What Happens to Children When They Die?

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Sunday, January 11, 2015

"Let the little ones come to me for of such is the kingdom of heaven"
— Matthew 19:14

Someone asked this question on my Facebook page.

Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California and Harvest Orange County in Irvine, California, shares the Gospel with a sold-out crowd of 19,000 for Harvest America at the American Airlines Center and Victory Park in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 5, 2014. | (Photo: rever Hoehne for Harvest Ministries)

"My family lost our 14 month old daughter on June 2, and so my question is, what happens to babies when they die? I believe they go to heaven, but as I was reading that people in heaven know about what is happening here on earth, do babies know what is going on? Do they have someone guiding them? Seeing that she was so young, how will she know?"

My response:

Thanks for your question.

I am so very sorry that your daughter left you so soon. This must be heartbreaking for you and your family, but Michael, I have good news: Your daughter is in heaven. Jesus said "Let the little ones come to me for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14). I believe when children die, they go into God's presence. When King David's child died, he said "I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me" (2 Samuel 12:23 NLT).

Yes Michael, if you have put your faith in Christ, you will go to your daughter one day and be reunited with her. You do not have to worry about your daughter knowing what is going on, as you asked, for Scripture teaches when we arrive in heaven we will know far more than we do now. The Bible says, "Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely" (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT).

When you arrive in heaven, your daughter will recognize you and you her. As far as someone guiding her, the answer is yes. Jesus is, and she is safe with Him.

Hope that helps.

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