No one and nothing could prepare Ben for what happened on that morning in October. He remembers looking out the window at the purple Jacaranda trees in the street when the cell phone rang. His wife, who took their two-month-old baby to casualties due to a slight fever, gave him news that no parent should hear. And the question that haunted him during the months of mourning was: "By faith we are saved. My baby was only two months old, what happened to our little boy when he died?"
This is not a unique question. 14 million children die each year before they are five years old, leaving behind parents with broken hearts and questions about life after death.
Understandably, the eternal state of babies and toddlers dying is a matter of great concern to parents. Infants and toddlers do not have the ability to "believe" in Jesus for salvation. The same can be said for people with the mental capacity of a child who also lack the ability to place saving faith in Jesus. So, do those who are not able to believe go to heaven?
To answer this question, we need to look at the entire Bible's statements about babies and children as well as at God's character as revealed in the Bible. The church fathers were not in agreement on whether babies will go to heaven when they die. Ambrose was of the opinion that babies who have not been baptized cannot go to heaven but they will not experience the pain of hell. Augustine believed that all unbaptized babies would go to hell but receive the least punishment of all. Calvin on the other hand, was comfortable with the idea that all babies who die go to heaven. His words were:
Christ receives not only those who, moved by holy desire and faith, freely approach unto Him, but those who are not yet of age to know how much they need His grace.
Modern theologians generally agree that babies go to heaven when they die. The famous Billy Graham wrote the following:
Someday there will be a glorious reunion with those who have died and gone to heaven before us, and that includes all those innocent children that are lost. They’re not lost from God because any child that young is automatically in heaven and in God’s arms.
The Bible does not give direct references on the subject, but we can draw strong conclusions. Despite the Bible’s lack of direct teaching on the outcome of infant mortality, studying the biblical teaching about the life of a child, original sin, knowledge of good and evil, willful sin and hell, God’s character, God’s dealings with and regard for children, as well as relevant scriptural examples, enables Christians to be confident in providing the answer that loved ones so desperately seek when an infant dies.
Mark 10:13-16 relates to an event that made such a deep impression on the writers of the Gospels that three out of the four wrote it down.
In Jesus' day, children were seen as a burden and not an asset until they reached the age where they could give contributions to society. The Roman Empire did not consider children important at all. They put garbage dumps everywhere between the houses where people could leave babies they didn't want and if people wanted children they could pick them up there. Children were often fetched there to be raised as prostitutes or slaves or gladiators.
In the Bible we also read how children were abused and neglected, such as Herod who killed children under two and Pharaoh who had children killed in the book of Exodus.
Children in modern times also suffer; Currently (2023), there are 153 million infants and toddlers who are orphans and 468 million children living in armed conflict or war-torn places.
1. The Bible's message about children's salvation
The Old Testament records some events from which we can deduce what happens to babies after they die. The Bible tells of a man, David, who lost two sons to death. One was an infant and the other an adult boy. His baby fell ill and he was broken and comfortless. He couldn't eat or sleep and prayed and cried all the time. The moment he heard his baby had died he dressed and ate. His grief was gone because he believed that his baby was with God and that he would see him again. It comforted him and he was able to get on with his life. David's answer indicates a calm assurance that although he had lost his son, his son was safe with the Lord.
On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
2 Samuel 12:18-23
His grief was immediately and completely replaced by hope. His firm belief was that he would be with his son again in the future. He had no doubt that he would spend eternity with him. He also had no doubt that his infant son who died before he could decide for or against his father's God would be there. The story of David and his dying child gives tremendous comfort to parents who lost babies to death.
Then David's older son, Absalom, died. Absalom was a wicked child and David was very sad when he passed away because he knew he would not see him again.
The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”
2 Samuel 18:33
In the Old Testament, we read how the Israelites had to wander in the wilderness for forty years because they were rebellious toward God after they moved out of Egypt. God punished them, promising that none of them would enter the promised land.
“No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, 36except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.”
Because of you the Lord became angry with me also and said, “You shall not enter it, either. But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it. And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it..
Deuteronomy 1:35-39
God specifically sets the children free from judgment because of their age and because they do not know what is good or bad. These babies would inherit the promised land and would not be judged for the parents' sins.
If we trace these two recorded events through to the New Testament, the death of Jesus gave grace to babies. Remember that everyone who is saved is saved because of the grace of God and the redemptive work of Jesus. Babies also need to be saved from their sin and only Jesus can take away their sin. If one looks at the soft innocent faces of babies they look without sin but the Bible tells us that they are little sinners from conception.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Psalm 51:5
Babies are not neutral. They did not choose sin but they bear the sin. Still, he or she has a sinful nature that alienates him or her from God from the moment of birth. All of us are born into this world with a sinful nature and need salvation. God gives grace until children are able to give their heart to Jesus. It takes time until they are old enough to recognize, acknowledge and confess their sin.
Some babies die in the womb. Others at birth and other weeks after.
2. The background of the incident in Mark 10
Jewish parents wanted to give spiritual blessings to their children throughout all ages. In the Old Testament, children's fathers blessed them by blowing over them to bless them that way.
