Where Do Babies Go When They Die?
Larry D. Schultz
Jesus Christ said, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but
he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not
believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).
Is this a general statement our Saviour is making here, or is it
inclusive to all people everywhere, to all generations, and to every
age of life? In order to come to a biblical conclusion we must go to
the Holy Scriptures and compare scripture with scripture. In rightly
dividing the word of truth, one must realize that though
everything in the Bible is true, not everything is truth. Truth, as
in absolute. An example of this is seen first in Genesis 3:4 where
Satan says, “Ye shall not surely die,” which is obviously not
truth according to Genesis 2:17, where God said, “thou shalt
surely die,” this being a true statement about eating of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We see this principle again
in Acts 15:1, when certain men taught “Except ye be circumcised
after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved,” which is a true
statement, but not truth according to Jesus Christ in John
3:3, “...except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God.” With that being said, I want to look at David's comment in 2
Samuel 12:23, “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
These are David's words given at the time of his grief, much like
today as people at a funeral of a loved one saying, “they're in a
better place now,” or “heaven just got another angel.” These
are comfort words. Nowhere in the Scriptures does it ever allude to
the remote possibility of anyone at any age going to heaven without
grace through faith. The Bible is clear that all are sinners (Romans
3:10; Psalms 51:5, 58:3). Sinners must go to hell for not accepting
the free gift of eternal life by grace through faith, because of
their sinful nature. So, that leaves an open assumption that God is
not fair to give infants who can't understand, or mentally challenged
people, or the people who have never heard the word a chance to
accept and receive the gift that has already been purchased for them.
Or, possibly God has another plan. No one went to heaven when they
died in the Old Testament until Jesus resurrected. They went to
Abraham's bosom. They didn't know this place existed until it was
written of in Luke 16:23. Could there be a “holding place” now?
The Bible teaches that all nations will hear the gospel (Matthew
24:14). I believe the aborted babies, mentally challenged, and people
who have never heard the gospel will show up during the millennial
reign of Christ. They will learn of Christ and have an opportunity to
put faith in him. And this decision of trust will be verified after
the millennial when Satan is “loosed out of his prison” and try
to deceive the nations (Revelation 20:7,8), then Christ will put a
quick end to that. It's at that time when those who have been
aborted, or died early in life without knowing truth will have a
chance to trust, and when Satan tries to deceive them that will be
the time to “prove” their trust by being not deceived. Right
after that is the White Throne Judgment, when all who have not
believed will be cast forever into the lake of fire (Revelation
20:15).
God is just, and God is fair. I agree what Calvin is quoted saying,
“that God need not be limited because he works in ways we cannot
always perceive, and he can still bestow his grace.” I believe his
grace is to follow his word, and tell us only the things we need to
know, as he does the things that only he can understand.
“There is no searching of his understanding” (Isaiah 40:28).
This is my personal belief on a subject that has long been speculated
about with many different opinions. Even a number of theologians have
disagreed on this matter.
One thing to get out of this is that God is not willing that any
should perish. (2 Peter 3:9).