Can a child who is conceived out of wedlock be saved?

Answer

In Deuteronomy 23:2, the Mosaic Law states, “The child born out of wedlock or incest shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to his tenth generation, he shall not enter the assembly of the Lord.” This implies that a child born out of wedlock was considered illegitimate and ineligible for Israelite citizenship for ten generations. It does not imply, as some mistakenly believe, that an illegitimate individual cannot be saved or used greatly by God. His mercy and grace through Christ are sufficient for all.

In the New Testament, Hebrews 12:8 mentions, “But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” This conveys that the Lord disciplines those He loves and corrects every one of His children. Those whom He does not correct and discipline are not truly His children and, therefore, will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. We must be one of God’s own, born from above, to gain entry into Heaven.

Therefore, it is evident that anyone who places their trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior will gain entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. John 3:16-18 encapsulates this truth, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is already condemned, because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

When God looks upon His children who have accepted the free gift of salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, He does not see our nationality, color, legitimacy, or illegitimacy of birth, but only the righteousness of Christ within us (2 Corinthians 5:21;Philippians 3:9). We

Our salvation is not determined by our birth, but by our transformation at the new birth. In Christ, we are made new creations. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” «Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. », (2 Corinthians 5:17). When a child born out of wedlock experiences spiritual rebirth, he/she is adopted as a son or daughter of the living God «But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: », (John 1:12).

In Psalm 139, David praises God for His intricate creation process: “You shaped me first inside, then out; You formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you. The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them!” (MSG).

Our magnificent Creator cherishes all unborn babies, regardless of the circumstances of their conception, and has, through His grace, prepared a heavenly home for all who accept the gift of salvation. Praise the Lord!