If A Young Child Dies, will He/She Go To Heaven?

As a pastor, over the years, I have been asked this question many times by parents who's child has died. I have heard many opinions of man, but none that satisfied my thirst for a Scriptural response until I read Romans 5:12-14.
 
Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—5:13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 5:14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come."

When asked about the death of a child, most of the answers that I ever heard from other pastors was something like this, "suffer the children to come to me." I don't know about you but this answer never really did it for me.

Please forgive me if this topic has been discussed before. Because I am new here and don't want to post a thread of which has already been discussed at length, I'll stop here and see if you "long timers" want me to continue. Grace and Peace to you all.
 
Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—5:13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 5:14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come."

When asked about the death of a child, most of the answers that I ever heard from other pastors was something like this, "suffer the children to come to me." I don't know about you but this answer never really did it for me.

Please forgive me if this topic has been discussed before. Because I am new here and don't want to post a thread of which has already been discussed at length, I'll stop here and see if you "long timers" want me to continue. Grace and Peace to you all.

YES!
 
Thank you my new friends Major and Abdicate. Upon your request I'll post what I see in the Scriptures as the answer to my OP.

There is an interesting aspect of the time period from Adam to the giving of the Law thru Moses. This was a period of 1,500 years. The Scripture that I'd like to present first is, 5:13 "for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law." (ESV) 5:13 "For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law." (KJV) The verses, one in the ESV and the other in the KJV use different words for the same meaning.

For the period of 1,500 years, men were sinning, but, their sin was not being "counted" or "imputed" when there is no Law. God had set down some preliminary instructions because of the difference between Cain and Abel's sacrifice. Also, "Ye shall surely die" was in effect.

Now we have a child who dies before the age of accountability. Like those who lived in that 1,500 year period, a child's sins are not being recorded in Heaven because the child does not understand the Laws of God. The child remains innocent until reaching that age of accountability and goes to be with Jesus if he/she dies.

So, what is the age of accountability? Perhaps some of you have some thoughts to share. In the Forum that I left, I suggested that it might be around 12 years old. I was thinking of when a Jewish boy reaches the age of manhood. A Jewish friend suggested that it might be around 20 years of age because that was the age that the men of Israel were allowed to go into the promised land. Personally I felt that 20 was too old.

At any rate, rest assured parents, if your child dies before he/she understands the "Laws of God" they will go home where you will be some day, and be with our loving Jesus who died to make that possible. Praise His Holy Name!
 
Thank you my new friends Major and Abdicate. Upon your request I'll post what I see in the Scriptures as the answer to my OP.

There is an interesting aspect of the time period from Adam to the giving of the Law thru Moses. This was a period of 1,500 years. The Scripture that I'd like to present first is, 5:13 "for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law." (ESV) 5:13 "For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law." (KJV) The verses, one in the ESV and the other in the KJV use different words for the same meaning.

For the period of 1,500 years, men were sinning, but, their sin was not being "counted" or "imputed" when there is no Law. God had set down some preliminary instructions because of the difference between Cain and Abel's sacrifice. Also, "Ye shall surely die" was in effect.

Now we have a child who dies before the age of accountability. Like those who lived in that 1,500 year period, a child's sins are not being recorded in Heaven because the child does not understand the Laws of God. The child remains innocent until reaching that age of accountability and goes to be with Jesus if he/she dies.

So, what is the age of accountability? Perhaps some of you have some thoughts to share. In the Forum that I left, I suggested that it might be around 12 years old. I was thinking of when a Jewish boy reaches the age of manhood. A Jewish friend suggested that it might be around 20 years of age because that was the age that the men of Israel were allowed to go into the promised land. Personally I felt that 20 was too old.

At any rate, rest assured parents, if your child dies before he/she understands the "Laws of God" they will go home where you will be some day, and be with our loving Jesus who died to make that possible. Praise His Holy Name!
I would agree with your assessment here, but I think the age of "accountability" varies from child to child. Some mature faster than others. I guess we could say the "average" age could be around 12 or so.
 
