Jesus Loves the Little Children (Why I Believe Children Who Die Go to Heaven)

Jesus says the kingdom of God is received not earned. It is received like a little child, or it is not received at all. By their display of trust and absolute dependence on another, children point the way to entrance into God’s kingdom. Children have the capacity to enjoy a lot but explain little. They live by faith and dependence. They must trust another to survive.

Jesus picked up the children. What a picture of amazing gospel grace! He is tender and affectionate to those who bring nothing to Him but their need. He even “laid His hands on them and blessed them.” There were several components of the Hebrew blessing: a meaningful touch, a spoken word, attaching high value, picturing a special future, and an active commitment (Trent and Smalley, The Blessing, passim). Christ fulfilled these components. He picked up and held these children, spoke a word of blessing over them, and attached high value to their intrinsic worth. He might have spoken prophetic words for future service in God’s kingdom. And He made an active commitment to see the blessing fulfilled. Calvary and the cross say it all.

So Jesus loves the little children. But what happens to those who die in infancy, die young, or never reach an age of moral discernment (often called the “age of accountability”)? As the subtitle of this message states, I believe children who die go to heaven.

Few things in life are more tragic and heartbreaking than the death of a baby or small child. The grief can be overwhelming. Many console themselves that the child is now in a better place. Some believe the rather popular myth that small children who die become angels. However, sentimentalism and emotional hopes and wants are not sufficient for those who live under the authority of the Word of God. We must ask, Do we really know that those who die in infancy go to heaven? What biblical evidence is there?

The church has not been of one mind on this issue. Some church fathers remained silent on the topic. Ambrose said unbaptized infants were not admitted to heaven but have immunity from the pains of hell.216 Augustine basically affirmed the damnation of all unbaptized infants, but taught they would receive the mildest punishment of all. Gregory of Nyssa believed infants who die immediately mature and are given the opportunity to trust Christ. Calvin affirmed the election of some infants to salvation and was open to the possibility that all infants who die are saved. Commenting on this narrative, he said, “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” (Calvin, Harmony, 1:389). Zwingli, B. B. Warfield, and Charles Hodge all taught that God saves all who die in infancy. This perspective has become the dominant view of the church today.

Yet a popular evangelical theologian chided Billy Graham when, at the Oklahoma City bombing memorial service, he said, “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 theologian scolded Dr. Graham for offering what he called “a new gospel: justification by youth alone” (Sproul, “Comfort”). There are good reasons biblically and theologically for believing God saves all who die and do not reach a stage of moral understanding and accountability. Scripture does not speak to this issue directly, yet there is evidence that can be gleaned that would lead us to affirm on biblical grounds that God receives into heaven all who have died in infancy.

First, the grace, goodness, and mercy of God would support the position. This is the strongest argument. God is love (1 John 4:8) and desires that all be saved (1 Tim 2:4). His concern for children is evident when Jesus says, “Your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost” (Matt 8:14). People go to hell because they choose in willful rebellion and unbelief to reject God and His grace. Children are incapable of this kind of conscious rejection of God. Where such rebellion and willful disobedience are absent, God is gracious to receive.

Second, when the baby boy who was born to David and Bathsheba died (2 Sam 12:15-18), David did two significant things. He confessed his confidence that he would see the child again, and he comforted his wife Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:23-24). David must have been confident that his little son was with God.

Third, in James 4:17, the Bible says, “So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.” The Bible is clear that we are all born with a sin nature as a result of being in Adam (Rom 5:12), called “original sin.” However, the Scriptures make a distinction between original sin and actual sins. Infants are incapable of actual sins because they are incapable of moral217 discernment. Original sin is why infants die physically. Actual sins committed with knowledge and understanding are why people die spiritually and eternally if they die without Christ (2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:12-13).

Fourth, Jesus affirmed that the kingdom of God belonged to little children (Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17). Jesus says that saving faith is a childlike faith, but He also seems to be affirming the reality of children populating heaven.

Fifth, Scripture affirms that the number of saved souls is great (Rev 7:9). Since most of the world has been and is still non-Christian, might it be the untold multitude who have died prematurely or in infancy make up a majority of those in heaven? Charles Spurgeon said, “I rejoice to know that the souls of all infants, as soon as they die, speed their way to paradise. Think what a multitude there is of them” (Spurgeon, “Defense”).

Sixth, some in Scripture are said to be chosen or sanctified from the womb (1 Sam 1:8-2:21; Jer 1:5; Luke 1:15). This affirms the salvation of some infants and refutes the view that only baptized babies are assured of heaven.

Seventh, Deuteronomy 1:35-39 is helpful. After the children of Israel rebelled against God in the wilderness, God sentenced that generation to die in the wilderness. But God specifically exempted young children and infants from this sentence and explained, “Your little children, whom you said would be plunder, your sons who don’t know good from evil, will enter there” (Deut 1:39). God specifically exempted from the judgment those who “don’t know good from evil” because of their age. These “little children” would inherit the promised land and would not be judged on the basis of their fathers’ sins. This passage bears directly on the issue of infant salvation and implies that the accomplished work of Christ has removed the stain of original sin from those who die in infancy. Knowing neither good nor evil, these children are incapable of committing sins in the body—are not yet moral agents—and die secure in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. John Newton, who wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace,” was certain of this. He wrote to close friends who had lost a young child, “I hope you are both well reconciled to the death of your child. I cannot be sorry for the death of infants. How many storms do they escape! Nor can I doubt, in my private judgment, that they are included in the election of grace” (Newton, Works, 4:340).

Anyone who is saved is saved because of the grace of God, the saving work of Jesus Christ, and the undeserved and unmerited regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Like all who have ever lived, except for Jesus, infants need to be saved. Only Jesus can take away their sin, and if they are saved, it is because of His sovereign grace and abounding mercy. Abraham said, “Won’t the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Gen 18:25). For those218 incapable of willful acts of sin, we can rest assured God will, indeed, do right. Precious little ones are the objects of His saving mercy and grace.

On September 29, 1861, Charles Spurgeon chastened some critics who had “wickedly, lyingly, and slanderously said of Calvinists that we believe that some little children perish” (“Infant Salvation”). Spurgeon affirmed that God saved little ones without limitation and without exception. He concluded the message with an evangelistic appeal to parents:

Little ones are precious in God’s sight. If they die, they go to heaven. Parents who have trusted Jesus and have lost a little one can be confident of a wonderful reunion someday. Are you hopeful of seeing again that little treasure God entrusted to you for such a short time? Jesus has made a way.