Results 1 - 8 of 8
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Do babies go to heaven or hell? | Gen 5:24 | Stephanie Marie | 138108 | ||
Do babies and children go to heaven or hell? |
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2 | Do babies go to heaven or hell? | Gen 5:24 | kalos | 138154 | ||
'What happens to babies when they die?' ____________________ "But babies cannot understand that they are sinners, neither can they reject Christ." ____________________ 'The Bible does not give us a definite answer regarding the state of little children who are too young to understand the gospel and trust in Christ as their personal Savior. However, based on certain principles of Scripture, many believe (and I am one of them), that children who are too young to grasp the issues of the gospel, will be in heaven. The reason is simply this: Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died on the cross for the sin of the whole world (1 John 2:2; 1 Tim. 4:2). He and He alone is the Savior of all men and the means of receiving that salvation is by personal faith in Christ. But this can only really apply to those who can believe. Since Christ died for all our sin, the only sin that can keep a person separated from God is the sin of unbelief or rejection of Christ. Listen to the passage below which speaks about the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit in regard to the person of Christ: 'And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged (John 16:8-11). 'Notice that John said, “concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me.” All people are sinners and must recognize this, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), but no one is saved by giving up their sins (Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5), but rather by faith in Christ’s work who alone could and did pay the penalty for our sin. So, the greatest and basic sin is unbelief. Jesus’ return to the Father vindicates His righteous life and the truthfulness of all He said which includes John 14:6. Further, His statement about the ruler of this world having been judged shows that at the cross Christ triumphed over Satan. This serves notice on all unbelievers (those who refuse to believe in Christ) of their judgment to come. Satan’s judgment proves the judgment of all who do not believe in Christ. 'But babies cannot understand that they are sinners, neither can they reject Christ. So, since Christ paid for their sin by His death on the Cross, many believe that little children will be in heaven. Also, remember that when David lost his child, who died before the age of accountability, David stopped his mourning and said, “he can’t come to me, but I will go to him.” While some believe this just means David would be gathered to his son in the grave, this passage may suggest David believed that one day he would see his child in heaven (see 2 Sam. 12:23). While this verse does not prove this concept, it certainly lends support since David seemed to be comforted by this thought. 'Let me point out, however, that not all Christians and Bible teachers believe this about children and will simply say that we cannot know the answer to this since the Bible does not give us specific answers.' ____________________ www.bible.org/qatopic.asp |
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3 | Do babies go to heaven or hell? | Gen 5:24 | Searcher56 | 138158 | ||
Kalos, While I know you quoted someone ... "But babies cannot understand that they are sinners, neither can they reject Christ." ... I ask you what about those who haven't heard - Can they reject Christ? ... When does a person know they are a sinner? - I think when they know what NO means and do it anyway ... because of the consequences. Read my post on 2 Sam. 12:23 |
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4 | Do babies go to heaven or hell? | Gen 5:24 | kalos | 138161 | ||
Adults who never heard the Gospel--why aren't they saved? ____________________ "...the real issue is not the opportunity to hear the gospel, but the ability to choose to sin." ____________________ [Searcher56: Good to hear from you. If I may, again I would like to quote someone else to answer your question, not because I have no answer of my own, but rather because the source I quote puts it so well -- so clearly and accurately. Grace to you! --Kalos] 'Question: If babies are saved based on their inability to accept Christ, why aren't adults who never heard the Gospel? 'Answer: 'My wife and I have lost a son, and I also spent some time addressing your question in my sermon on 2 Samuel chapter 12. ... 'As I read your question, you are taking issue with the fact that infant salvation seems to be based upon their lack of opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel. It may be that the Q and A answer implies this. You rightly argue that if this is the crucial element, then many adults may not have heard the gospel, either. Why, then, would they not be saved on the same basis? Good observation. 