Booger McLovin

Do all children go to heaven? And what about adults with special needs? As the father of a special needs adult, I have thought and studied on this deeply.

While Scripture does not give a single direct statement saying, “all children go to heaven,” it gives a clear pattern of God’s justice and mercy toward the innocent. God distinguishes between those who have moral understanding and those who do not. In Deuteronomy 1:39, God says of the children of Israel, “your children… who this day have no knowledge of good or evil… shall go in there, and to them I will give it.” The children were not held accountable for their parents’ rebellion because they lacked the knowledge and responsibility of moral choice.

King David also spoke with confidence after the death of his infant son: “I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23). David’s words reveal an unshakable belief that he would see his son again in the presence of God.

Jesus Himself reveals God’s heart toward children. In Matthew 19:14, He says, “Let the children alone, and do not forbid them to come to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” In Mark 9:37, He adds, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me.” And in Matthew 18:14, He makes it clear, “So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.”

These passages not only show that children hold a special place in the kingdom, but they also reveal the justice of God. The same principle extends to adults with special needs who lack the mental capacity to knowingly rebel against Him. God’s perfect justice weighs every heart and every circumstance. His mercy embraces those who are innocent, not by their own works, but because they have not yet reached the knowledge of good and evil.

For me, the answer is clear. All innocent go to heaven. Children are the most innocent among us, and adults whose minds never mature beyond childhood share that same innocence. A righteous and compassionate God will not condemn them. This is not sentiment, but the natural conclusion of what God has revealed about His mercy, justice, and love.