Can an "illegitimate" child, one conceived out of wedlock, be saved?

TL;DR:

God’s grace is not limited by the circumstances of anyone’s birth. No matter how a person was conceived, salvation is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ, for in Him we become children of God.

what does the bible say?

The Bible makes it clear that salvation is not determined by the circumstances of one’s birth but by faith in Jesus Christ. While some have misinterpreted Deuteronomy 23:2 to mean that children born out of wedlock are excluded from God’s people, the Bible teaches that God forms every person with purpose and love (Psalm 139; Jeremiah 1:5). Salvation is revealed as a gift of grace through faith, not dependent on lineage, social status, or human merit (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16). Through Christ, anyone who believes becomes a new creation and a beloved child of God, regardless of their origin or family background (2 Corinthians 5:17; John 1:12-13). God’s redemption is available to all people, proving that no life is beyond His grace or intention, regardless of social stigmas. Our true identity is found not in how we began but in who we become in Christ.

from the old testament

Some readers of the Bible have erroneously believed that a child born outside of marriage cannot be saved. This has traditionally been based on a passage in the Old Testament that reads, "No one born of a forbidden union may enter the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 23:2). However, this verse speaks of those excluded from the assembly, referring in that context to the tabernacle. It does not speak of salvation. That passage, like many of the Mosaic Laws, was meant to point to the reality of God’s holiness as contrasted with humankind’s unholiness.
Psalm 139 indicates that God knit us together in the womb. Even if a child was conceived out of wedlock, God knew them, loved them, and had a plan for their life just as the prophet Jeremiah was told, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you" (Jeremiah 1:5).
Jephthah is an example of how God used someone born of a prostitute to save His people from the Ammonites.
The principle of God dealing with each person individually is seen in what God told Jeremiah to say to the Israelites: “In those days they shall no longer say: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge” (Jeremiah 31:29-30).

from the new testament

Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Our salvation is based on God's grace through faith, not on the situation into which we were born.
John 3:16 further notes, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." These words indicate that "whoever" believes can be saved and does not exclude based on the situation in which a child is conceived.
The Bible indicates that all who believe in Jesus begin a new life: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
As followers of Jesus we are all equal. Galatians 3:28 notes, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
A person who comes to Christ by faith becomes part of a new family and is now a child of God, regardless of how they came into the world: "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13). God is both our Lord and our heavenly Father (Matthew 6:1, 6, 8, 9, 14).

implications for today

Jesus told Nicodemas, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Nicodemas was confused, but Jesus explained it so that even we can understand years later: Our status at birth does not determine our ability to become a follower of Christ. Being reborn in the Spirit does. Whether a child is born into a family with married parents or into circumstances outside of marriage, every person shares the same need for God’s grace and forgiveness. Salvation is not granted based on heritage, social standing, or family background but on faith in Jesus Christ, who offers eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16). Each person is uniquely known, valued, and called by God, and He desires that everyone responds to His invitation, trusting in Jesus as Savior and Lord (1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9).

This is a message that Christians must share, especially in our world that values money, status, and fame. Whether you have a million dollars or a hundred dollars in the bank, whether you are a janitor or a CEO, whether you are a famed orator or someone who can’t present well—God loves you and His free gift of grace applies to you. Our identity in Christ is not tied to our beginnings but to God’s work of salvation in our hearts.

understand

The Bible teaches that salvation comes by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by lineage, family background, or the circumstances of one’s conception.
God forms and knows every person before birth, giving each one purpose and worth regardless of how they were conceived.
Anyone who believes in Jesus becomes a new creation and a child of God; our beginnings do not define us.

reflect

How does knowing that God formed and knew you before you were born shape the way you view your worth and identity?
How does the truth that salvation depends on faith, not birth circumstances, change how you see yourself and others?
How can you live more fully in the reality that, through Christ, you are a new creation and a child of God regardless of your background?

engage

How does understanding God’s grace as available to everyone challenge social or cultural stigmas about birth, family, or heritage?
What does the Bible reveal about God’s impartial love toward all people?
How can we better reflect the truth that every believer—no matter their beginnings—is equally valued and offered salvation by God?