Children Going to Hell
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The topic of children going to hell is a deeply sensitive and complex issue within Christian theology. It involves understanding the nature of sin, salvation, and the age of accountability as presented in the Bible. While the Bible does not explicitly address the fate of children in the afterlife, various passages and theological interpretations provide insight into this matter.

Original Sin and Human Nature

According to Christian doctrine, all humans inherit original sin from Adam and Eve, as stated in Romans 5:12: "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned." This implies that all humans, including children, are born with a sinful nature. However, the extent to which this affects the eternal destiny of children is debated among theologians.

The Age of Accountability

The concept of the "age of accountability" is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, but it is a theological idea that suggests there is an age at which a person becomes morally responsible for their actions and capable of making a conscious decision to accept or reject salvation through Jesus Christ. Before reaching this age, it is believed that children are not held accountable for their sins in the same way adults are. This concept is often inferred from passages such as Deuteronomy 1:39, where God speaks of the children of Israel: "And the little ones, who you said would become a prey, your children who on that day had no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. To them I will give it, and they shall possess it."

Jesus and Children

Jesus' attitude towards children is significant in this discussion. In Matthew 19:14, Jesus says, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." This passage is often interpreted to mean that children have a special place in God's kingdom, suggesting a level of grace extended to them.

Salvation Through Christ

The core of Christian belief is that salvation is available through faith in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." The question arises as to how this applies to children who may not yet have the capacity to understand or express such faith.

The Role of God's Justice and Mercy

The Bible emphasizes both the justice and mercy of God. In 2 Peter 3:9, it is written, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." This suggests that God's desire is for all to be saved, and His justice is tempered with mercy.

Theological Perspectives

Different Christian denominations and theologians offer varying perspectives on this issue. Some hold that God's grace covers children who die before reaching the age of accountability, while others emphasize the necessity of baptism or a specific act of faith for salvation. The lack of a definitive biblical statement on the fate of children who die young leaves room for diverse interpretations within the Christian community.

In summary, while the Bible provides principles that inform the discussion of children going to hell, it does not offer a clear-cut answer. The interplay of original sin, the age of accountability, and the character of God as just and merciful are central to understanding this complex theological issue.
Topical Bible Verses
John 3:36
He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God stays on him.
Topicalbible.org

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Topicalbible.org

Ezekiel 18:4
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins, it shall die.
Topicalbible.org

Library

Heaven and Hell
... Ah, and there are some of you, "children of the kingdom," who can remember your
mothers. ... You are going downwards towards hell as fast as your feet ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/heaven and hell.htm

After This, Pilate Going into the Temple of the Jews...
... Part II."Christ's Descent into Hell. ... After this, Pilate going into the temple of
the Jews, assembled ... from Abraham to the arrival of the children of Israel ...
/.../unknown/the gospel of nicodemus /chapter 12 28 after this.htm

The Life of the Spirit
... Is not that worth going through any misery to learn"that the ... Thou wilt not leave
my soul in hell. ... have your being, and are the offspring and children of God. ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xxxii the life of.htm

Means to be Used with Sinners.
... an easy, laughing way, "My dear, I believe you are going to hell ... that either you
do not believe there is a hell, or that ... Have you children that are unconverted? ...
/.../finney/lectures on revivals of religion/lecture ix means to be.htm

Marvellous Increase of the Church
... that a parent should see his children perishing, surely there is tenfold horror
in the thought of children saved, and parents going to hell; your offspring ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/marvellous increase of the church.htm

The Voice Behind Thee
... it is while they are thus going hot foot ... league shall overthrow our league with death
and hell. ... God calls to him, "Return, O backsliding children." "They shall ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 28 1882/the voice behind thee.htm

Lions Lacking --But the Children Satisfied
... them in their liveries of white and yellow that the children know not ... send thy soul
to hell to win"a dream ... But I am going to state one or two facts by way of ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/lions lackingbut the children satisfied.htm

The Converted Infidel
... "O Mary, I am a poor, lost sinner! Our children are going to heaven, and I--- I---
AM GOING DOWN TO HELL! Oh, Wife, is there mercy for a wretch like me?". ...
/.../touching incidents and remarkable answers to prayer/the converted infidel.htm

God, the All-Seeing One
... O children of God, these have made you cry and groan full many a time, and ... I beseech
you pretend to go to heaven while all the time you are going to hell. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/god the all-seeing one.htm

God, the All-Seeing One
... O children of God, these have made you cry and groan full many a time, and ... I beseech
you, pretend to go to heaven while all the time you are going to hell. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/god the all-seeing one.htm

Resources
What does the Bible say about disrespectful children? | GotQuestions.org

Does God expect all of us to have children? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about the evangelization of children? | GotQuestions.org

