Do Children Go To Heaven When They Die?

Another aspect of God’s wonderful love and mercy.

Luke 18:15 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.

God placed a safety mechanism in life for children, so that any child who died, would go to heaven, not hell.

How wonderful that God designed life with ‘accountability’ measures.
A child who has not reached the age of accountability, will be saved if they die.
This is a great comfort to me, when I hear about the multi millions of abortions, and the brutal murder, and of trafficking of dear, little, innocent children.

I strongly believe that Jesus is not just referring to our need to be like little children, but also that heaven already belongs to little children. Or to put it another way: these children are already property of heaven, they belong to God, and will go to heaven if they die now, until they reach the age of accountability.

Greek for to such belongs the kingdom of God

The Greek Text and Its Implications
The Greek phrase in question is:
Τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ.
“For of such is the kingdom of God.”
• Τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων (tōn gar toioutōn) – “For of such”
• ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ (estin hē basileia tou Theou) – “is the kingdom of God”

A. The Meaning of “Τοιούτων” (toioutōn) – “Such as These”
The word toioutōn can mean “such ones” or “such as these.” It can refer either to:
• A comparison (i.e., those who possess childlike characteristics).
• A direct identification (i.e., actual children themselves).

The phrase is somewhat open-ended, which allows for both meanings. However, if Jesus had meant only a simile (i.e., “you must be like children”), He could have said ὡς παιδίον (hōs paidion), meaning “as a child.” Instead, the phrasing suggests that children themselves are included in the Kingdom of God.

Dual Meaning: Both Literal and Figurative

The best interpretation considers both dimensions:

1. Literal: Children themselves belong to the Kingdom of God, meaning they are covered by divine grace if they die before moral accountability.
2. Figurative: Adults must become like children in humility, trust, and dependence to enter the Kingdom.

The Greek grammar, context, and broader biblical theology support the idea that:

1. Children themselves belong to the Kingdom of God, not just their qualities.
2. Infants and young children are under God’s mercy until they reach moral responsibility.
3. This passage aligns with the doctrine of the age of accountability, meaning that if a child dies before reaching an age where they can willfully reject or accept God, they are received into His presence by grace.

Thus, Luke 18:16-17 is a strong biblical foundation for arguing that infants and young children are saved by grace if they die before the age of accountability.

Mat 18:1 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

 

The Bible shows over and over that humans are accountable for what they know, not what they do not know:

• Romans 5:13  “Sin is not imputed where there is no law.”
• Deuteronomy 1:39  Speaks of the children of Israel who were too young to be held responsible: “your little ones…who today have no knowledge of good and evil.”
• 2 Samuel 12:23  David, after his infant son’s death, says, “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me,” suggesting the child was in God’s presence.

Just what age is that transition to accountability is an ongoing debate. Some say early like maybe 6 years old, others say around 20 years old. But, I tend to think it around when the Jewish boys became a man 12 years old. Each child would be a different age.

So, a child who has not reached the age of accountability, will be saved if they die, in this stinking, sinful world.