verse 17. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border. Is there any doubt that we're talking about the children right there? So I have no doubt in my mind that those children that were slain, that Herod killed are in heaven. OK, but I don't believe that's just some special case in that one case right there. I believe this applies, meaning that we have unequivocal proof, I believe right there, that children that are two years old and under definitely go to heaven. OK, now, I don't believe it's just that, you know, that's kind of the reason it was two years old and under is because that's when he inquired of the wise men. OK, so he's basically saying it's at least, you know, at the most two years old that this child could be. That's why he did it that way. He's like he's just kind of catching it all. And that's kind of like the high mark of he can't be more than two years old. So he did two years old and under. OK, so this isn't saying like only two year olds and under would go to heaven. And if you're three, then you go to hell. It's not what you don't read that far into it. But go to Deuteronomy chapter one, Deuteronomy chapter one. And here's the thing with this, I just saw that when we were going through Matthew two. So that being said, do you think there's other there could be other verses that talk about this that we haven't really looked into? OK, so I want to say this, that, you know, this is a harder subject and there may be passages in the Old Testament that we're just not seeing or there may be passages in the New Testament that's covering it, but you never looked at it in that light. OK, so, you know, this may not be an all inclusive list as far as this subject. OK. Now, Deuteronomy one, obviously, this is the second giving of the law. So we're going to show you back where this actually happened. But he's basically talking about the fact that there's a this generation is not going to go into the promised land because they didn't believe. Right. And he's talking about there are people that are going to go. Go in, though. OK, so let's see what it says here. It says in verse thirty four. So Deuteronomy one, verse thirty four says in the Lord heard the voice of your words and was wroth and swears, saying, surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation. I'm sorry, surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I swear to give unto our to your fathers save Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, because he shall see it. And to him will I give the land that he had trodden upon and to his children, which he hath hope because he hath wholly followed the Lord as the Lord. Also, the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying thou also shall not go in thither. But Joshua, the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither, encourage him for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. He's saying this whole generation of evil men are not going to go in. OK, but notice in verse thirty nine, moreover, your little ones, which ye said should be a prey and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it. That's very interesting because the fall of man or dying spiritually comes to what? The knowledge of good and evil. And it literally says that they had no knowledge between good and evil. And notice it says little ones and their children. OK, now what's interesting about this? And this is where it really gets into the realm of like opinion and thought process is how far could that go as far as how old could you be to where you would still be, where maybe you wouldn't be dead spiritually or have died spiritually? I'm going to show you that it could be up to 19 years old. Now, I'll say this. Does that are you saying, well, pastor, do you believe that everybody that's under 20 years old is is definitely on heaven? No. What I'm going to tell you here is that. What I believe is that it's possible for a five year old, you know, five years somewhere around there to get saved. So if it's possible for them to get saved at the time, it's possible for them to die spiritually at that time. OK, but what it comes into is the realm of is God that cut throat to where as soon as you realize that you're a sinner. That you die spiritually and now you would go to hell. Or is it more of the realm of like God has has this grace period with children and you say, well, they're 20 years, they're 19 years old. That's an adult in our modern vernacular. But I'm going to show you and actually it's very clear that 20 years old is actually where someone becomes a man. Because you're not allowed to go to war until you're 20 years old. You're like, well, in America, it's 18. America is not God. America is not the Bible. OK, so it means that actually are you know, if we're going to follow the Bible, you should be 20 years old to go to war, not 18 or 16 or 17 or whatever they were back in the day. But all I have to say is that I do I want you to know that and I'm not saying I'd say a lot of people that are under 20 are dead spiritually. OK, and this gets into the realm of like other places in America, I'd say most people are already spiritually dead by that point, OK, because they have the truth all around them. They're in churches. They hear that stuff. And so they're without excuse. But when you're let's say you're in a Buddhist country. And you're a child growing up with your children or with your parents, your child growing up with your parents. Right. And you have no possibility of getting outside of that until you're an