Article — Heaven and Hell — Q & A
Do babies or young children go to heaven when they die?
The Bible doesn't provide a direct answer — but several verses imply that babies, young children, or those with mental handicaps go to heaven when they die
All people are born with original sin at the moment of conception. But will God hold a baby responsible if they have no capacity for reasoning about God or responding to the gospel?
An important consideration is that nowhere does the Bible teach infant damnation. Scripture teaches that unbelievers are sent to hell based on their deeds of sin (Rev. 20:11-12). The dominant sin is unbelief. But infants don't fit into this group. While children do sin (disobey, are selfish, etc.), they are incapable of choosing good or evil or understanding true repentance and saving faith. They've never committed conscious deeds of rebellion against God.
How is a baby saved?
They are saved like everyone else. The accomplished work of Christ removes the stain of original sin. They are saved by the sovereign grace of God through the atonement of Christ on the cross.
We'll briefly look at some scriptural support for infant salvation and God's compassion on those not knowing right from wrong.
God spares 120,000 infants based on His compassion
Jonah was sent by God to the wicked in Nineveh to call them to repent. But Jonah was upset when the people actually repented and God didn't bring calamity upon them. The reason God gave Jonah for sparing the city was his compassion towards 120,000 infants when he said,
“Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand . . . ?” (Jonah 4:11).
The nature of God shows his compassion to those who are innocent and don't know the difference between their right and left hand.
God's reference to "my children" from wicked parents
God rebuked the wickedness of people sacrificing infants to the god Moloch. God referred to the infants as “my children.”
“You slaughtered My children and offered them up to idols by causing them to pass through the fire” (Ezek. 16:21).
God identified these children as “my children,” not Satan's.
Children not condemned — "no knowledge of good or evil"
When the Israelites fled captivity in Egypt, only those people aged 19 and younger were allowed to enter the promised land along with Joshua and Caleb. Why? Because they had no understanding of good or evil.
“As for your little ones . . . and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.” (Deut. 1:39)
However, those aged 20 and older were prevented from entering the promised land due to their numerous sinful deeds, such as worshipping a golden calf.
God did not condemn the children who were not mature enough to discern right from wrong.
King David expected to be reunited with his baby who died
King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, who bore a son that died seven days after birth. The scripture tells us David fully expected to be reunited with his baby in heaven.
David said,
“I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Sam. 12:23).
This helps support a reasonable argument that babies go to heaven when they die, as David fully expected to see his baby again.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to children
Parents were bringing their children to Jesus so he would bless them. The disciples rebuked the parents, but Jesus intervened and said,
“Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt. 19:13-14).
This story is a great analogy of salvation by grace since a child cannot earn salvation. Children are completely dependent on sovereign grace to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus only blessed believers, not unbelievers
Jesus picked up the children and blessed them.
“'Permit the children to come to Me' . . . And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them” (Mark 10:14, 16).
Jesus only blessed believers, and in this case, children. Jesus never blessed unbelievers or the cursed. The disciples got their first lesson on God's attitude toward children when Jesus rebuked them for hindering the children who came to Him.
Children are innocent, but still guilty of original sin
Since all people inherit guilt and corruption from Adam, the salvation of an infant based on being innocent is impossible. Therefore, salvation must be in the same way all people are saved. God in His sovereign mercy extends them the atonement of Christ, electing and regenerating them entirely by grace.
But what about Paul's statement in Romans 1:19-20 that all humanity is “without excuse” because God's attributes are clearly seen in creation? A counterargument is infants are exempt because they lack the cognitive ability to perceive or reject this revelation.
Theologians who believe infants who die are saved
A partial list of older theologians includes Zwingli, Calvin, Hodge, and B.B. Warfield, who believe in infant salvation.
A few of the more recent theologians who believe infants are saved include Spurgeon, MacArthur, Piper, and Mohler.
A Protestant confession of faith by the Baptists in 1679 succinctly summarizes widely held views on infant salvation.
“We believe that all little children dying in their infancy, before they are capable to choose either good or evil, whether born of believing parents or unbelieving parents, shall be saved by the grace of God, the merit of Christ, their Redeemer, and the work of the Holy Ghost.” (1679 Orthodox Creed, Article 44, British Baptists).
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