If a baby dies, do they go to heaven?

Robin Barfield shows how, whether theoretical or deeply personal, children’s questions about sin and heaven invite us to explore the mystery and the mercy of God together

When we talk about sin with children, they often want to pull it apart and consider the issue from different angles. Where did it come from? Is there a way of avoiding it? Is it as fair as it appears? How we answer these types of questions can be the difference between how a child conceptualises who God is, not only whether He is fair but whether He is gracious and loving.

There may be several reasons a child asks a question like this. It may be purely theoretical – ‘how would God act if this were the case?’ – or it may relate to something which has troubled them, such as the loss of a sibling or the child of someone they know. Either way, their way of asking may be very matter-of-fact, so it is always important to pause for a moment and pray for wisdom.

it can be okay to say to a child, carefully, that you find this a hard question

I have been asked this question a number of times in school lessons and in club situations, as well as by my own children. Each time I have ……