Heavenly Infants

Heavenly Infants
By Steve Horne


Dear Christian parent one can’t begin to express the sorrow felt for the loss of yours or of any infant in death. Many have come to visit over the years to talk about whether the infant is in the presence of God or not. Some were quite assured that their child was in the presence of the Lord Jesus but others were just not sure. Then there were some Christian parents that just were not sure, had never been sure and lived in fear that they may never see their infant again. There is not a window that we can look into heaven to see where infants are after they die, but there is a book called the Bible that clearly gives the answer concerning where the infants of Christians parents are after they pass from this world. If you’re assured of your infant being with the Lord continue to read this article and be renewed in your assurance. If you have doubts or have never understood where the infant is then this is for you. When you read this and understand the teaching of God concerning infants of Christians then your heart should be troubled no more.
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“Why the death of my small innocent boy or girl baby?” you may be continuing to ask yourself. “How can it be that my “innocent” baby died?” “Why Did God take him or her from me?” Some of these questions cannot be answered. But why death happens can be answered.
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Some may respond that their infant was “innocent and never sinned” and therefore not guilty until they commit an actual act of sin. God lets us know that this is not so. God lets parents know that all men are guilty of sin from conception. In this life all of the reasons for God calling the child home will never be known. What is known though is that we live in a world wherein there is sin and it has consequences. The Bible teaches that all persons since our first parents Adam and Eve are born and conceived in this state of sin. In the beginning the first parent Adam brought sin into the world and with it came death and misery such as you have experienced in the death of your infant. “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-- for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 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.” (Rom 5:12-14) Death will come to all of us as it has come to your infant for the simple reason that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). The infant, like all of us still living were conceived in iniquity, and in sin their mother and father conceived them (Ps. 51:5). Death came upon them due to the fact of the guilt of sin upon them. It will come upon us due to our guilt as well.
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Even though death came to your child because of sin that is in this world that does not mean that your child is not with the Lord. For the Christian parent there is not one reason you should doubt that the infant child which died is saved and with the Lord Jesus. The believing parent has as their spiritual father Abraham. Therefore you are entered into a covenant relationship with God and therefore you have the promises of the covenant placed upon you and your family. Gen 17:7 “… I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.” Therefore your child that died in infancy is with the Lord since your children are included in the covenant of grace. This blessing is shown in the Bible in several ways:

1. By God’s statements to Abraham that includes the rite of circumcision which proves that the children of believers are included in the covenant. Circumcision was the rite that signified the covenant relationship. God says in Gen 17:7 “… I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.”

1. By Peter’s statement in his sermon at Pentecost clearly placed the children of believers in the covenant of grace. 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."

1. By the purpose of God in marriage between believers is to produce a godly offspring. Mal 2:15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.

1. By the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor 7:14-16 affirms that the children of unbelieving parents are “unclean”. But if even one parent believes the children are included in the covenant and even called “holy”.

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There are Bible examples of this hope and certainty of reunion which the covenant brings. Here are a couple.
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A. First is the account of King David wherein he was unburdened and comforted by the knowledge that his child was not lost forever but he would be with the Lord and they would be reunited. Note what he said, “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Sam. 12:23).
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B. Secondly we have the account where Jeremiah prophesied (31:15-17) and gave evidence that the infants which were murdered in Bethlehem by the orders of King Herod (Matt. 2:16-18) were not forever lost but were in the presence of God and they and their parents would be reunited. Jeremiah stated the Lord’s declaration in his prophesy, “there is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own country”.

Thus says the LORD: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more." Thus says the LORD: "Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work, declares the LORD, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, declares the LORD, and your children shall come back to their own country.
(Jer 31:15-17)



Therefore do not doubt the salvation of any of your children that died in infancy. Take comfort in the promise of God, in the examples contained within scripture and in the peace which comes from knowing the Lord Jesus personally. Rest assured that since you are a member of the covenant your and your children are a part of God’s decree of election, saved by the finished work of the shed blood of Christ. Therefore, beloved brethren rest that your dear infant is now in heaven “with Christ, which is far better” (Phil 1:23). He or she is a true “heavenly infants”! Oh parent, look for the day of Christ’s return. Await oh, blessed ones. There is coming a day of reunions. On that glorious day of the return of Our Lord you will be before your Savior and be restored unto your beloved child. Oh, what joys inexpressible and gull of glory. !



Some Applicable Scriptural References:

1. In comparing these Scripture together one understands that children of believing parents that die in infancy are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and saved by Christ.

Luk 18:15-16 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. (16) But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

Act 2:38-39 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. (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."

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." …….. Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

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

Rom 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

2. The work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration is not something that is seen by human watching.

Joh 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

3. Any person in the covenant who is incapable of being called by the normal means through the visible church by the preaching of the word is saved by Christ, through a special work of the Holy Spirit.

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

Act 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

4. Children of believers are called holy.

1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

Mal 2:15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.