adult. OK, and so and this is just a thought process. OK, so don't take this as dogmatic doctrine here. I'm just giving you my thought process here as far as how this could be true. And you say, well, why is it 20? Well, go to Numbers chapter 14. Numbers chapter 14 is the story that's being talked about in Deuteronomy one. OK, now. So if we use that logic, who's not going in as far as the age goes. Then the other groups that had no knowledge of good and evil should be on the other side now we're talking about a physical realm, obviously, with this idea of them going into the promised land, but according to Hebrews chapter four, it's very clear that that going into the promised land is an allegorical story to talk about going to heaven. OK, just as much as the Sabbath, the rest of the Sabbath is allegorical for salvation. That's not by works. And so because it equates it, OK, it's basically saying that, you know, if Jesus had given them rest and they would not have spoken of another day and they remain at the rest for the people of God talking about heaven. OK, so the physical representing the spiritual. So but go to Numbers chapter 14, verse 26. It says, And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me, saying to them, As truly as I live, said the Lord, as you have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you. Your carcasses shall fall in the wilderness in this wilderness and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number from 20 years old and upward. Which have murmured against me. Doubtless you shall not come into the land concerning which I swear to make you dwell therein. Save Caleb, the son of Jophani and Joshua, the son of Nun. But your little ones, which you said should be a prey, then will I bring in and they shall know that the land which you have or which they shall know the land which you have despised. So notice that something's missing. There's the children that had neither knowledge of good or evil, that's kind of tacked on there and Deuteronomy, like, hey, by the way, that's also in that group. So I believe the children, the little ones would be like infants, you know, toddlers. You know, a lot of times little ones and infants are synonymous, especially in the New Testament talks about bringing the little ones and infants to the Lord Jesus. Right. But children, I believe, could go up to that 19 mark. OK, and so this is just my thought process on this is that that idea of dying spiritually, because Paul, we don't really know when that happened. Maybe that happened when he was really young. But that's the key is that in Romans seven, I believe it's very clear that there comes a point when you would die spiritually. But when does that happen? What has to take place for that to happen? OK, it's just a matter of like, I know that lying is wrong and I know that that's but here's the thing. It's a conscious choice to understand knowledge and evil, like when Adam and Eve ate the fruit, go to Genesis chapter two. I want to go all the way back to the beginning here with the knowledge of good and evil. Right. Because honestly, out of all these passages, Deuteronomy one's kind of the strongest one, because it's really clearly says they had no knowledge of good and evil. That's the only place that I can find in the Bible where it clearly states it that clear. Whereas the other place is kind of like, well, I can't you can't come to me, but I can go to him. The other place is like your children will come back into their borders, you know, and I believe those are all valid scriptures to prove that. But this is straight up like Romans seven, Genesis chapter three. Genesis chapter two, you know, like this Deuteronomy one to me is one of the stronger ones. And that's why I look at this and be like, well, maybe there is this period of like five years old to 19 or 20 to where, you know, someone could maybe get up to 15 and then they hear the truth and then they die spiritually. And it's not necessarily just children now because you say, well, you know, it's it should be more like 12 again. We're going off Bible. OK, so I, you know, me personally, what I think that it would be a little lower than that. Yes, OK, I'll say this, if you're looking at it, I'm not going to get the math here, but if you're looking at as far as the the number of people that are probably still innocent, I guarantee it drops off drastically as you get to that number. Does that make sense? Because as you get older, you figure out things you understand a lot quicker and you're becoming a man, you're becoming a woman. Right. And so it's kind of like if you're to look at like, OK, well, seven years old, it's like a lot there's there's fewer, a lot fewer people that are dead spiritually. Whereas when you get to like 15, it's like it's getting a lot more slim. OK. And again, I'm just speaking. I'm just spitballing here. I just want you to know this is what the Bible says and this is my kind of interpretation of it. And again, when it comes down to this, can we really know for sure? Can we really know like exactly? Here's here's here's the idea. Preach the gospel to every creature and leave no stone unturned and let God deal with that. What I'm talking to you about is, you know, how do you reconcile this in your mind? And if you have any type of thoughts of like, well, is God unjust here? First of all, God's not unjust. OK, so we need to come to that conclusion that God's not unjust. But is there scriptures that would kind of bolster the idea of this disgrace that he gives to children to where they