Safe in the Arms of God: Truth from Heaven about the Death of a Child

My wife and I lost our precious daughter Hope after only thirty mintues with her. I knew a little about what the bible teaches on the subjects and where to find the basics, so I knew that she was with God. I still I found this book to be extremely helpful in fleshing out the whole topic and answering some questions I could not find the answers to on my own. I especially admired how Dr. MacArthur relied on Scripture for his entire argument. There was no wishful thinking in this volume just sound biblical teaching. A warning: If you have recently lost a little one this book is hard to read because of the sad stories. A plug: However, this book is worth reading when you are ready.

In this wonderful book, pastor and teacher Dr. John MacArthur takes a look at the death of children. Moving from Bible verse to Bible verse, Dr. MacArthur shows the reader what the Bible has to say about what happens to children when they die, and what it means to bereaved parents. As with all of Dr. MacArthur's works, this book is a work of Biblical exposition excellence. If you have lost an infant, know someone who has lost one, or even if you are interested in good, solid theology, then this book is for you. I would also add this book should probably be in the library of every church. I sure wish that I had had this book when my wife and I lost two children through miscarriage. My wife and I give this book our highest recommendations!

If you're looking for a book to comfort a grieving parent or if you yourself are grieving, I highly recommend this book. I have four babies in Heaven(3 miscarriages and 1 fullterm stillbirth), and it seems as if I've received nearly every book published on pregnancy loss. None of the other books are as theologically sound and as gently written as MacArthur's text. As I read this book, I'm thrilled to know that God cares very deeply about my grief and that reassures me through His Word. You won't be disappointed in this book. It's hopeful, coherent, and grounded.

Safe in the Arms of God is described on the cover as "truth from heaven about the death of a child." In this short, but intense book, John MacArthur answers the question of what happens to children - those unborn, stillborn, or youngsters - when they die. This is a question that has perplexed Christians since the days of the early church. While most Christians have held the view that their children are in heaven, the majority have believed that without being able to adequately defend their position. In this book MacArthur provides a Biblical examination of the issues and ultimately provides a satisfying answer. In this short review I will not examine the issue itself, but MacArthur's handling of the issue. MacArthur's position is that all children who die, regardless of the era they were born in, their nationality or the religion of their parents, are immediately ushered into heaven. When Larry King interviewed him in the aftermath of September 11, he asked MacArthur what happened to any children who lost their lives in the tragedies. His answer was (and remains) "instant heaven." While that answer was all King wanted, inquiring minds are intrigued by the Biblical grounds for such a view. The author spends several chapters carefully crafting his argument. He gives examples from the Bible which show that there is some assurance that children can be taken to heaven (David's son is the common example) and provides a mountain of other important evidence. Most of this, while it helps build the case, does not prove anything on its own. Essentially, though, the argument comes down to this: salvation is by grace, damnation by works - most notably the action of rejecting God. Infants are incapable of rejecting or accepting God, and thus God chooses to extend His mercy to them. It is important to note that God saves them not on the basis of justice but on the basis of His grace. After making the argument, MacArthur spends several chapters speaking about whether parents will see and know their children in heaven, why the child had to die and what others can do to help grieving parents. The book is interspersed with the stories and testimonies of parents who have suffered a loss and have taken comfort in God's promises. MacArthur makes a compelling, Biblical argument to support the idea that all children who die in infancy are saved by the great mercy of God and are safe for eternity in the arms of a loving God. I give it my recommendation.

Often, when speaking of the death of an infant, the pastor's heart and the theological mind tend to be at odds with one another. Pastors or counselors may feel forced to give answers they don't believe simply to comfort a grieving parent in a crisis situation. Dr. MacArthur shows that this need not be the case. He uses Scripture to give hope to grieving parents, pastors and counselors who are forced to deal with the death of infants.Though the concepts found in this book are intensely theological, Dr. MacArthur's presentation is easily accessible to any reader. Known as a student and teacher of Scripture, John MacArthur's words are firmly rooted in biblical truth, and offer hope from Scripture that the eternal destiny for all infants is, "instant heaven.Few people have not been touched directly by the death of an infant, making the topic relevant to every reader. Dr. MacArthur does a fantastic job of balancing the raw emotion involved in the death of a child with the stark biblical realities of sin and corruption. His simple approach to handling this issue reveals his pastor's heart and theological mind working together to provide comfort from Scripture to those who seek answers to this difficult question.