Do Babies Go to Heaven When They Die? (2 Samuel 12:23)

People ask, "Do babies go to heaven when they die?" This applies to people who have lost babies, but all believers should be able to answer this question to be equipped to minister to others. In 2 Samuel 12:23, when David lost his child, he said, "I will go to him, but he will not return to me." There are Bible verses about unborn babies going to heaven. Read on, watch, or listen if you want to know, "Do unborn babies go to heaven?"

Table of contentsThere Are Babies Who Were Going to Go to HeavenDavid Was Going to Go to Heaven as a BabyThe Prophet Jeremiah Was Going to Go to Heaven as a BabyJohn the Baptist Was Going to Go to Heaven as a BabyDavid's Child of Adultery Was Going to Go to Heaven as a BabyDavid Knew His Baby Would Be in HeavenFour Reasons It Is Wrong to Think David Was Only Saying He Would Die tooFirst, David Wouldn't Simply Acknowledge His DeathSecond, David Knew He Was Going to HeavenThird, David Comforted Himself with His WordsFourth, David Responded Differently to Absalom's DeathDavid Never Said He Would Go to AbsalomDavid Wanted to Die in Absalom's PlaceBabies Can Go to Heaven Without Exercising Personal FaithStriving to Understand How Babies Go to Heaven Without Saving FaithWayne Grudem Supports Babies Going to Heaven without Saving FaithGotquestions.org Supports Babies Going to Heaven without Saving FaithJohn Calvin Supports Babies Going to Heaven without Saving FaithGod Can Save Those Unable to BelieveJesus’s Sacrifice Is Sufficient for All to Be SavedUnderstanding a Wonderful but Confusing TruthThose Who Can Exercise Saving Faith Must Do So

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People ask, "Do babies go to heaven when they die?" In 2 Samuel 12:23, King David said, "I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

There Are Babies Who Were Going to Go to Heaven

This post answers the question, "Do babies go to heaven when they die?" by building off the previous posts:

Are Children Innocent?

The Biblical Age of Accountability

Sin Is Not Imputed Where There Is No Law

Because babies are innocent, they haven’t reached the age of accountability, and sin is not imputed to them, we see examples of saved babies in the Bible. Don’t focus on the fact that there are few saved babies in the Bible. Instead, focus on the fact that there ARE saved babies in the Bible. If there was only one saved baby in the Bible, that would be significant, because it demonstrates that a baby can be saved.

David Was Going to Go to Heaven as a Baby

Psalm 22:10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God.

David didn’t say he knew God or had faith in God, as those are impossibilities for babies. But he did make two points. First, he said he was cast on God from his birth. This sounds like he was saved when he was born. Then he backed up even further and said God had been his God when was in the womb. To say God is someone’s God is Old Testament salvific language. David said he was saved before he was born.

The Prophet Jeremiah Was Going to Go to Heaven as a Baby

Jeremiah 1:5 [God said,] “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

God said two things to Jeremiah and the second doesn’t necessarily mean he was saved. God said he "consecrated," or some translations say "sanctified" (KJV and NKJV), which means "set apart." That’s how it’s translated in the NIV. This can simply mean that God set Jeremiah apart as a prophet as it said right after that.

But at the beginning of the verse God said he knew Jeremiah. Again, this is Old Testament salvation language. This language is carried forward in the New Testament. Speaking to believers Paul said:

Galatians 4:9 Now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God,

When people are unbelievers, on the day of judgment Jesus will say to them:

Matthew 7:23 “I never knew you; depart from me,