can have the opportunity to believe? And it all goes into that fact that I do not believe someone has zero percent opportunity. You know, like a seven year old that's in a Buddhist country that has never heard like now I'll say this, OK, and I know I'm going off road here, but just deal with this. OK, I've never ran into an adult that didn't know about Jesus. Never. I've run into children that didn't. And you say, well, you're in West Virginia, I've I listen, I've I've talked to Hindu Hindus, I've talked to Muslims, I've talked to Wiccans, I've talked to Sikhs, Sikhs, actually is how you actually say it. And I've talked to every religion that's out there in every country that's out there for people from Iran to Yemen, to Oman. I mean, you know, you're talking about the places, you know, like China, Thailand, all these places, Japan, and not one of these adults ever said, who's Jesus? OK, so that being said, but then when you go to like children that aren't adults to where they can actually get information for themselves, then that's where I believe that maybe they haven't died spiritually yet, maybe they are still innocent in their in their thoughts, in their mind, because they've been so secluded from that. But I'm going to get to other points to where this can happen without someone preaching them the gospel, you know, as far as being dead spiritually. But in Genesis chapter two and verse 16, I want you to see that we're talking about the knowledge or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So and that God commanded them not to eat of it, verse 16, and the Lord God commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden, thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Now, this clearly isn't talking about physical death at that day that they eat of it. It's talking about a spiritual death. So that's why it goes back to that there is a day when someone dies spiritually, just like Paul said, I was alive once without the law, but then the commandment came and by it slew me. So I believe this still happens with people, meaning that it is not that everybody's born dead spiritually, but there comes a point when they die spiritually. OK, and this varies. OK, that's what I was kind of getting into is that varies. But where I'll say this at 20 years old, barring a mental disability, anybody that's 20 years and older, there's no possible way that they're innocent. OK, that's where I would say unequivocally, according to the Bible, anybody that's 20 years and older, there's no possible way that they're innocent. Meaning that unless they believe in Lord Jesus Christ, there's no way that that's possible, that they have not died spiritually. OK, but then you get into the realm of, OK, well, maybe a lot of 19 year olds are dead spiritually, maybe a lot of 18 year, maybe a lot of 17 year olds. And as you get down into the children, the lower ages, it gets a lot more that they're still innocent and they haven't died spiritually. OK, now, Genesis chapter three, this is where they eat the fruit. And for sake of time, since I have a lot of stuff to hit here, you know the story of the serpent beguiling Eve, go down to verse six and says, and when the woman saw the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and the tree to be desired to make one wise, she she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her. And he did eat any eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. Now, again, you know, this is where I get into the aspect of like children that run around naked and don't care and don't think anything of it. It's obvious they're so innocent. Right. That's a good marker to look at, like whether they're probably even capable of understanding the gospel. And listen, Claire still does this. OK, meaning just running around stark naked, doesn't think anything of it. And so, you know, that's where I'm like, yeah, she's definitely still not able to really understand this yet. So I think that's a good marker as far as when someone could is able to understand it. Right. But notice that Eve consciously looked at the fruit and said this is something to make her wise. She's not like incapable of rational thought. OK. And when we're talking about the knowledge of good news, we're not talking about like understanding that it's wrong to get a cookie because that told her not to get a cookie. OK, that's not the knowledge of good news. I don't believe that's what that's talking about, because they can understand, like, you know, mom and dad, dad don't want me to do this or that that's wrong, you know, in that aspect of it. And they'll look at you and do stuff and like knowing it's wrong. That's where spanking should begin. You know, when they knowingly you told them to do something, they're just like and they stare at you and they like, don't don't shove that over and they stare at you and like shove it over and just lock eyes with you. Right. You're like, all right, it's time. Yeah. But anyway, so but with this, you know, their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked. OK, so the understanding is they're like, I'm naked, I'm sinful, I'm shameful. Right. It's just this under that. And listen, nakedness wasn't sinful in with, but it is kind of a marker to show you that a little bit as far as the innocency that that's there. Going back to Romans, you know, Romans again. Again, Romans three in verse 20 says this, Romans three in verse 20. Romans three in verse 20 says, therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in the sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. So this is something that we know that we know we know we're sinful by the law. And that's where Romans seven comes in. So when you go to Romans seven and you look at the fact that in verse seven, it says, what shall we say then is the law of sin? God forbid. I had not known sin, but for but by the law, for I had not known lust, except the law had said thou shall not covet. OK, so he's basically saying I didn't know about sin. Right. And I believe that's the knowledge of good and evil. That's the knowledge of understanding I've sinned against God, because Clara can say, you know, like it's wrong to lie. But does she comprehend that she's sinned against God and can she really comprehend hell? You know, and I'm not saying that everybody can comprehend eternity and being burned, but you know what I mean. But you can comprehend like, yeah, I don't want to go there and I'm afraid to go there, like that's a real place, you know, all that stuff. And but but going on from that, it says, you know, for I was alive once in verse nine. Or, yeah, for I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And again, I believe this is very clear that Paul is saying, listen, there was a time when I was alive. We know they can't be talking about the flesh, right? Could you ever say that your flesh was ever alive? Now, obviously, we're living and breathing, OK, so don't take this too far, like obviously your body's alive, right? The body without the spirit is dead. OK, so obviously we know that it's alive, moving and and you're breathing and all that stuff. But we're talking on the spiritual matter of the flesh is that it's dead and trespasses and sins. And so when he says this, I believe this is the moment in which he died spiritually. And notice in verse 11, it says for sin, taken occasion by the commandment, deceive me and by it slew me. So the commandment is what's key here. Now, go to Romans two, and like I said, we were talking about in Romans five where it said, but sin is not imputed when there is no law, because you could say, well, maybe they have to hear the word of God to where they can die spiritually. I don't believe that's necessarily the case. OK, in Romans two is my key to this as far as understanding this, that you say, well, what about that person that's out there? Because this this is the realm of thinking. And again, like I said, 20 years old and older, believe in Lord Jesus Christ or you're going to hell, there's no possible way that there's any other way as far as being innocent and where God would declare you to be innocent spiritually. But people take this to the extreme of like, wow, someone that's 40 years old, that's living in some like island somewhere and never heard the gospel, never heard God's word. You know, they're they're still spiritually safe and, you know, they wouldn't. Well, if that's true, then we better not preach the gospel to anybody because we're just going to be doing everybody the service. OK, so that's ridiculous. OK, you say, well, should we preach it to children's because then they could die spiritually or whatever? Yes, we need to preach it to children, because here's what it comes down to, is that if faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, then I believe the death is really closely related to that, meaning that if you're dying spiritually, it's almost like there's this decision that you're being made as far as like, am I going to like take this light that's being given to me and am I going to, you know, try to figure this out? Because I'm not saying that someone has to hear a clear presentation of the gospel to be spiritually dead at that age range. OK, but I do believe that if they take that light that's given to them, God will get them saved if they want it. OK, and yes, it's harder for some people. It's going to be a lot easier for others, depending on where you live and the state that you're in. But like I said, I do not believe that it's impossible for anybody to get saved. Talking about children and being born to this world that no one is born with a zero percent chance of getting saved and some people, maybe it's one percent. And woe on us for not preaching the gospel to every creature to where it would be higher than that. And our job as as soul runners is to make that higher. Let's make that percentage a lot higher as far as, you know, it's five percent is the lowest or 10 percent is the lowest because the gospel is being preached so much that even children are hearing about it in their homes. Right. But in Romans two and verse 12, it says, for as for as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law. Now, we're going to talk about the Gentiles that didn't have the oracles of God basically being given to them like Israel. Right. And it says, 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 for when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law or law unto themselves. So notice that by nature they're doing the things contained in the law. So here's here's the idea from Adam to Moses. You say, well, they didn't have the law. They were doing by nature the things contained in law. And by the way, that's not murder was preached to Noah. OK, so the idea that murder wasn't preached like that was wrong is ridiculous. OK, because there were prophets from the very beginning. They just didn't have the written law and the stones, you know, that came down from Mount Sinai at that point. OK. Hey, why did God give the law? You know what? So so that basically be more evident. He's just