Children: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Children

Children and Death

Children and Heaven

Children and Marriage

Children and Parents

Children and Prayer

Children and Sin

Children are a Gift from God

Children are Capable of Glorifying God

Children As a Blessing

Children Being a Blessing

Children Being Obedient

Children Born out of Wedlock

Children Gods Gift

Children Going to Heaven

Children Going to Hell

Children Growing Up

Children Having Children

Children in Answer to Prayer: Hannah

Children in Answer to Prayer: Isaac

Children in Answer to Prayer: Leah

Children in Answer to Prayer: Rachel

Children in Answer to Prayer: To Abraham

Children in Answer to Prayer: Zacharias

Children Leaving Home

Children Leaving Their Parents

Children Murdering Parents

Children Obeying Their Parents

Children of Eden

Children of God

Children of God's People, Holy

Children of God's People, Interested in the Promises

Children of Israel

Children of Ministers

Children of the Bridechamber

Children of the East

Children of the Righteous, Blessed of God

Children out of Wedlock

Children Responsibility

Children Returning Home

Children Salvation

Children Sinning

Children were Named: After Relatives

Children were Named: from Circumstances Connected With Their Birth

Children were Named: from Remarkable Events

Children were Named: Numerous, Considered an Especial Blessing

Children were Named: Often by God

Children were Named: Often Numerous

Children were Named: Sometimes Born when Parents Were Old

Children were Required: To Attend to Instruction

Children were Required: To Honor Their Parents

Children were Required: To Respect the Aged

Children were Required: To Submit to Discipline

Children Who Murder

Children: A Blessing

Children: Abijah

Children: Alienated, Ishmael, to Gratify Sarah

Children: Amusements of

Children: An Heritage from the Lord

Children: Anxiety of the Jews For

Children: Bastard, Excluded from the Privileges of the Congregation

Children: Blessed by Jesus

Children: Bound by Covenants of Parents

Children: Casting out of Weak Alluded To

Children: Caused to Pass Through Fire

Children: Character of, Known by Conduct

Children: Children in the Temple

Children: Christ Was an Example To

Children: Circumcised on the Eighth Day

Children: Commandments To

Children: Correction of

Children: Could Demand Their Portion During Father's Life

Children: Counsel of Parents To

Children: David

Children: Death of, As a Judgment Upon Parents by Elisha

Children: Death of, As a Judgment Upon Parents by Jesus

Children: Death of, As a Judgment Upon Parents: David's Child by Uriah's Wife

Children: Death of, As a Judgment Upon Parents: Firstborn of Egypt

Children: Death of, As a Judgment Upon Parents: Healing of

Children: Death of, As a Judgment Upon Parents: Raised from the Dead by Elijah

Children: Death of, As a Judgment Upon Parents: Sons of Eli

Children: Death of, As a Judgment Upon Parents: Sons of Saul

Children: Dedicated to God in Infancy: Samson

Children: Dedicated to God in Infancy: Samuel

Children: Destruction of, a Punishment

Children: Difference Made Between Male and Female, in Mosaic Law

Children: Early Piety of Jeremiah

Children: Early Piety of John the Baptist

Children: Early Piety of Samuel

Children: Edict to Murder of Herod

Children: Edict to Murder of Jehu

Children: Edict to Murder of Pharaoh

Children: Elihu

Children: Esau

Children: False Instruction of

Children: Female: Inherited Property in Default of Sons

Children: Female: Taken Care of by Nurses

Children: Female: Usefully Employed

Children: Figurative

Children: Fondness and Care of Mothers For

Children: Frequently Bore the Curse of Parents

Children: Future State of

Children: God's Care of

Children: Good: Attend to Parental Teaching

Children: Good: Character of, Illustrates Conversion

Children: Good: Honor the Aged

Children: Good: Illustrative of a Teachable Spirit

Children: Good: Know the Scriptures

Children: Good: Make Their Parents' Hearts Glad

Children: Good: Obey Parents

Children: Good: Partake of the Promises of God

Children: Good: Shall be Blessed

Children: Good: Show Love to Parents

Children: Good: Take Care of Parents

Children: Good: The Lord is With

Children: Good: Their Obedience to Parents is Well Pleasing to God

Children: Grief Occasioned by Loss of

Children: Illegitimate: Despised by Their Brethren

Children: Illegitimate: Excluded from the Congregation

Children: Illegitimate: had No Inheritance

Children: Illegitimate: Not Cared for by the Father

Children: Illegitimate: Sometimes Sent Away With Gifts

Children: Inhuman Practice of offering to Idols

Children: Instance of, Leah and Rachel

Children: Instruction of

Children: Involved in Guilt of Parents

Children: Isaac

Children: Jehoshaphat

Children: Jephthah's Daughter

Children: Jeremiah

Children: Jesus

Children: Jewish Children

Children: Job

Children: John

Children: Joseph

Children: Josiah

Children: Judah

Children: Love of, for Parents of Ruth

Children: Love of, for Parents: Jesus

Children: Male: Birth of, Announced to the Father by a Messenger

