Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Apr 11 II Samuel 8, 12, 23; I Chronicles 11, 18 Do Children Go To Heaven?

According to, "The Hope of David," the answer is Yes! David fasted for his sick child, but when he died, people saw that he was no longer distraught and ended his fast. It seems as though David had the hope that he would see his child again - "I will go to him, but he will not return to me." Most theologians believe that David was referring to heaven, where David will go to his son.

Some theologians disagree. They think David meant into the ground (death). They don't necessarily mean that his child is going to hell, just that they don't see this verse indicating heaven.

Most Protestants (especially pastors speaking to parents who have just lost a young child) believe that there is an age of accountability when someone must receive Christ or be destined for hell. No one is willing to give that age. This belief comes from anyone less than 20 years old was allowed to go into the Promised Land. Most think the age of accountability is less than 20, but is probably person-specific. You can only imagine what we would "get out of our system" if there was a stated age.

Also, the verse at the end of Jonah leads us to think there is an age of accountability, also an allowance for the mentally impaired - Jonah 4:11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

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