making it easier for people to realize, hey, I need to get saved. OK, so he's giving more out there to say it's kind of like when you go out soul wanting, you say, well, you know, murderers. Yeah, but I'm not a murderer. Have you ever told a lie before, though? You see how you're giving more to where it's like very clear, like, hey, you're not excused from this. So that's where I believe God's bring more things. You know, the thought of foolishness is sin. You bring that up and say, well, you definitely sin. But going off from there in verse 14, it says, For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nation of things contain the law, these have not having not the law or law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing them witness and their thoughts, the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another in a day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. Now, this definitely applies to like people that are above that they're 20 years old above and they're in some other country or something like that was there without excuse. But the question is, is that when you're out in these other countries and all this other stuff, as far as the children are concerned, that there might be a point where they're still spiritually innocent and that God is giving them grace to figure this out. But listen, there's sodomites that are under 20 years old. So as much as it's possible for a child at five to get saved, I believe it's possible for a child around that age to become a hater of God. But guess what? They knew God and they glorified him, not as God. And that's why they became that. OK, so it's not like they just became that and they didn't even like have a chance. No, the people that become sodomites and haters of God at that younger age, they had more chance than most children did. So and again, you say, well, I want this to be more simple. Not everything the Bible is going to be that cut and dry. And actually, in this case, I hope it isn't that cut and dry where it's just like boom at five, they understand that they're a sinner and if they don't get saved, all those children and children's hospital that are six, seven, eight, nine, 10 years old are all dying and going to hell because they have some Catholic priest coming in there preaching them some false gospel. OK, whereas, you know, I believe God's more merciful than that. And and by the way, I believe that they at least have some chance. There's some chance there. And but in Romans two, I believe it's showing you that even without like showing them scripture, they have the law written in their hearts to know, you know, like a 20 year old knows that it's wrong to murder. I don't care what country you're in. I don't care if you're a Native American back in the day shooting bows and arrows at Buffalo, you know that murdering someone is wrong when you're an adult. OK, now with that in mind, the Bible does show you that there's a difference between the way a child thinks and the way an adult thinks. OK, go to First Corinthians Chapter 13. So I'm just giving you some thoughts here. OK, so again, with these verses, I'm kind of making you kind of think about this a little bit as far as there is a difference between children and adults. OK, that God does classify these things a little differently. So when it comes to the age of innocency, you can see how that could be in that realm of the age of innocency. But once you get to 20 years old, you're an adult. And I said barring mental handicaps. OK, so I do believe that there are people that are had the mentality of a four year old until they die. They're 60 years old, they're still going to heaven because they weren't able to understand the gospel. Right. So that's that's a realm of someone that's even older than that, that's going to heaven. But it has to do with the idea of them understanding knowledge of good and evil. And some people may never come to that. Now, that's kind of a small group, though. Let's be honest. That's that's a very small group of people, but I do believe it exists. So I just want to say it. In First Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 11, it says, when I was a child, I spake as a child, notice this, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things. Notice how he's putting a differentiation between now, usually we think of this and we're like, we just look at this first and be like, yeah, I'm not a child anymore. I'm becoming a man and I'm putting away like video games, putting away all this stuff. But notice that it's saying that I understood and thought as a child, notice that the understanding is different as a child than it is with an adult, that the brain, just scientifically, the brain is maturing. And, you know, it's not completely developed until I don't know, Holly, do you know what what that age is? I know it's up there, then like 18, 20 years old. And then people joke about that, you know, with their children be like they can't even have, you know, they don't their brains not even functioning correctly until they're 20 years old. But I think there is actually some scientific truth to that, to where the brain is actually still developing through that. So the idea of understanding as a child that goes into the realm of like, you know, even a 40 year old, you need to put away childish things. But physically speaking, I think that that happens as you grow as a child, that your brain is getting more developed, you have more rational thoughts, you know, things are changing, all that stuff's going on there