Does the Bible Say Babies go to Hell?

A sad reality of life is that a lot of babies dying everyday. If you believe in an afterlife then all these babies have to go somewhere. Do they go to heaven? One of the greatest objections to Christianity regards the biblical condemnation of babies to hell. The majority of us naturally consider babies to be innocent because of their mental incapacity. However, the bible claims that even babies are guilty of sin and the punishment for sin is eternal death. Thus, the objection of Christianity rests on the basis that Christianity represents a malicious God for condemning babies to hell. However, before we can rightfully label God as malicious, we need to confirm the biblical account to the fate of babies. Psalm 51:5 says,

5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

This psalm was written by King David as a psalm of repentance after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then arranged for her husband’s death. In this particular psalm, David is confessing his sins and seeking forgiveness from God. Christians claim that every author of the bible was inspired from God, by the Holy Spirit to record God’s word. Thus, Christians treat David’s words just as if God said it Himself when David claimed that he was born into sin. The apostle John further confirms King David in 1 John 1:8,

8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Labeling an individual as sinful becomes important in the Christian realm because they believe that sin will condemn them to hell unless they are saved. Although we just confirmed God’s view of babies, Christian churches widely disagree with one another regarding fate of babies. The bible teaches in Romans 3:22

22We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.

Romans 3:22 says faith in Jesus Christ will be rewarded with eternal forgiveness. But how do babies, who are incapable of trusting in anything, supposed to be saved? Does that mean that babies go to hell? This is the disagreement that goes on between Christian churches. Opponents of the condemnation believe that all babies are blameless of sin and hold onto an immunity from punishment (if the baby were to die) until the baby possess the ability to choose to accept or reject Jesus. Supporters of condemnation argue that their opponents fail to recognize the biblical evidence labeling babies as sinners in Psalm 51:5. Supporters conclude, the bible is clear that babies are born with sin and the punishment for that is hell which is found in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Does that mean if you believe in the bible you must believe all babies go to hell? The only evidence of a baby going to heaven is found in 2 Samuel 12:22-23 which says,

22 David said, While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live? 23But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.

In this verse David knew that his infant child was in heaven. David said, “I shall go to him,” which meant David would rejoin his son in heaven. It is clear that God allowed a baby into heaven. So how can Christians explain an exception to the very strict guidelines presented in the scriptures regarding the fate of babies? 1 Corinthians presents insight,

14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

This verse claims one parent that has faith in Christ will make both their spouse and child righteous in God’s eyes. Thus, this verse can account for David’s son gaining entrance into heaven because David was a man of faith. So when we answer the question do babies go to hell the answer is yes but the bible also teaches that babies go to heaven. The fate of a baby is in the hands of the family. If both parents choose to reject Christ then they are both condemning themselves and their infant child. Still think God is malicious? Let me close with Romans 9:11-26 and allow you to make the decision.

14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?" 20 But who are you, a mere human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' “ 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for disposal of refuse? 22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," 26 and, "In the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'children of the living God.' "