Evangelist Shane Pruitt recently reflected on the loss of one of his children while answering the question, “Do babies and young children go to heaven?”
Pruitt and his wife, Kasi, are parents to six children. On the morning of July 25, 2023, their son Titus, who had “unique needs,” died at the age of 10.
This past Saturday, Feb. 8, Pruitt asked his social media followers whether a statement like, “All babies and children go to Heaven,” is just a “wishing this to be true” kind of hope or if it is biblically supported.
“Is there support in Scripture that God welcomes babies (born and unborn), young children, and those with unique mental needs (meaning they may be older, but have the mind of a child) immediately into Heaven?” Pruitt asked.
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“I absolutely believe the Bible answers this,” Pruitt said, proceeding to provide 12 biblical passages to support his argument. They are as follows:
God’s Knowledge: The Lord knows every child at conception and values them. They are considered a person, known and loved by God, from the very beginning (Psalm 139:13-16).
God’s Declaration: God refers to young children as “innocents.” Not that they were perfect or without a sin nature, but they were innocent of the ability to understand the need of repentance and forgiveness (Jeremiah 19:4).
God’s Promise: In Deuteronomy, we find an unbelieving generation of Israelites being prevented from entering the Promised Land, but their children were exempt from that penalty and were able to enter (Deuteronomy 1:39).
God’s Possession: He considers all babies to be His. God condemns Israel in Ezekiel 16:21, of the wretched act of child sacrifice. “You slaughtered My children and offered them up to idols by causing them to pass through the fire.”
God’s Compassion: He has compassion on all little ones and infants, and is not willing that even one of them should perish (Matthew 18:14). His grace covers them, until they realize their need of a Savior.
God’s Illustration: He used a child to illustrate what one must become like to enter His Kingdom (Matthew 18:1-5). If infants and children would end up in Hell if they died young, He most likely wouldn’t use them as an illustration of how to enter the Kingdom.