now. And first Corinthians chapter 14, verse 20, notice what it says. First Corinthians chapter 14, verse 20 says, brethren, be not children and understanding, how be it in mouths be children, but an understanding be men. Notice that there's still that differentiation between the understanding of a child and the understanding of an adult, obviously, we're talking about men, but see, men is used here as kind of an all encompassing, as basically a man, you would not say that's a child, right? And so you say, well, a young man, where's that realm at? We're not getting into that, OK, but, you know, all I have to say is that do you see that there is a difference here? And I'm going to just read these off to you. But I was just thinking about this. It says, gird up your loins like a man, right? It's that God says that to Job, gird up your loins like a man and answer me, you know. And so basically, Job's obviously a man, but he says, gird up the loins of your man. But then the Bible says, gird up the loins of your mind. And so there's this idea of a mature mind, OK, of an adult mind that's there. So, again, I know this is deep and this is one of those sermons where it's not like A plus B equals C and, you know, it's just super black and white. But I want to show you these scriptures. I want to give you the thought process with that. Ultimately, when it comes to your children, give them the gospel as much as possible. Get them saved at as early age as possible. I'm not going to toe that line and be like, well, they're safe until 19. I'm just going to, you know, just not even give them the gospel until they're older. That's ridiculous, especially them being in church. The odds are they're going to understand that before I even give it to them. If I were to hold off like that. Right. They're in a realm where they need to get saved at a young age because it's going to happen a lot sooner for them than with someone else. OK, so. But I do believe God is long suffering with this now, go to Leviticus, Chapter 27. I want to show you something in this. This doesn't really have to do with the subject at hand, but I want to show you that God puts people in categories when it comes to age. OK, in this passage of redeeming people that were vowed. OK, so basically. This passage is talking about like you vowed like your child or you vowed someone to the Lord and you say, I don't want them to go to the Lord. Well, you can redeem that by paying a certain amount. Does that make sense? Like you could basically say, OK, I don't want to vow them to the Lord anymore because I need them to do this or that. I want to keep them. Then you can pay a certain amount and you're not breaking your vow. OK, so that's kind of what this is talking about. But in Leviticus 21 or 27, verse one, it says the Lord and the Lord spake on the Moses saying, speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them, when a man shall make a singular vow, the person shall be for the Lord by thy estimation and thy estimation shall be of the male from 20 years old, even unto 60 years old, even thy estimation shall be 50 shekels of silver after the shekel of the sanctuary. So notice that we have this first category from 20 to 60. Then it says and if I'm sorry and. Yeah. And if this if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be 30 shekels. Now, this is where people are going to be triggered because the money's less for a woman. OK, I'm not getting into that. OK, I got enough to talk about. I got enough talk to hit on today that I'm not getting into this. OK, so don't be triggered by the first five there. It says and if and if if it be from five years old, even unto 20 years old, then I estimation shall be of the males 20 shekels and for the females 10 shekels. And if it be from a month old, even unto five years old, then I estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver and for the female, I estimation shall be three shekels of silver. And if it be from 60 years old and above. Or if it be a male, then I estimation shall be 15 shekels and for a female 10 shekels. Now, all the shekels aside there, we have some different groups here, right? You have from a month old to five years, you have from five years to 20, you have from 20 to 60 and you have from 60 to above. And you can even just easily see what that's talking about. Toddlers, a month to five. Children, five years old to 20. Adults, like just a typical like adult 20 to 60, 60 above, what are you getting into? And no offense to those that are older than that, but you're getting into where you're getting into more of a senior citizen type of age, right, where you're not going to go to war, you know, above 60. OK. And they had people that were going to war around those ages, you know, below that. OK, so it's basically like a category of like, OK, at this point at 60, you're not going to be doing all this hard labor and you're not going to be doing this and that. But isn't that interesting that it kind of categorizes that and what do we usually see when people are able to get saved? Five years old. And then the Bible talks about the fact that, OK, under 20, they could go into the Promised Land because they had no knowledge of good and evil. OK, and so I'm just giving you some food for thought, OK, so if you disagree with me, don't split the church over this, OK, but but just some other thoughts here. Go to Acts chapter 17. And I already kind of hit on this, but I want to hit on this, this verse kind of thinking about this in another realm, OK, because obviously in