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Please be in prayer for our family. Tammy had a miscarriage beginning Sunday evening. The baby’s 5 week young body did pass last night. We went to the doctors Sunday evening and today to compare pregnancy hormone levels.
We are mourning but as people with hope and comfort in our sovereign loving God, and by His grace we find ourselves even rejoicing in this trial; for the LORD has granted an opportunity for His love and the love of His people to be glorified.
God’s Truth is always encouraging and in this time we have been able to meditate and discuss multiple aspects of His truth. If our child be of the Covenant of Grace, and be LORD willing, in Heaven, there are many things to rejoice about and even be amazed at.
We do not pray for our dead child as the Roman Catholics do, for we know that death is a door to meeting our Maker. Judgment is that which follows death. Nor do we falsely cling to their “innocence” to save them, for they are conceived in corruption and deserving of Hell like all sons of Adam. Nor do we seek to have the body baptized, for as Peter says, baptism does not remove the filth of the flesh (1Pe 3:21). We trust rather in God’s Justice and Mercy, knowing that He does all things according to the pleasure of His perfect will, and also that He is faithful to His Covenant of which this child has been made a visible member of, for Christ shall not lose a single one that His righteous blood was spilled for. Their destiny lies in God’s hand alone, and for this we praise Him.
In Christian love,
-Shawn and Tammy Anderson
Psa 6:1-10 [[To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.]]
O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I [am] weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?
Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake. For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return [and] be ashamed suddenly.
2Sa 12:18-23
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing [is] this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 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? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
Job 1:21b ...the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
Canons of Dordt 1:Article 17 - The Salvation of the Infants of Believers –
Since we must make judgments about God's will from his Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature but by virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God calls out of this life in infancy.
WCF Ch 25:II - The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion, together with their children; and is the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ; the house and family of God, through which men are ordinarily saved and union with which is essential to their best growth and service.
WCF Ch. 10:III - Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit,[12] who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth:[13] so also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.[14]
12. Gen. 17:7; Luke 1:15; 18:15-16; Acts 2:39; John 3:3, 5; I John 5:12
13. John 3:8
14. John 16:7-8; I John 5:12; Acts 4:12
We are mourning but as people with hope and comfort in our sovereign loving God, and by His grace we find ourselves even rejoicing in this trial; for the LORD has granted an opportunity for His love and the love of His people to be glorified.
God’s Truth is always encouraging and in this time we have been able to meditate and discuss multiple aspects of His truth. If our child be of the Covenant of Grace, and be LORD willing, in Heaven, there are many things to rejoice about and even be amazed at.
We do not pray for our dead child as the Roman Catholics do, for we know that death is a door to meeting our Maker. Judgment is that which follows death. Nor do we falsely cling to their “innocence” to save them, for they are conceived in corruption and deserving of Hell like all sons of Adam. Nor do we seek to have the body baptized, for as Peter says, baptism does not remove the filth of the flesh (1Pe 3:21). We trust rather in God’s Justice and Mercy, knowing that He does all things according to the pleasure of His perfect will, and also that He is faithful to His Covenant of which this child has been made a visible member of, for Christ shall not lose a single one that His righteous blood was spilled for. Their destiny lies in God’s hand alone, and for this we praise Him.
In Christian love,
-Shawn and Tammy Anderson
Psa 6:1-10 [[To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.]]
O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I [am] weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?
Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake. For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return [and] be ashamed suddenly.
2Sa 12:18-23
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing [is] this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 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? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
Job 1:21b ...the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
Canons of Dordt 1:Article 17 - The Salvation of the Infants of Believers –
Since we must make judgments about God's will from his Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature but by virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God calls out of this life in infancy.
WCF Ch 25:II - The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion, together with their children; and is the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ; the house and family of God, through which men are ordinarily saved and union with which is essential to their best growth and service.
WCF Ch. 10:III - Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit,[12] who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth:[13] so also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.[14]
12. Gen. 17:7; Luke 1:15; 18:15-16; Acts 2:39; John 3:3, 5; I John 5:12
13. John 3:8
14. John 16:7-8; I John 5:12; Acts 4:12
posted by shawn at Tuesday, October 18, 2005
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