Children: Male: If First Born, Belonged to God and Were Redeemed

Children: Male: Inherited the Possessions of Their Father

Children: Male: Received the Blessing of Their Father Before his Death

Children: Male: Under the Care of Tutors, Till They Came of Age

Children: Male: Usefully Employed

Children: Minors

Children: Mode of Giving Public Instruction To

Children: Moses

Children: Mostly Nursed by the Mothers

Children: Named at Circumcision

Children: Not Punished for Parents' Sake

Children: Not to Have: A Reproach in Israel

Children: Not to Have: Considered an Affliction

Children: Nurses For

Children: Obadiah

Children: Often Given in Answer to Prayer

Children: Often Prayed For

Children: Often Wicked and Rebellious

Children: Partiality Among, Forbidden

Children: Partiality of Parents Among: Jacob for Joseph

Children: Partiality of Parents Among: Rebekah for Jacob

Children: Power of Parents Over, During the Patriarchal Age

Children: Prayer in Behalf of

Children: Promised to the Righteous

Children: Promises and Assurances To

Children: Prosperity of, Greatly Depended on Obedience of Parents

Children: Punishment of

Children: Rebellious, Punished by the Civil Power

Children: Resignation Manifested at Loss of

Children: Ruth

Children: Sacrificed

Children: Samson

Children: Samuel

Children: Saul

Children: Share Benefits of Covenant Privileges Guaranteed to Parents

Children: Shem and Japheth

Children: should Attend to Parental Teaching

Children: should be Brought Early to the House of God

Children: should be Brought to Christ

Children: should be Instructed in the Ways of God

Children: should be Judiciously Trained

Children: should Fear God

Children: should Fear Parents

Children: should Honor Parents

Children: should Honor the Aged

Children: should not Imitate Bad Parents

Children: should Obey God

Children: should Obey Parents

Children: should Remember God

Children: should Take Care of Parents

Children: Sold for Debt

Children: Sold in Marriage, Law Concerning

Children: Solomon

Children: Sometimes Devoted Their Property to Avoid Supporting Parents

Children: Symbolical of the Regenerated

Children: Taught to Walk

Children: The Gift of God

Children: The Israelitish Maid, Captive in Syria

Children: Timothy

Children: Treatment of, After Birth, Noticed

Children: Treatment of, at Birth

Children: Tutors and Governors For

Children: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To

Children: Weaning of

Children: Weaning of, a Time of Joy and Feasting

Children: Wicked

Children: Wicked: Abijam

Children: Wicked: Absalom

Children: Wicked: Adonijah

Children: Wicked: Adrammelech and Sharezer

Children: Wicked: Ahaziah

Children: Wicked: Amon

Children: Wicked: Canaan

Children: Wicked: Children at Beth-El

Children: Wicked: Eli's Sons

Children: Wicked: Ishmael

Children: Wicked: Lot's Daughters

Children: Wicked: Samaritans' Descendants

Children: Wicked: Samuel's Sons

Children: Wicked: Sennacherib's Sons

Children: Worship, Attend Divine

Childrens Ministry

Daycare

Good Children: Adduced As a Motive for Submission to God

Good Children: Attend to Parental Teaching

Good Children: Children in the Temple

Good Children: Daniel

Good Children: David

Good Children: Esther

Good Children: Honor the Aged

Good Children: Illustrative of a Teachable Spirit

Good Children: Isaac

Good Children: Jephthah's Daughter

Good Children: Job

Good Children: John the Baptist

Good Children: Joseph

Good Children: Josiah

Good Children: Know the Scriptures

Good Children: Make Their Parents' Hearts Glad

Good Children: Obadiah

Good Children: Obey Parents

Good Children: Observe the Law of God

Good Children: Partake of the Promises of God

Good Children: Samson

Good Children: Samuel

Good Children: Shall be Blessed

Good Children: Show Love to Parents

Good Children: Spirit of, a Requisite for the Kingdom of Heaven

Good Children: Take Care of Parents

Good Children: The Lord is With

Good Children: Their Obedience to Parents is Well Pleasing to God

Good Children: Timothy

Minors: Legal Status of

Surrogacy

Wicked Children are Proud

Wicked Children are Void of Understanding

Wicked Children with Regard to Parents are a Calamity to Them

Wicked Children with Regard to Parents are a Grief to Them

Wicked Children with Regard to Parents: Bring Reproach on Them

Wicked Children with Regard to Parents: Curse Them

Wicked Children with Regard to Parents: Despise Them

Wicked Children with Regard to Parents: Despised Their Elders

Wicked Children with Regard to Parents: Hearken not to Them

Wicked Children: Absalom

Related Terms

Hinder (47 Occurrences)

However (411 Occurrences)

Infants (71 Occurrences)

Malefactor (2 Occurrences)

Childlessness (1 Occurrence)

Fall (522 Occurrences)

Seeing (442 Occurrences)

History (57 Occurrences)

Children

God (45911 Occurrences)

Israel (27466 Occurrences)

Old (3966 Occurrences)

Sons (2429 Occurrences)

Heavens (548 Occurrences)

Flame (61 Occurrences)

Testament (13 Occurrences)

Monthly (11 Occurrences)

Adam (29 Occurrences)

Sodomite (1 Occurrence)

Sacrifice (300 Occurrences)

Children Going to Heaven
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