Acts 17, they're dealing with idolatry and they're dealing with the Gentiles that are wholly given unto idolatry. And notice what it says in verse 30 there, and I kind of already hit on this, you know, when we were going through our chapter there. But think about this in the realm of like this age where it's possible for you to get saved, it's possible for you to be innocent. But then there comes a point where it's not possible to be innocent anymore. Right. Like it's now now there's no other way out besides the fact that you have to believe in Christ, there's no way that you didn't die spiritually yet. OK, in verse 30, it says in the times of this ignorance, God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. And notice that it says men there and I know we're getting deep and I know we're kind of splitting hairs here, but the idea that with men you have to like there's no possible way now, like I said, can I get a 15 year old? Could you say that you like you have to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Yeah, because someone could die spiritually. I believe even at five. OK, so I don't want you to think that like everybody under 20 is good to go. Anybody you run into anybody to be like, how old are you? Nineteen, waited another year. No, it's ridiculous, because here's the thing, I believe God's giving this this this gray area, if you will, to where it's kind of an overlap to where someone could get saved earlier and kind of get that settled, make sure that, you know, they're not coming to the tail end. You don't want to be at the tail end where it's cut throat. You know what I mean? And so I believe that God is giving that area there to where you think of Revelation two, where it talks about how God gave her space to repent. OK. And I believe there's this space, I don't believe it's that cut throat with children. OK, and I believe the Bible teaches that. I think it's a little more of a deep dive into scripture to show that go to Ezra, chapter nine, Ezra, chapter nine. I'm almost done here, so this was going to be a long one, I knew it was going to be and we're not over time yet, but what I'm saying is that this is a deep doctrine, but this is something that someone that many people like I said, Pastor, he is actually preaching on this today on it's kind of a different avenue because he went to he took a trip to Belize and then he was kind of thinking about the mind culture and, you know, answering those questions as far as like, what if you were in that mind culture and you were a child and all that stuff and what would happen to you? And so he calls me up and talk to me like I was literally just going to call you about this and like, you know, spitball with you. And honestly, we were kind of going back and forth. And some of these verses that I'm bringing up here, I was just kind of thinking of in this conversation. So like I said, this isn't an all inclusive list. This is just me kind of trying to bring to remembrance any verses that would talk about the difference between children and men and the difference between someone that could know the knowledge of good and evil and not and stuff like that. And this is not something that you can just put into a search engine and find out. OK, this gets a little deeper than that. This gets into the point where you're going into stories like, would you would you find Jeremiah 31 and be like, yeah, that's a clear you know, everybody sees that one. But obviously, you know, there's probably other places like that. OK, now, and Ezra, chapter nine and verse eight, again, I don't believe this is dealing with this particular subject, but I do want you to see that God has grace and mercy and gives people a space of it, meaning that, you know, God is merciful. And that's what I want to really get across here is that if God's not willing to perish, you know, I've all meant to be, you know, you have all men to be saved. He's going to make it possible, at the very least, it's possible how much time you have in that. I don't know, but it's possible. It's not this impossibility for anybody. OK, and Ezra nine and verse eight, it says now for a little space, grace has been showed from the Lord our God to leave us a remnant to escape. And to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage, for we were bondmen, yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia to give us a reviving to set up the house of our God and to repair the desolations thereof and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. So obviously this is talking about building the wall. This is talking about building the house of God. But I do believe that this applies in many realms as far as where God gives you that space of grace, so to speak, to where we can escape. Right. And if you think about it, what more do you want to escape from than hell? And so I believe God gives that space for people to escape it. I don't believe it's that cutthroat. But last one, you know, go to Jonah, chapter four, Jonah, chapter four. And think about this, too, you know, the Bible says in Second Corinthians, I'm sorry, First Corinthians three, it says, Who then is Paul and who is a Paulist but ministers by whom he believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? Now, I'll say this. Does that mean that every man has heard the gospel? No, but God has given every man a minister to where they would believe. But the question is, are you that Cornelius that's looking for it? Because some people have to be that way in order to get saved. You know, thank God you're