Many believers wonder what happens to their children during the snatching away. Do they go with them, or are they left behind? This is sometimes the subject of philosophical debate, and indirect evidence found in Scripture is often invoked, and the answer usually remains unsatisfactory. Yet, I believe Scripture does indeed provide certainty on this matter.
Children
We must first establish that the subject here is children. It concerns children of a believing parent(s). You might then ask: what is a child? Or: until when is a child still a child? It seems to me that Scripture doesn’t provide a clear answer to that question. In Jewish tradition, we know the custom of Bar Mitzvah (=son of the commandment), where a Jewish boy is declared an adult at the age of 13. He then becomes responsible for keeping the commandments. Before that, his parents were. A girl’s bat mitzvah takes place when she turns 12.
But we don’t find this custom in Scripture. Although some do read it into it (Luke 2:42). Isn’t it also true that there are significant differences between children around that age? One child simply becomes independent and mature sooner than another.
Young unbelievers
It should be clear, in any case, that we are not talking about young unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4). An unbeliever is someone who has heard the gospel and rejected it. We might more accurately define a child as an ignorant person. When the transition from ignorant to unbeliever occurs is therefore different for each child. The child must have heard the gospel, understood it, and then rejected it to be considered an unbeliever.
Indirect evidence
There are quite a few Scripture passages where God grants salvation to someone and their entire household, both in the Old and New Testaments. Thus, Noah was saved by entering the ark, and with him were eight souls (1 Peter 3:20): his wife, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives. This was Noah’s house or household (Hebrews 11:7). In Rahab’s household, all those who were with her were saved (Josh. 2:18-19).
Paul tells the Philippian jailer that if he believes in the Lord Jesus, he will be saved, both he and his household (Acts 16:31). And more often in the New Testament, a person’s household is explicitly mentioned (Luke 19:9; Acts 18:8).
But these remain indirect indications, because in the examples mentioned, it’s about someone and their household. But what if an unbeliever had been in one of these houses? Would they have been saved? After all, Lot’s wife was also brought out of Sodom, but ultimately not saved (Gen. 19:26).
Certainty
Yet, I believe Scripture gives us certainty on this topic, specifically through Paul in 1 Corinthians 7. In this lengthy chapter, he discusses various issues surrounding marriage (life), relationships, divorce, etc. In verses 10-11, he discusses the situation of a divorce between two believers. Such a divorce would not occur, because what could separate two believers who know the gospel? If a divorce did occur, both would be seeking reconciliation.
Marriage between a believer and an unbeliever
Of course, it is also possible for a believer to be married to an unbeliever. Paul strongly advises against this (2 Corinthians 6:14), but what if it did happen that way? Or what if, within a marriage between two unbelievers, one of the two becomes a believer?
If the unbeliever consents to the marriage and approves of living with the believer, the believer would not initiate the divorce. If the unbeliever wants a divorce, let him or her divorce, says Paul. Then the believer is no longer bound to that marriage (1 Corinthians 7:15). If the unbeliever does decide to maintain the marriage, they have a privileged position.
1 Corinthians 7
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
sanctified
The unbeliever is sanctified in the believing partner. This does not mean that this partner shares in the believer’s faith. Unbelief always blocks the way to salvation. Consider Lot’s wife, mentioned earlier, who ultimately was not saved because of unbelief. “Being sanctified in” apparently means that the unbeliever is in a favored or privileged position. They are under the same roof as someone who knows, speaks, and lives the Word.
holy!
Then Paul adds something essential to our topic: otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. The children are not defiled by the unbelieving parent, but they are holy.
The children are not defiled by the unbelieving parent, but they are holy because of that one believing parent. Note: it says, ‘but now they are holy.’ That which is holy belongs to God and has a share in Him (Rom. 1:2), and it is believers who are addressed as saints (1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:10). The children of a believer are holy and share in the faith of that parent!