Parents may have unanswered questions about their child’s whereabouts after they die. Although the Bible doesn’t directly address this issue, we can still find enough information to get started in the proper route.
No one is born completely innocent
In Psalm 51:5, David states, “Behold, I was born in iniquity, and my mother conceived me in sin.” Every single one of us needs to turn from our sins and ask for forgiveness.
Nevertheless, those with mental disabilities and minors are incapable of realizing their own wickedness and making a deliberate decision to follow Jesus. Would God not be kind and merciful to let them into heaven? We think there is sufficient justification to answer “yes” to this query.
Situation of David
David committed adultery with Bathsheba, had her husband killed and lost the baby as a result. When the baby was sick, David cried to the Lord in the hope that He would hear him and would let the child live. But when the baby finally died, David got up, washed, changed and ate, to the astonishment of his servants. They could not understand how he could do all these things when the child had died. This is David’s answer: “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:22-23). David believed that the child was in heaven and that one day, he would join him there.
God’s heart for children
When we consider how Jesus interacted with children, the Bible also reveals God’s heart for them. Jesus makes no secret of his fondness for children in Matthew 18:1–9. Even more, Matthew 18:3 teaches us that in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must behave like children. Jesus shows his affection for children once more in chapter 19:13–15 when He gives them a blessing and lets them get close. When the disciples attempt to keep the little ones from approaching Jesus, He chastises them severely, saying, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14).
God is free to apply Christ’s atonement to whoever He pleases. It is true that according to 1 John 2:2, Jesus is “the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” God is good (Psalm 103:8), sovereign (Acts 4:24), and loving (John 3:16). We have total faith that He will judge justly, with compassion and love. That is the nature of Him. We can be sure of God’s love for children and the extent of that love even though the Bible does not specifically say that all children who die at a young age will get to heaven or when they will precisely reach the age of accountability.
Summary
A common question is what happens to small children who pass away. We can find hints in the Bible even if it does not expressly address this. Jesus invited kids to live in His kingdom. Furthermore, God is kind and gracious. Therefore, we can have complete faith that He will make a loving and just decision even if He is the one who decides who will get eternal life.