in America. Right. But even now, if you're in America, where it's probably the easiest place to get saved, it's still not a lot of people are out preaching the gospel. Not a lot of people are actually doing the work to make that a lot easier. Right. So but in Jonah four, verse 10, the very end of the book here, it says, Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not labored, neither made as they grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city? Notice this wherein are more than six, four thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand and also much cattle. Now, usually when I looked at this verse, I looked at it as that number is like everybody, but I don't necessarily believe that's what he's saying there. I believe he's actually probably saying that there's one hundred twenty thousand people there that are innocent, meaning that they they they don't know the knowledge of good and evil. And and because he brings up cattle, OK, because he's basically saying, what did the cattle do? You know, and so I believe he's bringing up, like, should I have mercy on this nation if I can? Because of so many innocent people that are there. OK. And obviously, the people that needed to repent did repent and thank God, you know, because that saved them there. But it says that they could not discern between the right hand and their left. Now, a lot of times in the Bible, when we talk about the right hand, the left, it's like, don't go to the right hand or to the left side. Just go to what God says to do. Don't veer off. Right. But go to Ecclesiastes chapter 10, because this is a little different than that, because he's basically saying they don't know the right hand or the right hand or the left. Right. You get my your this is your right. That's my anyway. But Ecclesiastes chapter 10, verse two, this always kind of struck me. And this is why we're you know, this is where the Republicans would be like, yeah, we're right. You know, like right is right and left is liberal, you know. And anyway, so but I want to show you this, that the thinking about that verse where it says they cannot discern between the right or the left. Look at this in verse two. So Ecclesiastes 10, verse two, a wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart is at his left. So think about that, if you can't discern between the right and the left, what do you discern between wisdom and foolishness? OK. Again, a lot of these verses, I'm just kind of throwing out there and I can see the correlation. I don't think this is all inclusive. But I wanted you to know my thoughts on that. In the end, what's very clear? What I believe is very clear is that there's a moment in someone's life when they die spiritually. It's not just inherent as soon as they're born. OK, now the question that you have to ask yourself and study into is where do you think that line could be drawn? How old could someone be to where they, you know, there's no possible way that they haven't died spiritually. And I personally, you know, just right now and maybe next year I come up to you and be like, I was wrong on that. And, you know, this is the verse that proves that wrong. But as of right now, I think that 20 years old after that, there's no possible way that you're not dead spiritually. But it's possible for a child to come to that age or come close to that age to where they haven't died spiritually and that God is giving that space of grace with children to get saved. OK, ultimately, preach the gospel to your children as much as possible, get them saved at the youngest age possible. And, you know, I'd rather be on the end of being safe with that than toeing the line. He wants to go to where they're 20 and be like, all right, well, you know, you have to get saved now, you know, no, get them saved before that it comes to that line where it's impossible for them to be innocent. OK, and so I know it's a lot and that's a deep doctrine. If you disagree with me on that, we're still good, you know, but but I just wanted to hit on that because many people ask me about it. And honestly, they're saying things that I've kind of learned from it just from studying this out. So I enjoy that. So if you ever have any questions like that, bring those questions up to me because it only makes it only makes it better for me anyway, because then I can study into it and I have a good reason to. I really enjoy doing sermons that you ask me about because I feel like you care about it. OK, because sometimes I'll preach something like I don't know if anybody cares about the subject, but if someone if a lot of people ask me about a subject, I'm like, I know they do because they ask me about it. So I enjoy doing that. So but let's say with the word apparently follow with thank you for today and just pray to be with us and the fellowship and with the soul winning. And Lord, just just thank you, Lord, for your word and thank you for your mercy and grace. We do pray that our children here at Mount Baptist Church get saved at the youngest age possible, that there's not a time where it's possible for them to go to hell, meaning that they they get saved as soon as they would die spiritually and that would be a synonymous act that's going on and that that you would be in there with that. Help us to be the parents we need to be to to make that easy. And Lord, just pray that you'd help us to be faithful and to soul winning and to make it a lot better percentage for people to get saved than it would be if we didn't go. And we love you in Jesus Christ name. Amen.