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What happens to the soul of an aborted fetus?

Alfred Persson

Free Will Reformed Baptist
2024 Supporter
The soul within an Aborted fetus "wakes up in hades" (the unseen realm) in neither torment or bliss, fully grown up intellectually, having free will. "He" is in hades not because he sinned but because he never became alive in Christ. As a descendant of Adam he remained "in a state of death". Only what is alive can be in God's presence:

Human beings are "born dead spiritually", they remain dead until belief in Christ, then they become alive:

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:22 NKJ)

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (Jn. 5:24 NKJ)


Therefore, the aborted fetus cannot enter heaven (or the upper level of sheol, paradise, third heaven) because it is dead. What is dead descends into a part of Hades that is "NEUTRAL", to be judged. It is appointed all in Adam (still dead, not saved) die and then they are judged:

Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment, (Heb. 9:27 RPTE)

The Gospel is preached to the dead so they can believe the gospel and choose to live according to God:

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Pet. 4:6 NKJ)

Those who choose to live according to God are then "enveloped by the Holy Spirit" and live in a "state of sleeplike bliss" "eagerly waiting" for Christ's second appearing when the "first resurrection" "rapture" "gathering" "rising with the church" AT Christ's Second Coming salvation from Hades:

so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation. (Heb. 9:28 RPTE)

During their "Judgment" it was determined "those who believe the Gospel of Christ preached to them" are among "the many" Christ was offered to bear the sins for. But they cannot cross over from Hades (Lk. 16 :26) to paradise where the redeemed are with Abraham. They have to wait in the "neutral part" of Hades until Christ's second coming, THEN the dead in Christ rise to meet Him in the air:

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thess. 4:16-17 NKJ)

What about those in the upper level of Sheol/Hades/Unseen Realm, in "third heaven/paradise/Abraham's bosom" with Abraham and Lazarus? What of their souls?

When Christ begins His second coming, He brings them with Him as He descends:\

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess. 4:13-5:1 NKJ)

During Christ's parousia ("coming") those He brough with Him and the dead in Him in Hades, rise in supernatural bodies like Christ's. They are changed in a "twinkling of an eye", reunited with their glorious resurrection body that is infused with life, immortality, power like the resurrection body of Christ:

45 And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" (1 Cor. 15:45-55 NKJ)
 
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You say born and now you have a problem with that because an aborted fetus is not born it is terminated before birth . Never taking a breath of life .



BORN is the operative word here and you said aborted , Dead before birth .
"Born" in context is "conceived, generated". At conception the soul comes to life in a body, it is "born".

Therefore, the operative is "all in Adam" are spiritually dead from conception onward, regardless whether they survive only a few seconds or allowed to live past the womb and be born as we were.

We were dead in our sins until we believed in Christ, then we passed from death into life:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (Jn. 5:24 NKJ)
 
We do not know for certain how God deals with babies and infants without reasoningabilty when they die.
We do know in 2 sam12:
18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, ‘While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.’

19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realised that the child was dead. ‘Is the child dead?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘he is dead.’

20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

21 His attendants asked him, ‘Why are you acting in this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!’

22 He answered, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, “Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.” 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.’

David's belief recorded in scripture, is that there is life after death and that he would be united with that child.

We know that God is just and that we will have no complaints about how he has judged those we love.
 
We do not know for certain how God deals with babies and infants without reasoningabilty when they die.
We do know in 2 sam12:
18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, ‘While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.’

19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realised that the child was dead. ‘Is the child dead?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘he is dead.’

20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

21 His attendants asked him, ‘Why are you acting in this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!’

22 He answered, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, “Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.” 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.’

David's belief recorded in scripture, is that there is life after death and that he would be united with that child.

We know that God is just and that we will have no complaints about how he has judged those we love.
I agree with all you wrote. But scripture has the answers for every question we really need an answer for. However, it requires "discernment, wisdom, skill" to mine the gold God has hidden:

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. (Prov. 25:2 NKJ)


All scripture is God inspired to equip the man of God for every good work, which includes being able to answer "the hard questions"

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NKJ)

Just as the fictional Sherlock Holmes could infer from facts, what happened....so also we, from the details in scripture, learn God's perfect plan.


One day, God's perfect plan will be openly revealed, manifest to every living creature and it will cause us all to break out in praise:

Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested." (Rev. 15:4 NKJ)
 
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