Where did my stillborn child go upon his death?
Question:
I was five months pregnant and was happy to hear I was having a little boy. My son was so active in me and kicked all the time. One day I noticed that he hadn't kicked me at all, so I rushed into the hospital to make sure everything was all right and I found out that his heart stopped beating. So five days later, they induced my labor, and I gave birth to a stillborn.
My question for you is I want to know if my son is in heaven now as an angel watching over me, or if he is asleep and waiting until judgment day to return to heaven. I believe that my son, either way, will go to heaven because he was innocent. My grandmother told me that he may be an angel. Whatever the case is, he didn't even breath air before he died, so there was no way I could baptize him. But I constantly prayed for my child. I need to know where his soul is. Please give me exact verses that your answer pertains to within the Bible.
Answer:
Your question touches on several answers given to prior questions. I won't repeat all the answers, but instead, direct you to those answers. People go to hell because they have committed sin and have not done as God asked to gain forgiveness for those sins. John defines sin as, "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness" (I John 3:4). Sin is the breaking of God's law. It is something a person does. No one can sin on your behalf and cause you to be guilty of sin. "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself" (Ezekiel 18:20). But a child in the womb has not broken any laws; therefore, a child is without sin and goes to heaven when he dies. See "What happens to children when they die?" for more details.
Since baptism is for the purpose of removing sin: "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16), baptizing a baby does nothing more than gets him wet. See the article "Infant Baptism" for more details.
While the Bible speaks of souls sleeping in death, it is not referring to a physical sleep but emphasizing that death is a temporary state. See "Does the Bible speak of souls sleeping?" for more details. Once a person dies, they are no longer involved in mortal life. Job asked the question: "If a man dies, shall he live again?" (Job 14:14). The answer to this rhetorical question was found just a few statements before: "So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep" (Job 14:12). Just as people eventually forget those who have died, those who have died are no longer involved in life. "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6). So no, your son is not watching over you.
Jesus once mentioned that we will become like angels in the resurrection, "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven" (Matthew 22:30). By this, I take it that angels are not male and female, nor do they procreate -- which is sensible since they are immortal beings. But this does not mean people become angels after death. Angels are a different class of beings, separate from men. See the sermon "Angels" for more details. The Bible does not indicate that anyone becomes an angel after death, which would include your son.
Response:
Thank you so much for replying to my email. It gave me a huge sense of hope and peace. Nothing is more comforting than knowing that my son will get into heaven.
