“Do they have a conscious awareness of God as defined in Romans Chapter 1?”
God has given three witnesses to Himself that Paul writes about in Romans; general revelation in nature and His law written on the hearts of all; special revelation, the Law given to Israel. Each witnesses to God so that all are without excuse. As to infants, the innate selfishness and temper are witnesses to their fallen nature. Try taking a nursing baby from his mother. His response defies the “law written on his heart”.
Justice means that God is no respecter of persons. He has established one way to salvation and reconciliation with Him; Christ Jesus. How can He be just and the justifier of the unborn and the infant in keeping with His righteous nature? As I said before, I think this is in His foreknowledge according to His purpose and plans. “Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions then God knows not only what will actually come to pass (one trusts to salvation) but also, in the case of the unborn or the under-aged child, what would come to pass (that some would trust to salvation) had they been born or lived. Rev. 17:8 says that the names were written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, so God knows those that are His from the foundation of the world.”
Psa 22:9-10, “But thou [art] he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope [when I was] upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou [art] my God from my mother’s belly.”
Psa 139:13-16, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.”
Isa. 49:1,5, “Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.”....”And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him,”
Jer. 1:5, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
The same can be said of cats or dogs. Are they doomed to hell by their nature? Is the law of God written on their feline or canine hearts?
I am not arguing that infants do not have a fallen nature. I am arguing from Romans I that they have an "excuse" and hence I believe they are covered by grace if they die before they have considered the glory of Creation.
To whom much is given much shall be required. What can we say about those to whom nothing is given? Could it be that God has given to some "nothing" as a means of saving grace? Can you rule THAT out?