When A young Child Dies.

[Chopper]

During the forty years of being a Baptist Pastor is several churches, I was faced with the question, "Will my child who has died go to heaven? The answer to that question, according to other pastors that I asked were something like this. "Well, Jesus said, suffer the little children to come unto Me." There are several Scriptures that are similar.

That answer didn't seem to comfort the parents of their dead child, especially the mother. I decided that if I was going to be the kind of shepherd that went along with the traditions of the Baptist Church, which other pastors expected me to do, I wouldn't be much help to the Flock of Jesus, the Head of the Church. So I asked Jesus to lead me to a Scripture that would be sufficient for a correct interpretation. Needless to say, I don't like denominational traditions.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Jesus told me a certain Scripture,no, that would be misleading. For quite some time, this question of a child's death and where that child would spend eternity was in the back of my mind....One day I was studying the Book of Romans. When I came to Chapter five Verse 13, that question had jumped on a white horse and was galloping to the front of my mind.

Romans 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)

At last! This Scripture was what I was searching for. YES! This is the answer, not something that I couldn't 100% indorse. Ok, lets look at this important Scripture and discover the nugget of Truth hidden here. It says, "sin was in the world before the Law was given." That my friends was a period of 1,500 years from the time of Adam to the time of Moses and the 10 Commandments.

Now, God had set down a few instructions for Adam and his sons, a sacrifice was one of them. But knowledge of good and evil thru the 10 Commandments had not been given. Men during that time were sinning, but look at the rest of the verse. "But sin is not counted where there is no Law." In other words, if there is no speed limit on the highway, I can't be arrested for driving too fast.

Now, a child who dies before the age of accountability, according to this verse, his/her sins are not being recorded or counted against them. Therefore they are innocent before the righteous God Who has established this blessing for each child who dies without knowing God's Laws, and especially for the parents of that dead child knowing that they will see their precious child again in Heaven.

I'll be happy to answer any questions any of you might have. Grace and Peace to all, in Jesus' Name.

 

[amadeus2]

Where does everyone who is dead go... other than to the grave? Every man born of woman naturally was born dead. No one gained Life unless and until he gained the One who is Life, Jesus.
Anyone who is really born again or born from above really is Alive (has Life), but then is everyone else dead? Yes, but in answer to your problem, I place the children with their parents. If the parents have Life and the child is still not accountable for himself, then the child has Life. Otherwise the child is with dead with the parents.

Part of my pathway to this is in the Old Testament where the seemingly innocent children did go the way of the parents. A good example is the Amalekites who were to be killed by order of King Saul: "...utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling... I Sam 15:3 Then taking this to the New Testament where it clearly says: "...Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons" Acts 8:34

 

[Chopper]

Where does everyone who is dead go... other than to the grave? Every man born of woman naturally was born dead. No one gained Life unless and until he gained the One who is Life, Jesus.
Anyone who is really born again or born from above really is Alive (has Life), but then is everyone else dead? Yes, but in answer to your problem, I place the children with their parents. If the parents have Life and the child is still not accountable for himself, then the child has Life. Otherwise the child is with dead with the parents.

Part of my pathway to this is in the Old Testament where the seemingly innocent children did go the way of the parents. A good example is the Amalekites who were to be killed by order of King Saul: "...utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling... I Sam 15:3 Then taking this to the New Testament where it clearly says: "...Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons" Acts 8:34

Ok, you are entitled to your opinion and I'll stick with N.T. Theology as expressed in Romans 5.

 

[Chad]

Now, a child who dies before the age of accountability, according to this verse, his/her sins are not being recorded or counted against them.

Amen. I agree fully. It is scriptural. God is a just God. He cares for the little ones and certainly cannot judge them if they're not at the age of accountability.

 

[RJ]

Now, a child who dies before the age of accountability, according to this verse, his/her sins are not being recorded or counted against them. Therefore they are innocent before the righteous God Who has established this blessing for each child who dies without knowing God's Laws, and especially for the parents of that dead child knowing that they will see their precious child again in Heaven.

• Great piece!
• When I first came to God,this was put on my heart fairly early and your verse sure fits!
• I just naturally believed, faith, that it was in part the "age of accountability". Common sense is God given and faith tells me he is a just God first and foremost.
• Another way I look at it, God knows, and he has had the babies, aborted and to be aborted since and beyond Roe vs. Wade, he has their names in the Lambs Book of Life! Along with all other children who have died! Of course he did this from the very foundation of the world!

 

[amadeus2]

Ok, you are entitled to your opinion and I'll stick with N.T. Theology as expressed in Romans 5.

I know what I believe is hard, and I cannot think of a single person who agrees with me on it. I will surely change when and if it is needed as God gives any such increase.
Praise His name!

 

[Curtis]

During the forty years of being a Baptist Pastor is several churches, I was faced with the question, "Will my child who has died go to heaven? The answer to that question, according to other pastors that I asked were something like this. "Well, Jesus said, suffer the little children to come unto Me." There are several Scriptures that are similar.

That answer didn't seem to comfort the parents of their dead child, especially the mother. I decided that if I was going to be the kind of shepherd that went along with the traditions of the Baptist Church, which other pastors expected me to do, I wouldn't be much help to the Flock of Jesus, the Head of the Church. So I asked Jesus to lead me to a Scripture that would be sufficient for a correct interpretation. Needless to say, I don't like denominational traditions.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Jesus told me a certain Scripture,no, that would be misleading. For quite some time, this question of a child's death and where that child would spend eternity was in the back of my mind....One day I was studying the Book of Romans. When I came to Chapter five Verse 13, that question had jumped on a white horse and was galloping to the front of my mind.

Romans 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)

At last! This Scripture was what I was searching for. YES! This is the answer, not something that I couldn't 100% indorse. Ok, lets look at this important Scripture and discover the nugget of Truth hidden here. It says, "sin was in the world before the Law was given." That my friends was a period of 1,500 years from the time of Adam to the time of Moses and the 10 Commandments.

Now, God had set down a few instructions for Adam and his sons, a sacrifice was one of them. But knowledge of good and evil thru the 10 Commandments had not been given. Men during that time were sinning, but look at the rest of the verse. "But sin is not counted where there is no Law." In other words, if there is no speed limit on the highway, I can't be arrested for driving too fast.

Now, a child who dies before the age of accountability, according to this verse, his/her sins are not being recorded or counted against them. Therefore they are innocent before the righteous God Who has established this blessing for each child who dies without knowing God's Laws, and especially for the parents of that dead child knowing that they will see their precious child again in Heaven.

I'll be happy to answer any questions any of you might have. Grace and Peace to all, in Jesus' Name.

Brother Chopper, This scripture kinda came to me yesterday while watching, "Jesus of Nazareth" with my family.
It can be used as a proof text for young children dying.

Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Young children are blind to the things of God until they reach a certain understanding about right and wrong. They have to "see" before they are held accountable for their actions.