Before age of consent and destination after death

exminister

exminister

Well-known member
Do aborted or miscarried fetuses go to heaven?
Do infants/children before the age of consent who die go to heaven?

I think there are differences between Catholics and Protestants in how they would answer this question.

Catholics believe in original sin (Psalms 51:5) I would expect would place the fetus in some other place than heaven ***. This is why they baptize an infant very early while Protestants wait to the age of consent before they baptize.

I expect most Protestants believe in the innocence of fetuses/infants/children before age of consent will go to heaven. There are outliner Protestants who think they would not go to heaven because they haven’t participated in salvation (John 3:5). There could even be a few that they would go where there mother went.


While the Bible doesn’t mention abortion specifically it does acknowledge that God created and knows the fetus (Psalms 139:13-16).

David because of his horrid sin God killed (verse 15) his newly born infant (2 Samuel 12). Is the infant heaven bound? Psalms 23:6 could be interpreted as yes.

Jesus said that children (Luke 18:16) belong to the kingdom of God.

As a Protestant I believe that God would without question take all these young souls to heaven. Age of consent would vary with each child depending on their maturity level. I expect generally though it is about 7 to 9 years old.


*** A Catholic article
http://catholicherald.com/stories/Straight-Answers-Do-Aborted-Children-Go-to-Heaven,6744

Beyond what I referenced are there any text that indicate where these little ones go for eternity?
 
jamie

jamie

New member
LIFETIME MEMBER
exminister said:
Jesus said that children (Luke 18:16) belong to the kingdom of God.
Click to expand...

Context helps. Like for instance the next verse.

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. (Luke 18:17)​

Note the "as a" and you should understand what Jesus said.

Children love to learn.
 
exminister

exminister

Well-known member
jamie said:
Context helps. Like for instance the next verse.

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. (Luke 18:17)​

Note the "as a" and you should understand what Jesus said.

Children love to learn.
Click to expand...

Luke 18:15-17
Mark 10:13-16

Granted. My opinion is He meant both interpretations.

But what are your thoughts on the topic about where they will go if they die before the age of consent?
 
jamie

jamie

New member
LIFETIME MEMBER
exminister said:
Granted. My opinion is He meant both interpretations.

But what are your thoughts on the topic about where they will go if they die before the age of consent?
Click to expand...

Jesus said, "Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)

To be born of water and the Spirit requires repentance for sin. Infants and small children are not held accountable for sin. They will be in the second resurrection.
 
S

Samie

New member
The Bible tells of a future scenario where babies are seen in the new earth (Isa 11:6-9). From where are they? They could not have been born there because there is no marriage AFTER the resurrection at the 2nd Coming of Christ (Mark 12:25). Hence, they are those who died at infancy and were resurrected along with the righteous at the 2nd Coming (John 5:28, 29).

Based on these Biblical accounts, I believe babies are heaven-bound.

And who among us WAS not a baby once? Hence we all were heaven-bound UNLESS one's name gets blotted out from the book of life, because only overcomers will not be blotted out from it (Rev 3:5).
 
Arthur Brain

Arthur Brain

Well-known member
exminister said:
Do aborted or miscarried fetuses go to heaven?
Do infants/children before the age of consent who die go to heaven?

I think there are differences between Catholics and Protestants in how they would answer this question.

Catholics believe in original sin (Psalms 51:5) I would expect would place the fetus in some other place than heaven ***. This is why they baptize an infant very early while Protestants wait to the age of consent before they baptize.

I expect most Protestants believe in the innocence of fetuses/infants/children before age of consent will go to heaven. There are outliner Protestants who think they would not go to heaven because they haven’t participated in salvation (John 3:5). There could even be a few that they would go where there mother went.


While the Bible doesn’t mention abortion specifically it does acknowledge that God created and knows the fetus (Psalms 139:13-16).

David because of his horrid sin God killed (verse 15) his newly born infant (2 Samuel 12). Is the infant heaven bound? Psalms 23:6 could be interpreted as yes.

Jesus said that children (Luke 18:16) belong to the kingdom of God.

As a Protestant I believe that God would without question take all these young souls to heaven. Age of consent would vary with each child depending on their maturity level. I expect generally though it is about 7 to 9 years old.


*** A Catholic article
http://catholicherald.com/stories/Straight-Answers-Do-Aborted-Children-Go-to-Heaven,6744

Beyond what I referenced are there any text that indicate where these little ones go for eternity?
Click to expand...

What about a 15 year old boy who commits suicide? My ex church taught he'd be sizzling in the fires of hell ...

Such is dogma regrettably. If there is a loving God then I would hope He would be more than a plethora of doctrines like to portray for children and adults alike...
 
Bradley D

Bradley D

Well-known member
I believe the unborn go to heaven.

"As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy" (Luke 1:44).
 
exminister

exminister

Well-known member
Arthur Brain said:
What about a 15 year old boy who commits suicide? My ex church taught he'd be sizzling in the fires of hell ...

Such is dogma regrettably. If there is a loving God then I would hope He would be more than a plethora of doctrines like to portray for children and adults alike...
Click to expand...

Churches would vary there. OSAS if he had turned to God before then he would be saved. But Churches that believe you must repent of each sin then he would be lost since he had no chance of doing that.
 
Bradley D

Bradley D

Well-known member
In one of his "Table Talks," Martin Luther himself commented: "I don't have the opinion that suicides are certainly to be damned. My reason is that they do not wish to kill themselves but are overcome by the power of the devil."

Your ex-church sounds like it is judging others. A sin in my Bible. I have had suicidal thoughts in the past. It is as one has blinders on and they cannot see the help that is available to them. Thankfully God came into my life and had me seek help.
 
Arthur Brain

Arthur Brain

Well-known member
exminister said:
Churches would vary there. OSAS if he had turned to God before then he would be saved. But Churches that believe you must repent of each sin then he would be lost since he had no chance of doing that.
Click to expand...

Oh, sure they do. The church I was in varied on just what 'hell' actually was anyway but therein kinda lies the point. A myriad doctrines and most of them sickening frankly...
 
exminister

exminister

Well-known member
Bradley D said:
In one of his "Table Talks," Martin Luther himself commented: "I don't have the opinion that suicides are certainly to be damned. My reason is that they do not wish to kill themselves but are overcome by the power of the devil."

Your ex-church sounds like it is judging others. A sin in my Bible. I have had suicidal thoughts in the past. It is as one has blinders on and they cannot see the help that is available to them. Thankfully God came into my life and had me seek help.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...Didn't expect that from Luther. Cool.
I too have had such thoughts. I expect it is common especially for those who have grown up in judgmental churches.
 
flintstoned

flintstoned

New member
Arthur Brain said:
What about a 15 year old boy who commits suicide? My ex church taught he'd be sizzling in the fires of hell ...

Such is dogma regrettably. If there is a loving God then I would hope He would be more than a plethora of doctrines like to portray for children and adults alike...
Click to expand...

They would be biblically accurate, though. If the 15 year old was a Christian who had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, then if he committed suicide thereby destroying God's temple, God would then destroy him. Alternately, if he was not a Christian, then he would go to hell anyway.

1 Corinthians 3:17
If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
 
jamie

jamie

New member
LIFETIME MEMBER
Arthur Brain said:
Oh, sure they do. The church I was in varied on just what 'hell' actually was anyway but therein kinda lies the point. A myriad doctrines and most of them sickening frankly...
Click to expand...

The word "hell" is a generic term translated from three different Greek words with different meanings. The correct meaning must be determined by the context in which the word is used.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top