First, of all, I do not believe that babies and infants make up a separate "special" category of human beings who are unaffected by Adam's sin so as to not be "in Adam" and thus free from the eternal consequences of His fall as recorded in Genesis 3. Romans 5:12-19 makes the point that all people are sons and daughters of Adam and thus, "in Adam", are conceived with a sin nature (original sin) and are considered guilty of Adam's sin (imputed sin), placing them under God's judgment. Therefore, all people, including babies and infants, are deserving of eternal condemnation. Not a single baby or infant who dies deserves to be in heaven simply because they died. Nor are they deserving of heaven because they have never volitionally acted upon their sin nature inherited from Adam. If babies and infants who die do go to heaven it is only and always because of God's grace. And the fact is, I do believe the Bible teaches that, by and because of God's incredible grace, He does indeed spare all babies and infants who die. Here are some of my reasons for believing this.
1. God always does what is right. In Genesis 18:25, Abraham, when praying for God to spare those people who may be righteous when He destroys Sodom and Gomorrah makes the point to God, Himself, "Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is right?" The answer to Abraham's rhetorical question is, "Of course, God will do what is right!" And this is the basis for my answer. I am arguing that based upon God's character which is holy, just, righteous, good, and loving that He will always do what is right for those babies and infants who have died apart from having the ability to understand the gospel, let alone their need of it, so as to repent of their sinful condition and trust in Christ for salvation.
2. All babies and infants who die are innocent of intentional sin. I think we can rightly conclude that while all babies and infants who die were conceived with a sin nature they did not have the opportunity to volitionally and purposely act upon and in accordance with that nature. In this sense, while positionally guilty they are experientially innocent.
God, when condemning the practice of child sacrifice to the idol Molech, referred to those newborn children who were killed as "innocent" (Jer. 19:4). By this, God meant that they were not guilty of volitional, intentional, and purposeful sin against Him since because of their age they were incapable of such. Whenever the Bible speaks of the temporal or final eternal punishment of people their punishment is for the evil deeds they have done. In speaking about the Great White Throne judgment in Revelation 20:12-13, John states twice that the unbelieving dead will be judged according to their deeds. The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel made the point in Ezekiel 18:20, when teaching that children are not responsible for their parents' sins, that it is the person who sins who will bear the consequences of that sin. This is the promise of Christ Jesus Himself in Matthew 16:27, when in speaking about His coming and subsequent judgment of unbelievers, He states that He will "repay every man according to his deeds." So, what will those babies and infants who have no evil sinful deeds be judged and condemned for?
In addition, Deuteronomy 1:39, in talking about the little children of the disobedient Israelites who chose not to enter the land of Canaan under Moses' leadership makes the point that they, as little children, had "no knowledge of good and evil" and were therefore not held responsible for their parents' sin. So, here is a case when God specifically exempted from His judgment those who had no knowledge of good or evil because of their age. In other words, their lack of knowing the difference between good and evil meant they lacked the capability to make morally informed choices and therefore were not accountable for choices they could not make.
Furthermore, Paul makes the case in Romans 1:18-20 that those people who will be judged and condemned by God have no excuse for the simple reason that they can clearly see and understand God's general revelation as manifested in the Creation. Their suppression of God's revelation about Himself in His creative handiwork is a volitional and intentional act, which renders them without excuse before God when condemned. Verse 20, therefore implies that mankind would seem to have an excuse if they had not seen clearly in the Creation what God is like--"His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature". Since babies and infants cannot process the Creation so as to make conclusions about God's existence, character, glory, and justice, it seems they would indeed have an excuse standing before God's judgment. In this sense, babies and infants who die or are killed do not have the ability to clearly see or to understand God's revelation as revealed in Creation and are therefore, innocent of suppressing God's truth.
3. King David's Hope of a Future Reunion With His Newborn Son Who Died. In 2 Samuel 12:23 King David, upon hearing that Bathsheba's and his newborn son had died, stopped mourning and grieving for his son and began to go about his normal activities. When his servants saw this they thought it odd that he would stop grieving after the baby died and so they asked him about his reaction. David's reply was one of future hope and confidence that he would see his son again some day and be with him. His exact words were: "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said 'Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live. But now he has died. Why should I fast" Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.'"
David's hope does not seem to be that he will one day die and merely join his son in the grave. Rather, what David appears to be saying is that he believes that he will one day, through death, be reunited with his son. His statement seems to indicate that David has a hope of a future and happy reunion with his son. Obviously, this would not be in hell but in heaven.
4. Jesus' Words About Children. In Mark 10:13-16, Jesus instructed his disciples, after they were not allowing little children to approach Him, that they should. His words were, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Then Jesus went on to do something He never did with unbelievers--"He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them." Jesus also made the remark that ". . . whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." These statements from our Savior would seem to be more indicative of the fact of God's acceptance of babies and infants who die rather than His rejection of them.
5. Heaven's Population Infers It. We read in Revelation 5:9-10 as well as Revelation 7:9 that Heaven will be populated with people from throughout time from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. This seems only possible if some of these people are babies and infants who have died simply because the gospel has not in every era of time gone to every people group. I tend to agree with John Macarthur, who says, that, "God has been gathering little ones from every tongue and tribe and nation from around the world throughout all of human history."
I am compelled by the above arguments to believe and teach that God ordains, for his own wise purposes, that at the judgment day all babies and infants who have died, either in the womb or out of it, will be among the elect and thus covered by the blood of Jesus. I affirm this, though, neither because they are innocent nor because they have merited forgiveness, but solely because I believe God has sovereignly chosen them for eternal life, regenerated their souls, and applied the saving benefits of the blood of Christ to them apart from conscious faith which, at the age of their death they could not have possibly possessed.
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