Baby's going to hell

I actually disagree. The baby is it's own entity (I'll look up specific verses, but the evidence is in the story of when Mary went to see her sister and Elizabeth felt the baby in her stomach rejoice when zygote Jesus was brought into the room.

I think from this you can say that the baby is independent of the parent - the parents need not be believers for the baby to be saved.

I'm with Pbshaver on this one, as far as accountability goes. God judges us. God's judgement is perfect and just - if the person is able to understand their decision, I'm guessing that will make a difference in how God judges. There are too many possibilties of things that would influence a child's ability to understand to say "when you're 12 years old, you're accountable"... what about the MR/DD? What about the orphans in Uganda? Only God knows.

As for the tribulation and rapture, there is no clear text. 3 main schools of belief about this are Pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib. The Great Tribulation is to last 7 years
 
Durruck said:
I actually disagree. The baby is it's own entity (I'll look up specific verses, but the evidence is in the story of when Mary went to see her sister and Elizabeth felt the baby in her stomach rejoice when zygote Jesus was brought into the room.

I think from this you can say that the baby is independent of the parent - the parents need not be believers for the baby to be saved.

I'm with Pbshaver on this one, as far as accountability goes. God judges us. God's judgement is perfect and just - if the person is able to understand their decision, I'm guessing that will make a difference in how God judges. There are too many possibilties of things that would influence a child's ability to understand to say "when you're 12 years old, you're accountable"... what about the MR/DD? What about the orphans in Uganda? Only God knows.

As for the tribulation and rapture, there is no clear text. 3 main schools of belief about this are Pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib. The Great Tribulation is to last 7 years
Click to expand...

Mhm, i guess it's just the way you look at it. personally i feel that since the baby is inside of it's mother and it is not yet detached it is not yet another person. IDK though.
 
|CoR|Braveheart said:
Mhm, i guess it's just the way you look at it. personally i feel that since the baby is inside of it's mother and it is not yet detached it is not yet another person. IDK though.
Click to expand...

I believe that God knows us all before we are even created in the womb. (Jer. 1:5, for example) Based on this is my belief, as others above, that though I was in the womb of my Mother, I was a living creation, with a soul of my own. I also believe in an age of accountability.

This could all eventually lead into the arguments for abortion (i.e. if just part of the mother, then the mother can remove that part), which would be quite a long thread!

It could also lead into a discussion on Election (i.e. if He knew us before we were born, are only the baby's elected to go to Heaven?) which would be another long thread!

Safe to say, not an easy question, and one that would require some study, prayer and meditation in the Word before coming to a decision.

Remember, it's better to say "I don't know?", if you really don't know, than to make a quick decisions or decide based on some assumptions. :)

There's a LOT I don't know!!!! :D
 
in my dads words:
he is a christian that chooses to go to a Baptist church.
i believe in the age of accountability but its not mentioned in the bible directly. but also how can we judge or decide what anything God does. he is a perfect being unlike us.
 
bigfuz said:
I believe that God knows us all before we are even created in the womb. (Jer. 1:5, for example) Based on this is my belief, as others above, that though I was in the womb of my Mother, I was a living creation, with a soul of my own. I also believe in an age of accountability.

This could all eventually lead into the arguments for abortion (i.e. if just part of the mother, then the mother can remove that part), which would be quite a long thread!

It could also lead into a discussion on Election (i.e. if He knew us before we were born, are only the baby's elected to go to Heaven?) which would be another long thread!

Safe to say, not an easy question, and one that would require some study, prayer and meditation in the Word before coming to a decision.

Remember, it's better to say "I don't know?", if you really don't know, than to make a quick decisions or decide based on some assumptions. :)

There's a LOT I don't know!!!! :D
Click to expand...

Election and Abortion are dirty debates most of the time, let's make another thread for that.
 
2 Samuel 12:21-22 are key to this discussion. They depict David's response when his child dies because of his sin with Bathsheba. He says that "He shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." In other words, David had faith that one day again he would see his child (baby) again in Heaven. Because though he was dead physically, David knew that one day he would see him alive in Heaven.

Also speaking of children and the "safety" issue...not to be definitive but the reason God ultimately spared Nineveh in the book of Jonah was because there were numbers of children who did not know their right from their left which in Hebrew language is a symbol of speech to refer to knowing the difference between right and wrong. Those are just a few examples there are more if you are interested just PM me :) Hope this helps!
 
Logos said:
2 Samuel 12:21-22 are key to this discussion. They depict David's response when his child dies because of his sin with Bathsheba. He says that "He shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." In other words, David had faith that one day again he would see his child (baby) again in Heaven. Because though he was dead physically, David knew that one day he would see him alive in Heaven.

Also speaking of children and the "safety" issue...not to be definitive but the reason God ultimately spared Nineveh in the book of Jonah was because there were numbers of children who did not know their right from their left which in Hebrew language is a symbol of speech to refer to knowing the difference between right and wrong. Those are just a few examples there are more if you are interested just PM me :) Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

That did help, thank you very much buddy.
 
I am not sure if it has been said yet, but "To whom much has been given much will be expected; to whom little is give, little will be expected." The more knowledge and wisdom that you obtain the more accountable you are to keep it.
 
