Q. Do dead babies go to heaven? Do babies who die automatically receive eternal life even though they never accepted Jesus as their personal savior? (Submitted by: Annette) A. The Bible teaches that unsaved people who die are NOT immediately put into an eternal hell fire. Instead, they simply aren't judged until the resurrection occurs. This would be true for babies as well as for adults who were uncalled in this lifetime. It may seem hard to believe that people could be saved after they die. But notice this very interesting passage in Ezekiel 37, the vision of the valley of dry bones. Notice that the house of Israel in the Old Testament was mostly not saved then, for so many were so faithless and disobedient that they often worshipped false gods using idols. Yet, instead of being put into the lake of fire after being resurrected, they are put into the land of Israel: "Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!' Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. . . ." ' " " (Ezekiel 37:11-12, NKJV)
The Bible teaches that the dead are DEAD, and don't go to heaven or hell at death, and that they don't have consciousness until the resurrection. As Solomon wrote: "For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10, NKJV)
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