I would agree with your assessment here, but I think the age of "accountability" varies from child to child. Some mature faster than others. I guess we could say the "average" age could be around 12 or so.
Thank you for your reply CCW95A. I tend to agree with you on the average age of 12. You are absolutely right in that some children mature much faster than others. I've seen children as young as 7-9 who have known the Gospel and received Jesus as their Lord and Savior and can tell you why.
 
Some mature faster than others. I guess we could say the "average" age could be around 12 or so.

But then again, life growth/development seems to come in seven year parcels.
from 0 to 7 a person is an infant, from 7 to 14 a person is a minor, from 14 to 21 an adolescent, from 21 to 28 a young adult and by the time they reach my age...well they're off the scale.
 
But then again, life growth/development seems to come in seven year parcels.
from 0 to 7 a person is an infant, from 7 to 14 a person is a minor, from 14 to 21 an adolescent, from 21 to 28 a young adult and by the time they reach my age...well they're off the scale.
I think we have to entertain the fact, that now people live much longer today then they did back then, and the "knowledge" we can get from the internet, and other fancy devices we own give us big edge over other generations. There are kids today who are in elementary school who knows how to search for information much better and faster then I can. The Gospel can easily be found and discovered on line. I wonder how many have found Jesus by this method, and at what age?
 
Thank you for your reply CCW95A. I tend to agree with you on the average age of 12. You are absolutely right in that some children mature much faster than others. I've seen children as young as 7-9 who have known the Gospel and received Jesus as their Lord and Savior and can tell you why.
Brother Chopper, as long as I can remember, I have always believed that God was real and existed. I just did not know how to access this salvation until later on in my life. I guess all we can say is it was because God had already shown it to us from the beginning. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men...
 
The Gospel can easily be found and discovered on line. I wonder how many have found Jesus by this method, and at what age?
Good question. I guess they might not find it except by accident unless they have been called to look
Act 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."
If an infant is called by the Lord then it is a done deal. If not the Internet, then by some other means.
 
Good question. I guess they might not find it except by accident unless they have been called to look
Act 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."
If an infant is called by the Lord then it is a done deal. If not the Internet, then by some other means.
I remember hearing the Gospel by "accident" when I was just flipping through the TV channels many years ago as a young kid. It seemed like Billy Graham was always on TV back then.
 
Thank you my new friends Major and Abdicate. Upon your request I'll post what I see in the Scriptures as the answer to my OP.

There is an interesting aspect of the time period from Adam to the giving of the Law thru Moses. This was a period of 1,500 years. The Scripture that I'd like to present first is, 5:13 "for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law." (ESV) 5:13 "For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law." (KJV) The verses, one in the ESV and the other in the KJV use different words for the same meaning.

For the period of 1,500 years, men were sinning, but, their sin was not being "counted" or "imputed" when there is no Law. God had set down some preliminary instructions because of the difference between Cain and Abel's sacrifice. Also, "Ye shall surely die" was in effect.

Now we have a child who dies before the age of accountability. Like those who lived in that 1,500 year period, a child's sins are not being recorded in Heaven because the child does not understand the Laws of God. The child remains innocent until reaching that age of accountability and goes to be with Jesus if he/she dies.

So, what is the age of accountability? Perhaps some of you have some thoughts to share. In the Forum that I left, I suggested that it might be around 12 years old. I was thinking of when a Jewish boy reaches the age of manhood. A Jewish friend suggested that it might be around 20 years of age because that was the age that the men of Israel were allowed to go into the promised land. Personally I felt that 20 was too old.

At any rate, rest assured parents, if your child dies before he/she understands the "Laws of God" they will go home where you will be some day, and be with our loving Jesus who died to make that possible. Praise His Holy Name!

I always thought that a child was under it's parents covering until that age of accountability. Thus if a child's parents are not saved, the child would not go to heaven? Is that an actual scripture?

I apologize for my ignorance in this. I just have not thought about this in such a long time. And now that you brought it up i figured, good time to ask some questions. Thanks for being so patient!
 
