Posted on 04/29/2014 2:55:24 PM PDT by NYer
Washington, DC (LiveActionNews) — Heaven is for Real is a new movie based on a book by pastor and father Todd Burpo. Burpo wrote the book after his 4-year-old son Colton had a near-death experience that lead to a heavenly encounter. After Colton recovered, he began telling his parents remarkable stories, like meeting the sister he never knew in heaven. Although Colton had no knowledge of his mom’s miscarriage, he told his parents he met a girl who told him she died in his mother’s tummy. The bestselling book and film have inspired countless people, giving them hope that heaven is a real place.
The subject of heaven has come up a number of times as I’ve worked in the pro-life movement. The two questions that I’ve heard asked by post-abortive moms and moms considering abortion are: 1) Do aborted babies go to heaven? and 2) If aborted babies will go right to heaven, why is it wrong to abort them?
Let’s start with the first question. Do aborted babies go to heaven? Pastor Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill church has a great article titled “What happens to babies when they die.” In the article, Mark addresses the pain his family has faced through his wife’s miscarriage. He says the eternal fate of unborn children and infants is a mystery that has always haunted the church. He shares quotes from respected Bible teachers who believe that unborn children and infants go straight to heaven after death because they’ve not made decisions about following God or performed good or evil acts. Driscoll shares a quote from former Bible teacher Charles Spurgeon: “I cannot conceive it possible of him [Jesus] as the loving and tender one, that when he shall sit to judge all nations, he should put the little ones on the left hand, and should banish them for ever from his presence.”
Pastor John Piper, an outspoken pro-life minister and adoptive father, wrote an article on infants’ eternal future. He believes that babies, like all humans, are brought into the world with a sinful nature because of the original sin of Adam and Eve. However, he believes that God has a way to cover their sin even before they are born. Piper wrote: “The way I see it is that God ordains, for his own wise purposes, that at the judgment day all the children who died in infancy will be covered by the blood of Jesus. And they will come to faith, either in heaven immediately or later in the resurrection. And God will not condemn them because he wants to manifest openly and publicly that he does not condemn those who did not have the mental capacities to put their faith in him.”
Question #2: If aborted babies will go right to heaven, why is it wrong to abort them? I had a woman ask me this in front of an abortion clinic once. Some women fear bringing their unborn babies into a world of chaos and confusion. They have emotional issues or financial problems, and they don’t think they can afford another child. Some people who believe in heaven justify their choice to abort because they think their baby will be in a “better place.”
Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspectives Ministry. He is also the author of the book Why Pro-Life and Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Questions. In a video interview, Alcorn directly answers the question of whether aborted children are better off because they’ll go straight to heaven. Alcorn has sadly been asked this question by two pastors, who asked him, “Why are you trying to do all this stuff to prevent abortions? ‘Children are better off dying’, they said. ‘They’re going to be in Heaven forever.’” Alcorn was deeply bothered by that question and shares his honest thoughts on the subject here.
Regardless of what you believe, the possibility of an afterlife is a thought worth pondering. As for me, I believe that children go into the arms of a loving and gracious heavenly Father, although I know that aborting them is not an acceptable way to get them there faster. If it isn’t right to take the life of a born child outside the womb, it shouldn’t be right to do the same for one inside the womb.
I am convinced that heaven is a glorious place. It’s comforting to know their is a home for every child who passes from this world to the next.
LifeNews Note: Christinia Martin writes for Live Action News. Martin has been a pro-life voice for eight years. Her work began after her mother confessed she paid a doctor to abort her, but walked out before he could. Knowing she was saved from death, she wanted to fight for others.
Serbian Abortionist Who Aborted 48,000 Babies Becomes Pro-Life Activist
I believe babies and children go to Heaven.
The answer to question #2, asked by a pre-aborting mom is “yes, the baby goes straight to Heaven ... but you will go straight to Hell.”
Absolutely. The Bible tells us that those who are under the age of reason go to Heaven.
where does the Bible say that?
By definition, they are not born in sin.
Scripture tells those on this earth not to shed innocent blood. Dr. Kevorkian’s methods could have been pure if he had just asked those seeking suicide if they were Christian. Afterall they would be going to heaven. We are contributing to evil if we work with evil. My goodness, Hitler was helping the Jews not hindering them.
BTW, anyone see this movie yet and is is worthwhile? (I loved the book but dislike “Christian” movies without good screenplay, acting, or directing.)
Ann Barnhardt has the best answer for this question.
Absolutely. The Bible tells us that those who are under the age of reason go to Heaven.
Does it?
Isn’t it written that G-d knew you when you were in your mother’s womb? Jeremiah 1:5
Jesus indicated that people who enter heaven are like children, implying that children go to heaven.
And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Matthew 18:2-3
Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ~ Matthew 19:13-14
Psalm 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
I did a Google search on this and found her very interesting article:
“Do you see what happens when we try to form a logical truth table off of a false premise? We easily end up with abortion as a charitable act of mercy. And satan SQUEALS with delight.” is a quote from it.
I hate to admit it, but I believe Ms. Bernhardt is right. I’m not saying that God sends babies to Hell, but I know that abortion is probably the worst thing on earth that exists, yet going to heaven is the best thing there could possibly be.
Are we to believe that Tiller and these evil abortionists have brought salvation to more souls than Billy Graham has?
Many evil pro-choice people will argue this as their reason. Are they right and they’ve found a clever way to out-smart the almighty and all Holy?
I’ve seen it, liked it, and would recommend it.
I am not a theologian nor do I play one on the internet. With that disclaimer I say that no unborn human commits any sin.
I’m sure I’ll be flamed here, but I think the scripture is less than clear on this matter.
I’m certain that God does not create souls just to send them to hell, but what of untested souls?
The thousand years of Christ’s reign on Earth, after the defeat of the Antichrist might be a time that untested souls are brought back.
Yep, I know I’m off the reservation here...
King David said that he could only go to “him” when informed of the death of his infant son. The one he fathered by Bathsheba, who was not his wife.
All humanity is born in sin, as the doctrine of original sin says (Romans 5:12-21, 1 Cor. 15:22, Psalm 51:5, etc.).
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