“Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”(Mark 10:14)

On Sanctity of Life Sunday, as we continue our Homesick for Heaven series, we are drawn to a deeply personal and weighty question: What happens to babies and young children who die? What about miscarriages, stillbirths, abortions, or children who never reach an age of understanding?

Many have been told, even by pastors, “We don’t know.” But Scripture is not silent. In fact, we believe God intends for His people to have confident, biblical hope—especially in the midst of such profound grief. The Word of God gives us strong assurance that when children die, they are immediately taken home to heaven, not based on sentiment, but on the character of God and the teaching of Jesus Christ.

Jesus and the Children (Mark 10:13–16)

In Mark 10, parents bring their babies and small children to Jesus so that He might bless them. These children—paidia, including infants—do nothing to earn this blessing. They are brought in complete dependence. It is a picture of grace.

The disciples, however, rebuke the parents, treating the children as distractions. Jesus responds with righteous anger. He is indignant—a rare and strong word describing moral outrage. Why? Because Jesus loves children, and He will not tolerate their mistreatment or exclusion.

Then He makes a remarkable declaration:

“To such belongs the kingdom of God.”

This is not a statement about resemblance but possession. The kingdom belongs—present tense—to children. Luke’s account makes this even clearer by using the word brephē, meaning infants or nursing babies. Jesus is defining a category, not isolating a few. Children, before they can understand or respond in faith, are under God’s special, gracious care.

This does not mean children earn heaven or deserve it. Like all salvation, it is by grace alone, through the atoning work of Christ, sovereignly applied by God on their behalf.

A Hope Rooted in Scripture

King David expressed this same confidence when his infant son died: “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23). David expected reunion in the presence of the Lord. Jesus reinforces this hope when He teaches that only children—and those who become like children—enter the kingdom. Saving faith requires humility, dependence, and trust. The analogy only works because the underlying truth is real: God does not desire that one of these little ones should perish(Matthew 18:14).

Comfort Without Compromise

This truth brings immense comfort to grieving hearts. It assures parents who have lost children through miscarriage or stillbirth. It offers hope to those carrying guilt and sorrow from abortion, pointing them to forgiveness at the cross. And it anchors us when confronted with the staggering reality of millions of abortions worldwide each year.

At the same time, this hope never justifies abortion or diminishes its evil. We do not sin so that grace may abound. Every child is made in the image of God, and Jesus is angry at the mistreatment of children. His mercy toward the innocent strengthens—not weakens—our resolve to protect life, speak for the voiceless, and stand for what is right.

Jesus Still Blesses the Little Ones

Mark tells us that Jesus took the children in His arms and blessed them—intensely. He prayed over them with deep affection. This is the heart of our Savior: tender, protective, and full of mercy.

In a broken world, we grieve real loss. But we do not grieve without hope. Heaven is not a consolation prize—it is paradise. And Scripture gives us confidence that children who die are far better off, having been spared the sorrows of this fallen world and welcomed into perfect joy with Christ.

Jesus loves the little children.