DO CHILDREN WHO DIE GO TO HEAVEN?
Mt. 19:14
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier.
2. Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday, with his wife flying down the following day.
3. The husband checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her email address and, without realizing his error, sent the e-mail.
4. Meanwhile, somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband's funeral. He was a Baptist minister who was called home to glory following a heart attack.
5. The widow decided to check her e-mail, expecting messages from relatives and friends. After reading the first message, she screamed and fainted.
6. The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:
"To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I’ve Arrived
Date: March 31, 2016
7. I know you’re surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones. I've just arrived and have been checked in.
8. I've seen that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.
9. P. S. Sure is hot down here!"
B. THESIS
1. I have stood in cemeteries with families who’ve lost babies. It’s heart-breaking and as a preacher I often feel like I don’t have the answers for “why.”
2. Often I’ve been asked, “Is my baby in heaven?” I’ve never had to hesitate. It’s such a comfort to know that our babies are safe and that we’ll see them again.
3. Tonight I’d to give you my reasons why I believe that all babies go to heaven.
4. So my message is entitled, “Do Children Who Die Go To Heaven?”
I. BABIES & ORIGINAL SIN
A. QUESTIONABLE BIBLE TEACHING
1. The origin of the “Original Sin” doctrine is usually connected to Romans 5:12, “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned."
2. "Original sin" has been defined as "the effect which the sin of Adam has upon us as a precondition of our lives."
3. St. Augustine (354-430), one of the most influential church fathers on Christian doctrine, stated in his treatise, City of God, that "even the infants, not personally in their own life, but according to the common origin of the human race, have all broken God's covenant in that one in whom all have sinned."
4. The idea is that we participated in that first sin, for we were all potentially present in Adam when he transgressed.
(a similar argument to Heb. 7:9, where Levi is said to have paid tithes to Melchizedek because he was in the loins of Abraham).
5. Other verses that seem to teach babies are sinners: David said, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity" (Ps. 51:5). "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies" (Ps. 58:3).
6. If this principle is true, then we are born tainted with the original sin of Adam and even babies can’t escape some guilt.
7. However, some argue that Jesus atoned for Adam’s sin; “Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also [Jesus’] one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people” Rom. 5:18.
B. INFANT BAPTISM
1. The teaching of Augustine and Calvin on original sin was a big factor in many old-line churches practicing infant baptism, which was often mistaken with regeneration.
2. Peter taught in Acts 2:38, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” According to Peter, baptism does no good unless it’s preceded by repentance for sin.
C.HOW DOES THIS SEEM WRONG TO US?
1. What about God’s statement that the sins of the fathers are not imputed to their sons? “Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.” 2 Chr. 25:4; 2Kgs. 14:6; Deut. 24:16; Ezek. 18:20. The teaching on original sin seems to contradict God’s explicit statement in these verses.
2. It seems out of character for God to be unjust and sentence a baby to hell who never participated in the commission of even one sin.
II. 5 REASONS BABIES ALWAYS GO TO HEAVEN
A. DAVID’S BABY IN HEAVEN
1. 2 Samuel 12 tells the sordid story of how David committed adultery with Bathsheba. She became pregnant, but Nathan the prophet confronted David & prophesied the child would die.
2. David tried to dissuade God from taking the child, but after it died he said, “But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me (2 Sam. 12:22-23)."
3. The Bible clearly says that David went to heaven (Ps. 16:10-11; Ps. 89:3-4, 20, 27-28). So when David said, "I will go to him, but he will not return to me," this was proof-positive that the child went to heaven.
B. CHILDREN = PUREST IDEAL OF HEAVEN
1. One day Jesus' disciples asked him, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Matt. 18:1. They assumed that Jesus would pick one of them—perhaps Peter, etc.
2. He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 18:2-4.
3. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" Matt. 19:14.
C. AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
1. Multiple times God states that small children don’t even know right from wrong, so it’s impossible for them to sin because their consciences don’t have the knowledge to judge.
2. Deut. 1:39, “…your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the [Promised] land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.”
3. Isa. 7:16, “…for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.”
4. Obviously, God implies there will be a time in which they will understand right and wrong; then they may choose wrong and be guilty of sin (Rom. 7:9).
D. THEY’RE IN THE “BOOK OF LIFE”
1. The Book of Life contains the names of those headed for heaven. Children, who’ve never committed a sin & haven’t broken their relationship with God, must be in that Book.
2. Their names will only be blotted out of the Book of Life if they sin against God (Ex. 32:33).
E. EVERY TRIBE/ NATION IN HEAVEN
1. Rev 7:9 says, “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”
2. The Bible affirms in this verse that the number of saved souls is very great. Since most of the world has been and is still non-Christian, where did these multitudes come from? Might they be the untold multitudes who’ve died prematurely or in infancy?
3. Records show that as many as 30% of English children (chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/teaching-modules/166) in the 1800’s died before the age of 15.
4. If the “Age of Accountability” applied, this would mean that untold millions who died in early childhood – of every tribe & nation – would be in heaven, regardless of whether they ever heard of the name of Jesus!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: Angels Explained By Children
1. “I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.” Gregory, age 5
2. “Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos any more. I forget why, but scientists are working on it.”
Olive, age 9
3. “It's not easy to become an angel ! First, you die. Then you go to Heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.” Matthew, age 9
4. Angels don't eat, but they do drink milk from Holy Cows.” Jack, age 6
5. “Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead.” Daniel, age 9
6. “When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere there's a tornado.” Reagan, age 10
7. “Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter.” Jared, age 8
8. “All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn't go for it.” Antonio, age 9
B. THE CALL
1. "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Mt. 18:10.
2. Let’s pray that we may become like little children in our faith and innocency so that we may represent Christ and be fitting inhabitants of the kingdom of God!
3. Call to prayer & salvation.
[This message had input from Jim Denison’s, “Do All Children Go To Heaven?” and a few thoughts by Albert Mohler and Daniel Akin]