The Talmud relates that parents took their children to the elders in the synagogue to be blessed.
In Judaism, blessing children was a special thing and they set aside a special day for it. Jews cared about their children's future and wanted eternal life for the children; so they blessed the children. In this regard, we think of Jacob and Isaac and the special ways in which they blessed their children.
Mark 10 is set against the background when people believed you had to earn your place in heaven with good works. Even Jesus' disciples believed in merit. But babies and toddlers can't do good works. They can’t do anything to earn the kingdom of God.
Against this background where children are worth nothing because they can't contribute, it's shocking what Jesus is doing by calling the toddlers and children closer and giving them a hug. He gives a powerful illustration that the kingdom of God cannot be earned.
3. Jesus and the children
Jesus' heart always beat warmly for children, and He showed love and respect for children several times. Children were important to him.
But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,”replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“ ‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”
Matthew 21:15-16
We also read the following in Mark 9:33-37:
They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
In Mark 9:42 Jesus said:
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.
4. The incident in Mark 10
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them..
Mark 10:13-16
Here, parents bring their children to Jesus for Him to bless them, lay hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples feel that the children do not have a right to Jesus because little children do not have a place in the religious system. They can only claim Jesus when they can do good works. The disciples feel this is a waste of Jesus' time.
In verse 14, we see Jesus' reaction when the disciples chased the parents away. Jesus became very angry that they were treating the children that way. The parents had already started to walk away when Jesus called them back. Jesus shows how much he cares for the helpless, defenseless people. Jesus doesn't ask the parents what their faith is or about the children's faith. Babies are not believers or non-believers. Jesus loves all the children.
Jesus commands that no one hinder the children from coming to Him. The Kingdom of God (sphere of salvation, a spiritual domain where God reigns) belongs to people like them.
Babies are helpless.
They can't do anything to help themselves.
Their lives are in the hands of others.
They can't stand.
They don't bring anything, they are empty-handed.
They can't make choices.
They don't yet know what's right or wrong. One gets goosebumps about what Jesus says as opposed to convincing those around Him who say that children are a burden and mean nothing.
Jesus says the kingdom of God is received and not earned. Jesus gives grace to the babies because they cannot believe yet. There is divine care in God's kingdom for sinful babies, toddlers, children, and people with minds who cannot make spiritual choices. They have a place in the kingdom of God, even though they were born in sin. They are so small, they are not accountable to their spiritual lives. Little ones live by faith, trust and dependence. They must trust others to live and survive.
And then in Mark 10, Jesus picks up the children. It's a picture of incredible grace. This is the Gospel in one gesture. He is gentle and loving toward those who can offer Him nothing but their needs.
5. God's grace
The consistent message of the Bible is that God's primary purpose in saving people is to manifest His amazing grace. In Ephesians 1:7-8 we read:
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us..
One must ask: "Would the riches of God's grace be displayed by sending babies and children to hell?"
When we study the Bible, we can conclude that babies, children, and people like them, who have the capacity of a child, fall under the grace of Jesus—the grace we gained as sinners when Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Because our God is a God of grace, these babies and children are saved and taken up into heaven. This view is not only consistent with the love of God, but also with His holiness and righteousness.
Since babies in the womb have eternal souls, we can also apply the previous arguments to preborn babies. The moment a baby is aborted or miscarried in the womb, his or her spirit goes directly to heaven. They rest securely in the protective love of Jesus. We believe heaven will be filled with those who never grew to maturity on earth.
I believe it is the uniform testimony of the Bible that those who are unable to make a decision to accept Jesus Christ, and who have died, are now with Christ in heaven, resting in His gentle arms and enjoying the sweetness of His love.
6. Parents' and mentors' spiritual responsibility
Parents' life priority should be to lead their children to Jesus. It is easy to instill a love for Jesus and the Bible in young children. They are like little sponges, ready and willing to take in what they can. Their minds are open to ideas and can be easily formed. From an early age, parents can create an environment for children to learn about God and His infinite love for them. While our role as parents in developing our children's faith is a sacred task and a tremendous responsibility, we must understand that we are not fully in control of their spiritual life. We lead them to Christ and then trust in God's plan and purpose. Our children can easily embrace the Christian faith. Then again, at some point, they can turn away from it. But their faith and path with Christ is a personal journey, not a reflection of our parenting skills.
7. Conclusion
We can therefore rest with certainty that preborn babies, babies, children and those who do not have the mental capacity to believe in Jesus do receive His saving grace out of love and rest happily and peacefully in the arms of Jesus under His loving care.
The hope of all of us, and our only hope is the goodness of God. Albert Mohler writes:
When we look into the grave of one of these little ones, we do not place our hope and trust in the false promises of an unbiblical theology, in the instability of sentimentalism, in the cold analysis of human logic, nor in the cowardly refuge of ambiguity. We place our faith in Christ, and trust Him to be faithful to his Word…
We know that heaven will be filled with those who never grew to maturity on earth but they will greet us in heaven, complete in Christ.