Accountability is what it all comes down to. When someone is old enough tot make the decision and understand the consequences of his or her actions. Which of course varies from person to person. So honestly I highly doubt that babies go to hell if something happens to them. Unfortunately at the moment I do not have time to reference this biblically as I start work in 5 minutes...

The rapture thing could become its own thread I think.
 
I believe there is an age of accountability and that it is at conception. We are accountable at birth due to our sinful nature not by some age along the way.
 
Last edited:
So you are telling me that a child/baby/zygote, one who does not have the mental faculties to make a decision to follow Christ, will go straight to hell if it dies or is aborted?
 
I find that hard to believe personally. Considering how close we were to losing our son right after his birth, I just don't see God punishing those who are helpless.
 
Well the baby certainly deserves to go to hell just as everyone who is born with the adamic nature. If God chooses to show mercy to the baby and save it then by all means He is God and He can show His mercy to whom He wills. It is not punishment for your child to go to Hell as much as it is exactly what is right and deserving to happen.

What about ppl who live in a remote area and never get a missionary to preach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Do they get a special pass like the babies for being helpless as well?

Ultimately it will bring ultimate glory to God either way. If the baby goes to Hell God will be praised (by the Heavenly hosts) for showing his wonderful Justice, if the baby goes to Heaven, God will be praised for showing His wonderful mercy.
 
Last edited:
A baby never deserves to go to hell... Why would anyone ever say that? A Baby is not accountable for what it does.

Honestly, lets put it in perspective. Lets say you are driving one night (Abiding all the laws) and someone jumps out of no where, and you hit him. He dies. You did not sin right there. It was an accident. God will not judge you for murder.

When babys go to heaven, it is not a sign of Gods Mercy. It's a sign of Gods Loving and understanding nature.

I mean really, what about someone mentally ill. Depending on the severity of there condition, i think that they will go to Heaven. If you can't understand, or comprehend your actions, i don't believe God will judge you on them. But again, depending on the severity of the condition.
 
Is it our actions that determine our entrance to Heaven? You make it sound like its something we do that gives us the right to go there.

I agree that accidental manslaughter is different then murder but that really doesn't apply to this topic.

It is birth under sin that requires we go to hell, only if we receive Christ's substitutionary atonement for our sins do we not continue on to where we were heading (hell)

This all being said, I struggle with this, because Jesus spoke highly of babies/children. Seeing how much love He had for them I would bet He brings them all to Heaven in His loving arms. It is just a crazy topic since there is no clear scripture and all the scripture in regards to salvation seems to fly in the face of giving a child a free pass.
 
Last edited:
ok reading the thread over, I sound kinda like a jerk, lol

I have just been having this same discussion in many arenas for years now and heard good information on both sides, well actually 3 sides. I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, especially someone who lost a small child. It is probably better to bolster hope then to really nail down the question/answer since we cant do anything about it eh?
 
Last edited:
Matthew 7:9-11 in The New Living Translation said:
“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
Click to expand...

I figured I'd way in. I'm sorry if this seems to be a) bad theology or b) taking a verse out of context. I don't know which it is or isn't. Nor do I care :)

DISCLAIMER: The preceding scripture does not mention the Age of Accountability, Hell, Babies, or Rapture in any way, shape, or form. On the other hand, it tells us an insight into God's character.

The so-called "Age of Accountability" is only alluded to in scripture. There are no solid figures given about when it occurs. And, in fact, if it is "when the child learns to discern right from wrong," then it is a different age for each and every child. But really, your guess is as good as mine.

But, we can be assured that God knows, and that God will do the right thing. When I read the posts in this thread, overall, I hear what sounds to me like people who are appalled at the idea of babies going to Hell and are hoping, somehow, that God agrees with them.

Matthew 7:9-11 says, basically, that if we screwed up human beings can "do the right thing" in our earthly domains, that God is so much more loving than us. It is my position, by faith, that if we as humans are appalled by the idea of an innocent person going to Hell by no fault of their own*, then God, in his mercy, love, and justice will be infinitely more appalled (and do something about it.)


P.S. I put the * up there because God is also infinitely more knowledgeable than us and therefore is infinitely more suited to know whether or not "innocent... no fault of their own" comes into play or not. This scripture gives me comfort in knowing that God will do the right, and ultimately merciful and loving thing, so when I get to heaven I am 100% sure I will have no reservations or hangups about what God did. I would say to Blackgravity that if indeed you had lost your child, you could have rested secure in the fact that God would have done the most loving thing with your child. And really, I think it would most likely be the one that you actually think is most loving.
 
ewoksrule said:
I agree that accidental manslaughter is different then murder but that really doesn't apply to this topic.
Click to expand...

Sorry, i didn't have a complete thought there. I meant to compare that to a baby being born. The baby by no means chose to be born, just as the person did not chose to hit the guy. The baby was not intentionally born, therefore just as the accident above. I Don't think God would judge the baby.

We are born into sin, But Jesus died for us for this very reason. =D He loved us that much. That is why i believe babys go to heaven. Anyways, they are too cute to go anywhere else!
 
Actually, I must say, Ewok, you make a good point, the children ARE born into their sinful nature. And yes, this topic really does not have a lot of biblical background unfortunately.

It is hard to think about babies going to hell. It really is. We want God to be merciful towards them because babies are so delicate and we cherish them...

I don't think much more discussion can come out of this to be honest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top