Babies and heaven?

Question

I have heard someone make the argument that babies who are born from non believers who die will go to hell because they don't have the protection of the believing parent on them. Now, I don't believe this, but I was wondering if you Christians there would weigh in your beliefs on this, and some bible scriptures to support it, thanks.

Answer 1

It's my understanding that folks who take this position use 1 Cor. 7:13-14 to assert that at least one believing parent is required in order for a child to go to Heaven: "13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy."

I reject this position because:

1) God is merciful and does not visit the sins of the fathers on the sons; this is disclosed by God in the entirety of Ezekiel 18.

2) The Gospels tell us that, in order to be spritually reborn ("Born Again"), a person must believe AND repent. To hold it against a young child who died before this was possible would be unjust. God is not unjust. Therefore, this doctrine cannot be true.

Peace.

EDIT: On the other hand, it's untrue that babies are "sinless," as some have written. Romans 3 quotes Psalms and Ecclesiastes to disprove this notion:

10 As it is written:

“ There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one."

Answer 2

No one goes to a fiery place to be tortured forever, The Bible does not teach that. It teaches that God is love and is a God of justice. Torturing imperfect humans is certainly not showing love or justice. Hell is where all who die are buried, including children, and there they lie asleep in death and are awaiting a resurrection. The resurrection is a wonderful promise from God and even unrighteous people will be brought back to life and given a second chance. They will be taught what God requires in order to live forever here on earh and then will be judged to see if they meet those requirements.
The book of Revelation also gives us the promise that death will be no more and hell will be no more. Without death, hell (graves)will no longer be needed.
[Revelation 20:13-14]

Answer 3

Well, there aren't any my friend to support that, because a child is not held accountable for the parent's sins. However, if a baby should die, they get a straight shot to Heaven because they are not at an age to know what is right from wrong. So how can they sin? They can't. So that argument doesn't hold water.

Answer 4

Well, the argument you have heard is an old theory at least for Catholics... I'm Catholic, and I'm not agree with that, but it comes from middle ages and I think most of us nowadays, have changed our mind but during centuries, Catholic Church, have made think people what they wanted... I think that theory comes from 'St. Agustin' over four centuries after Christ, but I'm not sure, the only I can tell you for sure is that it doesn't appear in the Bible.

During centuries, here, in Spain, babies should be baptized in the same day they were born to clean their 'original sin', and babies who were born dead or died at too short hours were buried out of the Cemetery the same that people who commit crimes against the Church... But in most parts of Spain, nowadays, nobody thinks like that, only a few old people (very old) or some people from extreme religious sects...

Answer 5

Why would God condemn an innocent child who has no knowledge of good and evil? Someone is feeding you foolishness. The scriptures are full of Jesus telling us to come to him like children and letting the children come to him. (John 3:3, Mark 10:13-16) If children were condemned to death because of a parents disbelief, why would he use them as examples? I've also found this scripture: "But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whome much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given." Luke 12: 48
There is an age of accountability and that age varies from person to person. That age is when we are capable of understanding or "hearing the voice" of the Holy Spirit. If we choose to disregard that "call" then we are making a choice against life with God.

Answer 6

Acts 24:15 talks about the resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. Obviously, there is no reason to resurrect those who are intentionally unrighteous and have wicked hearts, but those who have died before being able to learn of God or who have been too young or too sheltered (because of where they lived) to have realized his provision for salvation, would be given a chance as God is perfectly just. I am a Christian Jehovah's Witness and we know that hell is not a place of burning, firey torment but simply the common grave of mankind. Jesus went there and he was perfect. It is nothing to fear. It is what comes after that period of inactivity that we have to look forward to either life or death forever.

Answer 7

I've read several accounts about Revelations where babies in the process of being born go straight to heaven during rapture. Babies are innocent until humans corrupt them.

Answer 8

What rubbish, and it has nothing to do with being a Christian for you to understand that God will welcome any baby from believers or non believers, and when the time comes a lot of people will find themselves in a position where someone may turn round and say I told you so..

Answer 9

Babies are without sin. Some believe that we inherit sin from Adam just from being born. But how can we be judged from someone else's actions. No, Babies have an express ticket to heaven. This includes no baptism too. BTW, as spirits they are adults, they don't remain infants forever.

Answer 10

Well, I don't have the Bible handy but why would anyone think that a loving God would punish an innocent child for the actions of their parent(s)? Some so called Christians like to take biblical passages out of context and I think this is where an idea like this comes from.