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

"Is my baby in heaven?"

This is the most important question a grieving parent can ask. And even if the little one is someone else's child, the issue remains: What happens to children―those unborn, stillborn, or youngsters―when they die? Can you hope to see them again? Can you let go of your fear and guilt? Can God's love soothe a wound so jagged?

With scriptural authority and the warmth of a pastor's heart, bestselling author John MacArthur examines the breadth of the entire Bible and reveals in this compelling book the Heavenly Father's care for every life.

"I have sat by the grave of our daughter and son and wondered out loud if my belief that Hope and Gabriel are in heaven has any solid scriptural support. John MacArthur offers truth from God's Word that puts the doubts of any grieving parent to rest. Safe in the Arms of God reveals that confidence of heaven for the child you love is based on much more than mere sentimentality; it is revealed in the Word of God and reflective of the very heart of God." ―Nancy Guthrie, author of Holding On to Hope

Customer Reviews:

Hope From Heaven

By Tim Challies - September 20, 2004

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... read more

Comfort with Biblical Honesty

By Chris Freeland - August 5, 2003

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... read more

Hope

By M. J. Keel - October 21, 2005

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.