Do Babies Go To Heaven?

Many people have asked the question, "Where do babies go when they die?"  It is an understandable question to wonder if your baby is in Heaven.  When we look to the Bible for answers on this, we will find that there is not a passage that specifically says "Yes, all babies who pass away go to Heaven."  But did you know that God still gives us an answer to this question?

Before we go too far, we must understand why it is a question in the first place.  When Jesus Christ, the Son of God, walked the earth His message was simple and clear.  He warned hearts by proclaiming that we must repent, for the Kingdom of God was at hand (Matt. 3:2)  He declared that "He that believes not (in Jesus) is condemned already, because he does not believe in the Name of the only begotten Son of God."  (John 3:18)  And of Himself, He said "I Am the WAy, I Am the Truth, and I Am the life- no one comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6)  He wasn't saying this to be mean, but rather because of the reality that all of us have sinned (Rom. 3:23), none are righteous (Romans 3:10), and all are sinners from the moment of birth (Psalm 51:5).  So the nutshell- we are all sinners, seperated from God, who will face judgement by God (2 Cor. 5:10, Hebrews 9:27) UNLESS we repent and believe in Jesus.

So you can see the concern: How can a baby who has passed away, either in the womb or out, make a confession of repentance and faith?  And if they cannot, then what is their fate?  How can they be in Heaven?  Is there a way, do the rules somehow not apply to them?

First, let us understand the nature of God.  It is important to understand two things about God: 1.  He is absolute Just.  When it comes to matters of right and wrong, He is absolutely ALWAYS right.  He is the definition of truth and as Creator of the universe, He is and has the right to be the standard setter for what is wrong and what is right.  And in order for Him to be Just, it means there must also be penalty for wrong.  He could not be Just if He left sin unpunished.  2.  He is absolute love.  While He is Just, He is love.  He must sit in judgement, yet He has also placed Himself in the seat of the condemned, a sacrifice for sin. Jesus said that God "So loved the world that He gave His only beggoten Son" (John 3:16) as a sacrifice, a debt-payment for our sins, his life offered for ours BECAUSE God is love, IF we are willing to receive it. You see, God knows we are destitute and damned without Him; yet rather than leave us be, He sent His Son on a rescue mission, a mission of love and mercy.  It is NOT His desire that any should be condemend (1 Tim. 2:4)

Understanding His nature, we can safely say that it is God's desire that our babies who pass away go to Heaven.  It is not His desire that they be condemned.  He loves them, as He loves us.  So what then is the plan?  How can there be hope for those who die too young to understand the need for repentance?

Our first clue comes from Deuteronomy 1:39.  Here we find a passage in which God is addressing the children of Israel.  The people had sinned against God, and as a result, the generation of adults were not allowed to enter the promised land.  However, God had a different message for their children:  "Moreover, your little ones, which you said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day HAD NO KNOWLEDGE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, they shall go in, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it."

God makes a distinction that because their children had no knowledge of good and evil, that the punishment would not fall upon them.  We see here that God Himself acknowledges there is a time when children are not yet at a place of reasoning or ability to choose right and wrong.

Our next clue comes from 2 Corinthians 5:10.  Here the Apostle Paul, under inspiration from the Holy Spirit, gives a brief description of judgement day, where he says the following: "For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that which he has done, whether it be good or bad."  Notice- it is the sins done in the body that we are being judged for.  If a baby cannot reason between good and evil, and we are held accountable for the sins we choose to commit in our body, then it would seem logical to conclude that they are not yet held accountable.

But there is one other thing we should look at:  2 Samuel 12:21-23.  Here we find the account of David, warrior king of Israel, the one Jesus Himself called "A man after God's own heart", suffering the loss of a baby.  His son had become very ill, and during that illness David fasted and prayed.  When the child passed away, David got up, washed himself, and ate.  His servants were perplexed; they asked him why the sudden change in behaviour.  David's answer says a lot:  "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."  David was looking forward to a reunion with his child in Heaven!

Here is the conclusion:  God loves our children more than we do.  There is Biblical evidence and examples that a baby unable to make a decision for or against Christ will be covered by His grace and mercy.  And David, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, proclaimed hope in looking forward to a reunion with his child.

So why would God not directly give a blunt answer to this question?  As one preacher pointed out, we live in a fallen world.  Can you imagine how easy it would be for someone, or some cult, to justify killing children based on the idea that they could go to Heaven?  Believe me, cults have been started on less than that.  I believe it is for the protection of the children that there is no clear and defining answer in Scriptures.

One final thought- it is something that can bring us great hope in loss.  Knowing that our babies are safe in the arms of Jesus, we have hope that even though their life was too short here, even though we did not get to hold our babies as long as we would have liked, we can look forward to a reunion with them, if our faith and trust is in Jesus Christ.  Jesus laid out the path to Heaven, where He waits for us with our little ones.  If you have not yet received the hope that Jesus has to offer, now is the time- God says "Today is the day of salvation!" (2 Corinthians 6:2)  Look to Jesus today!  He loves you more than life itself, and is waiting with outstretched arms for you...