If “Heaven is for Real” Then Do Babies Who Die in Abortions Go to Heaven?

Life News ^ | April 29, 2014 | Christina Martin

[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.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

Re: Not only that, but as to whether humans go to heaven AT ALL, other than perhaps a brief stopover, is dubious.

How so? Where is that suggested in the Bible?

[Dutchboy88]

You are so sweet, no genuflecting is needed at all. Rather, just keep posting and providing these provocative discussion items. And...send over a couple of those great homemade doughnuts.

[Mrs. Don-o]

You're forgetting, I think, about Primary Cause and secondary causes. God made everything; He made Adam out of dirt; He made Eve out of Adam; He made you out of natural conception. He is the Primary Cause, and everything else He makes provision for (or permits) through secondary causes.

You may be forgetting, also, about the difference between God's ordaining will and His permissive will. He ordained that we should have the choice between right and wrong. He permits that to result in some wrong choices, but He did not ordain them.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-— I’m certain that God does not create souls just to send them to hell, but what of untested souls? -—

For Catholics, the fate of the unborn remains an open question. Some have speculated that God infuses them with sufficient knowledge to make a decision for or against Him. I find this view compelling.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I'll repeat to you what I just wrote to Dutchboy88:

---

I should have put a disclaimer on Ann's article. The makes *many* statements I do NOT endorse. I realize I called her a "wise woman", so I brung it on myself.

Please give me a small penance (like, I could genuflect on my sore left knee" and then permit me back into the land of FR respectability, I beg you.

---

By the way, on your particular question: The Catholic Church, reecognizing that, as John (first chapter) says, Christ is the light who enlightens everyone, teaches that there exists a "Baptism of desire" whereby God can enlighten, in a mysterious way, even someone who has neer heard His name.

These things are beyond us, and known to God alone. It does not negate the Command he gave us, which is to preach the Gospel to all nations, and baptize them....

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God..."

[Mrs. Don-o]

Oh, and I sent it in such anxious haste, there were at least 3-4 typos there as well.

I stagger, slightly, at your graciousness.

You can have... almost two.

[verga]

I was not criticizing you in any way and I apologize if you thought I was. I was criticizing her lack of knowledge on a topic that has special significance for my wife and myself. We lost our only child 18 years ago and the only thing that got me through a lot of sleepless nights was the belief in “BOD”

[Mrs. Don-o]

It seems to me they would. They are killed "In odium Dei" (because of hatred of God).

They are an extension of the Massacre of the Holy Innocents --- we should mourn them on that day, but also see them as entrusted to the Mercy of God.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I understand what you’re saying. In the Funeral Mass for an unbaptized child, we commend that child’s soul trustingly to the Mercy of God. The way He loves and cares for them, will be exactly the right way, and in the end every heart will see this, and rejoice.

[Nifster]

And how many angels do dance on the head of a pin? Sometimes the ‘thoughtful’ ought to deal more with the real world and its needs

[pjd]

I think the operative word here is “born”. Aborted babies are never ‘born’. Hence, by definition, they are not ‘born’ into sin.

[Mrs. Don-o]

And... I meant to add... I can’t even imagine the loss of an only child. The thought of it wrings my heart. How can anyone go on living, if they did not cling to God in trust?
My prayers are with you, because I know it hurts even now, dear verga.

[jimmyray]

1 Corinthians 7:14 - I concur with your interpretation. Thanks for finding that scripture, I had forgotten it.

[jimmyray]

I agree with both your points. However, God granted to Adam the responsibility to "be fruitful and multiply", and it is as a result of Adam's and Eve's activities that their children were conceived, and born, into sin.

If God made me directly, he made me sinful. I was in Adam when he sinned, thus I am sinful in that, and by my own actions. Only the blood of Christ redeems me, and I now have the right to be called a son of God. Before, I was a child of the devil, under wrath, and destined for gehenna.

[jimmyray]

I was indirectly referring to those who feel they are assured a place in paradise by their murderous martyrdom.

[jimmyray]

QUOTE: "I think the operative word here is “born”. Aborted babies are never ‘born’. Hence, by definition, they are not ‘born’ into sin."

Consider Psalm 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

[Talisker]

This is one of the situations where I believe reincarnation is the obvious answer.

Obviously, YMMV.

[Salvation]

Oh, how heart-wrenching. Prayers for your continued healing.

Perhaps for someone in a similar situation -- Beginning Experience, a peer facilitated weekend for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one

[MayflowerMadam]

“King David said that he could only go to “him” when informed of the death of his infant son.”

Yes. David realized that his dead son couldn’t possibly come to him, but he was confident in the fact that he would eventually go to his son.

[MayflowerMadam]

“The Church teaches and has taught from day one that baptism is essential for salvation.”

“The Church” might teach this, but the Bible definitely does not. It’s ultimate blashemy to “make up stuff” that defies Biblical teaching. The act of baptism is a public profession that one has been saved. Important, but not required for salvation.