There are times when tragically a baby or young child dies or is killed. Such is awful to even think about. Yet what is worse would be to not know for sure what their eternal destiny would be. Can we know for sure? Is the Bible clear on this matter? I believe it is absolutely clear and that we can be assured of the mercy and goodness of God.
If young children have not been given the opportunity to respond to the revelation of God either in creation, their conscience, or in the written Word of God because they are too young to be able to cognitively process the gospel message, they could not possibly be held guilty. At what point a young person becomes aware of his or her sin and guilt will vary. Only God can judge this. But it does exist. As Isaiah 7:15 says, " He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good." Thus, as parents or caregivers, we ought to do whatever we can to teach our children about God, Jesus, and His ways as early on as we can.
When King David’s child died, he said in 2 Samuel 12:23, “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.” King David was a man after God’s own heart. Surely, we can believe that he is in heaven. David believed that his son was in heaven and that he would go to be with him soon. This is a message of great joy and hope for those who have lost a young child. Like David, we can be sure that we will see these children again in heaven.
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