'In my mind, that isn’t the issue at all, however. There is a very great difference between an unbelieving infant and an unbelieving adult. Men and women are condemned to an eternity in hell because they have personally and willfully chosen to disregard and disobey God. When Paul condemns all mankind as sinners in Romans 1-3, justly condemned to an eternity apart from God, he does so on the basis of a conscious and deliberate decision. The heathen in Africa (for example), who have never heard the gospel, have seen the revelation of some of God’s attributes in nature, and they have chosen to worship the creation rather than the Creator. It is for this that they are condemned (Romans 1). The Jews, on the other hand, have an even greater guilt because they have had the revelation of the Law, and the full and final revelation of God in the person of Christ (Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:1-4; Romans 2). An infant does not have the capacity to grasp any revelation about God, and thus while born in sin, the infant has not yet committed sin by consciously disobeying or disregarding God (as adults have done). This seems to be the force of God’s argument when rebuking Jonah in Jonah chapter 4. Jonah wanted the entire city to be destroyed, children included, but God argued that they could not yet tell their right hand from the left. They had not yet reached the point of making a conscious choice to sin. 'I understand that this is a very sensitive subject, but I think that the real issue is not the opportunity to hear the gospel, but the ability to choose to sin. While God has not given the revelation of the gospel to all mankind, He has given His natural revelation to all mankind, and unbelieving man rejects what He has revealed of Himself (Psalm 19; Romans 1). Because of this, God is justified in condemning all adults who have rejected Him to hell, whether they ever hear the gospel or not. 'As I understand the Bible, men are involuntarily constituted sinners by their birth into Adam’s race. When Christ came as the last Adam, He overcame and outdid what Adam did (Romans 5:12 ff.). Thus, men (including babies) don’t go to hell for being the offspring of Adam, but for willfully, personally rejecting God and His revelation. Until a child reaches the point where he chooses to sin, the work of Christ delivers the child from the grasp of Adam’s sin.' ____________________ http://www.bible.org/qatopic.asp At the same website see also: What does the Bible say about the age of accountability? What happens to babies when they die? I have a hard time accepting that those who do not believe will perish. What about people who live and die without ever hearing the gospel? Does “corporate sin” mean babies and small children don’t go to heaven if they die? |
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5 | Do babies go to heaven or hell? | Gen 5:24 | Pastor Glenn | 138164 | ||
Hello Kalos, You, Angel, and Searcher have made some excellent points. Adults who never heard the Gospel--why aren't they saved? ____________________ "...the real issue is not the opportunity to hear the gospel, but the ability to choose to sin." ____________________ I wanted to point out first of all that God's mercy and grace is mentioned countless times throughout scripture. One scripture that helps me in this area is from Revelation 19: 2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." I wanted to emphasize "...true and righteous are His judgments..." is the conclusion made by the "...great multitude in heaven..." (verse 1) Also, Revelation 21: 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Notice here "...the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars ..." Would God place babies into this category? John 3 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." Notice here: "men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. " Would God place babies into this category? I don’t worry about babies going to heaven now that I know God’s ways. Now, as for adults that have never heard, remember that Abram had not heard the Gospel directly. So we can learn a lot by studying how Abram was saved: Heb 11 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Romans 4 Abraham Justified by Faith Abraham Was Justified by Faith (1) 1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?[1] 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."[2] 4Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. David Celebrates the Same Truth 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." |
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6 | Do babies go to heaven or hell? | Gen 5:24 | kalos | 138174 | ||
Pastor Glenn: "Would God place babies into this category?" Excellent point! Well said. And well chosen Scriptures to illustrate your points. Thanks for sharing with us. Grace to you, Kalos |
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7 | Do babies go to heaven or hell? | Gen 5:24 | Pastor Glenn | 138184 | ||
Hello Kalos, I think that my answer goes right along with yours. We must realize that all of these kinds of questions really fall under the larger category of "Is God fair?" God has answered this more general question directly in Eze 18:25-32; 33:10-20, and Jer 31:29-30. On Judgement day, I think that we will be part of that multitude in heaven observing in complete awe at God's ability to make "difficult" judgments look like child's play. God Bless, Pastor Glenn |
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8 | Do babies go to heaven or hell? | Gen 5:24 | kalos | 138186 | ||
Pastor Glenn: I agree -- your answer does go right along with mine. And whether or not God is fair, one thing we know for certain: God is always just. His justice is perfect. Grace to you, Kalos |
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