But then again, life growth/development seems to come in seven year parcels.
from 0 to 7 a person is an infant, from 7 to 14 a person is a minor, from 14 to 21 an adolescent, from 21 to 28 a young adult and by the time they reach my age...well they're off the scale.
Hi Calvin my new friend. That is a very interesting analysis of a child's development. I'm not sure if I knew that exact description. But then, at 75 years of age, I'm surprised I know much of anything lol.

Do you remember your source for that information? If not, don't be concerned....So, I'm interested in which segment of years you might select as the age of accountability? I might chose 7 to 14.

Grace and Peace to you my Brother.
 
Brother Chopper, as long as I can remember, I have always believed that God was real and existed. I just did not know how to access this salvation until later on in my life. I guess all we can say is it was because God had already shown it to us from the beginning. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men...

I like that short testimony CCW95A because it is so much like mine. I grew up in the Methodist Church but did not respond to the Gospel that was presented by an older pastor. As a kid I suppose I was more interested in what I was going to do after church.

At 34 years of age, I could feel the pull of the Holy Spirit to find out who this God was that I knew existed. Needless to say, 41 years later, I'm still hungry to know all I can about this high and lifted up Son of God of Whom I gave my life too.
 
For Chopper.

Not exactly, I do recall that it was a common saying, I think in connection with the SDA that 'give them a child till it is seven and it will never leave the Church'...something like that.
But there are many ways this can be assessed. There is the purely physiological development periods, and even these vary a lot. Children loose their milk teeth at around 6-7 growing there second set. Children geneally finish pubery by around 13-14
Then there is sociological development and there is a wide variance in maturing, but even so, it should be possible to make a general observation, realizing that there is always going to be exceptions.While I don't necessarily endorse this info (I have not read right though it), you might find it of interest. http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_Education/child_development.asp
 
I always thought that a child was under it's parents covering until that age of accountability. Thus if a child's parents are not saved, the child would not go to heaven? Is that an actual scripture?

I apologize for my ignorance in this. I just have not thought about this in such a long time. And now that you brought it up i figured, good time to ask some questions. Thanks for being so patient!

Oh Cturtle, you're not the least bit ignorant. Many times we just aren't in a position to face that situation....I have heard of what you speak about, 1 Corinthians 7:14....As far as a child of unsaved parents, I would assume that the child would fall into the category of not being accountable such as all other children. That is only my opinion my friend.

May God's Grace and Peace be yours this worship day.
 
For Chopper.

Not exactly, I do recall that it was a common saying, I think in connection with the SDA that 'give them a child till it is seven and it will never leave the Church'...something like that.
But there are many ways this can be assessed. There is the purely physiological development periods, and even these vary a lot. Children loose their milk teeth at around 6-7 growing there second set. Children geneally finish pubery by around 13-14
Then there is sociological development and there is a wide variance in maturing, but even so, it should be possible to make a general observation, realizing that there is always going to be exceptions.While I don't necessarily endorse this info (I have not read right though it), you might find it of interest. http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_Education/child_development.asp

Thank you for that info, I will checkout the site you suggested.
 
As a pastor, over the years, I have been asked this question many times by parents who's child has died. I have heard many opinions of man, but none that satisfied my thirst for a Scriptural response until I read Romans 5:12-14.
A child below the "age of reason" cannot commit personal sin, so they get a free pass.
Same goes for the retarded and those with certain psychological disabilities.
God would that none should perish, and thus give a free ride to all those He can without offending Justice.
 
How does anyone go to "Heaven"? They need to be as perfect, holy, and spotless as God himself. That righteousness comes from Jesus Christ, and anyone who does not have him will not be in God's kingdom.

1 John 5:12
Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I know this is a very emotional subject because as parents we love our children. But, loving someone does not neccessarily mean they will be in God's kingdom. It is determined by whoever God loves. If he loves your child then your child will not see death. But, if God has decided to leave your child in their sins then that is his call. The day of the Lord will reveal these things because scripture is not entirely clear on the subject.
 
Back
Top