WHAT IS THE ETERNAL FATE OF THE ABORTED OR THE STILLBORN?

The short answer is that the Bible doesn't explicitly deal with this issue, but it does give us some guidance. For example, Jesus teaches that we will be judged according to what we know and what we have been given:

·       “And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” (Luke 12:47-48)

However, the aborted and the stillborn did not know the master's will; nor did they have the opportunity to do any wrong.

This answer also addresses the charge that God is unjust in having even the babies of the Canaanites killed. If this life is but a moment compared to all eternity, then the justice of God must be assessed by looking at the big picture, the eternal.

This teaching of Jesus assures us that God judges justly, even if it doesn't explicitly tell us about the ultimate fate of the aborted and murdered babies.

But why would God judge these Canaanite babies at all? I had been a probation officer for many years and had repeatedly heard probationers assure me:

·       Mr. Mann, I am now a father, and I need to do the right thing by my kids.

Although they might not have followed through, they were serious about this. Concern for the welfare of our children causes us to grow up. What if instead, God guaranteed that our children would not have to pay the price for our sin? We would never grow up.

Why doesn't God tell us explicitly about the ultimate fate of our babies who have died? I think that there are certain things He will not tell us, because we cannot handle such truth. What if He told us, "Don't worry about your stillborn. They will all go to heaven?"

The implications of this teaching might be disastrous. Thoughtful mothers would be killing their babies to insure that they would go to heaven.

Instead, God has kept His secrets for our own good.