Question:
Do aborted or deceased infants go to heaven if they weren’t baptized?
Answer:
The claim that aborted babies do not enter heaven due to original sin and lack of water baptism is mistaken and contradicts both the spirit and the letter of Scripture.
Theologian Adam Harwood convincingly argues that God does not impute guilt for Adam’s sin to little children and unborn infants, since they are not yet capable of conscious moral choice. Romans 5:12 speaks of death entering through Adam, but it never says that God automatically condemns innocent children who cannot make moral decisions.
Jesus Himself emphasized God’s special care for children:
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).
If the Lord Himself says the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to children, He is revealing God’s gracious and merciful posture toward them, regardless of baptism.
It is important to understand that baptism is a symbol of a personal, conscious choice to follow Christ. Infants and unborn children cannot make such a choice, and therefore, historically, the Church has affirmed that God’s grace covers their immaturity and inability to decide for themselves.
Thus, based on the character of God revealed in Christ, and a just reading of Scripture, we can confidently conclude that unborn infants and young children who die before the age of accountability are in the arms of God’s grace and mercy in heaven.
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