Is it true that infants who die become angels?

Question:

What do newborns’ souls do after death? I know about adults, but children never interested me. It says they go to angels, but they are not angels, are they? Someone asked me if I think our child who died is in heaven and I said YES. I do not know why, but I was sure of that. At this answer of mine he told me: “I want to contradict you, if you do not want to hear the Bible’s view that all the dead rest in the dust until the resurrection at the Second Coming of Jesus.

In the article “What is the eternal destiny of infants who died, aborted children and their murderers?” I approached the question pertaining to the fate of newborn children after death.

Do infants who die become angels?

There is a misconception that these children become angels. It is not true. Angels and men are totally different beings. After death man remains a human being and every child is a human, too. Some dared say that Jesus Christ is the angel, therefore, in the Epistle to the Hebrews the author explains the difference between angels, Jesus Christ, and people.

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say, “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”? And again, “I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME”? And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.” And of the angels He says, “WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.” But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. “YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.” And, “YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH,  AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY ALL WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END.” But to which of the angels has He ever said, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET”? Are they not allministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who willinheritsalvation? (Hebrews 1)(NASB)

Carefully reading this chapter, we see the following important truths about angels:

• Angels have much lower position than the Lord Jesus Christ
• Angels are ministering spirits sent out by God to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation, i.e. for people

This is precisely the angels call, to serve people who have been called to inherit salvation. The child who died is a HUMAN and he can not become an angel. He remains HUMAN. They are totally different beings as quality and calling.

Does the child’s soul go to God, or waits in the dust for the second coming of Jesus Christ?

At physical death there is a separation of soul from the body. When Apostle Paul spoke about his possible execution in the Epistle to Philippians, he wrote:

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. (Philippians 1:21-24)(NASB)

When talking about his physical death, Apostle says he wants to depart and be with Christ, which means that physical death of a saved man is his departure to Christ, that means that his soul will be with Christ.

As for the resurrection at the second coming of Jesus Christ, the Scripture teaches that at the resurrection of the dead bodies will be resurrected (souls already are at Christ) and it is written:

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised aspiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)(NASB)

May God comfort the heart of the woman whose baby died and give wisdom to all of us when we talk, so that me may say words that match the sound doctrine and bring comfort and hope to grieving hearts.

Translated by Felicia Rotaru