The Narrow Path Ministries

The following question is in reference to unborn babies, infants, or any other person who dies before the age of accountability.

What will they be like in the Resurrection?

My question is not, "What kind of body will they have?" Rather, I'm asking: what will be the nature of their personality? The thing I find difficult is that children, infants, or unborn people do not have an understanding of morality, nor do they seem to have developed a personality. Unless we become Calvinists, I don't yet see how a child could really live on the New Earth without a prior opportunity to choose to follow God. They were always "alive without the law", and they would seem to be in the same position Adam was in pre-fall. Also, they would not have had the opportunity to have learned from the Fall either. Wouldn't they be susceptible to the same mistakes as Adam and Eve? And don't they have a choice if they want to continue to follow after God or not? Or are they unilaterally forced to have eternal life?

Also, will God give them all the future benefits of those who overcame in this life (i.e, being "like" Christ [theosis], reigning with Christ, authority over the new creation, etc.) even though they did not have the opportunity to prove their faithfulness (let alone understand what life is about)?

According to 4 yr old Colton Burpo whose near death experience is documented in the runaway best seller "Heaven is for Real" they will be around 7 years old perpetually.

TK

We are getting into unknown territory!

Nevertheless, my guess is that they will be resurrected at whatever age they died (even if pre-born). They will grow in their new, spiritual bodies into adultlhood. Perhaps they will then either have their own parents to teach them, or some some other persons — be taught by someone until they are fully mature. Then at a development which corresponds to age 30, they will remain for eternity.

It's only a guess. Do you have a better guess?

According to 4 yr old Colton Burpo whose near death experience is documented in the runaway best seller "Heaven is for Real" they will be around 7 years old perpetually.

What a strange concept. I can't begin to imagine what God's purpose would be to leave someone at seven years old forever, especially in a perfect new world.

If I was disposed to believe people's accounts of visits to heaven, I could more readily believe an alternative scenario I remember reading about - where special angels were assigned to babies and children to teach them & nurture them into adulthood in paradise.

But as Paidion says, we are getting into unknown territory. In any case I'm confident God will have a perfect solution!

I think it'd be nice to have some kids around

You know I've considered that if premillennialism is true, then that would be the time all those who died young would be given the opportunity to grow up, and all those who never got the chance to hear the gospel would live to hear it. Other than that, I don't know what to say.

mattrose wrote:I think it'd be nice to have some kids around

Even if they never grow up?

Sean wrote:

Even if they never grow up?

Remember- no brats in heaven.

TK

mattrose wrote:I think it'd be nice to have some kids around

Agreed. Maybe they can be kids for a few hundred years and then become mature!