Age of accountability for children in regards to sin

[firestormx]

I have heard the quote. " God does not imbue/hold accountable children for their sin until they reach the age of accountability". I have searched and searched in scripture for this to no avail. Does anyone know where this is located in the bible?

 

   I'm starting to think this is like the sea of forgetfulness. I have heard so many people talk about the sea of forgetfulness. Preachers give entire sermons on this subject and principle. Quote the phrase " sea of forgetfulness " over and over. People will say that God casts believers sins into this sea of forgetfulness and tell you it's in the bible. I've heard preachers defend this to the point of calling me a heretic for not believing in a literal sea of forgetfulness. I searched scripture. After much study I came to the realization that the bible never one time mentions a sea of forgetfulness that God casts our sins into. It's a coined phrase out of these verses I think.

 

Micah 7:18-19

Who is a God like You,
Pardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in mercy.
¹⁹ He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all our sins
Into the depths of the sea.

 

These verses, to the best of my understanding, is where people get that God casts our sins into a literal Sea of forgetfulness. While the principle that God does cast our sins into a sea is correct and scripture. God will remember our sins no more is also correct and in the bible. There is no Sea called the sea of forgetfulness ever mentioned in scripture. It is a tradition. Man's tradition, not scripture.

 

So is the phrase and principle of " God does not imbue children with sin " in the bible or is it tradition of men?

 

If anyone can show me I would be grateful. If the basic principle is there and the phrase is not, I would still appreciate if you could point me to, or show me the verses that states this belief. I am looking for this in the bible, so as many verses on this subject as possible would be appreciated.

 

Thank you

Firestormx

Joseph

 

[Guest Butero]

The age of accountability doctrine is man made.  I believe it was you that brought up the scripture in 1 Corinthians that tells how children are under the covering of their Christian parents?  I believe that children of Christians are clean because of the blood covering their parents are under, but not the children of sinners.  You remember the story of the death of the firstborn of Egypt all dying?  I don't believe those children were clean, and went to heaven. 

 

The closest thing I can give you to an actual age that could be an age of accountability is 20.  When the children of Israel sinned by refusing to go into Canaan, God spared those 20 and under.  You first see that mentioned in Numbers 13:26-34.  When God was numbering the people to go to war, he numbered those 20 and upward.  See Numbers 26:2.  I mentioned that those 20 and under were spared.  Notice what the Lord says about them in Deuteronomy 1:39 "Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither..."  The age of 20 comes up several times, so even though that may seem a bit old to us, if we are to find a possible age of accountability, I believe it would be 20?  Again, I don't really believe their is one, but I am just saying that is the closest thing to one I could find. 

[Micheal Westin]

biblical Isreal seems to hold the age of 20 as when a male can go to war, I'm not sure if thats considered an age of accountability, not so sure God is sending dead children to hell, since Jesus is quoted "suffer not these little ones to come onto Me for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

[Guest Butero]

biblical Isreal seems to hold the age of 20 as when a male can go to war, I'm not sure if thats considered an age of accountability, not so sure God is sending dead children to hell, since Jesus is quoted "suffer not these little ones to come onto Me for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Those children you are referring to are children of believers, not sinners.  Parents were bringing them to Jesus.

[firestormx]

The age of accountability doctrine is man made.  I believe it was you that brought up the scripture in 1 Corinthians that tells how children are under the covering of their Christian parents?  I believe that children of Christians are clean because of the blood covering their parents are under, but not the children of sinners.  You remember the story of the death of the firstborn of Egypt all dying?  I don't believe those children were clean, and went to heaven. 

 

The closest thing I can give you to an actual age that could be an age of accountability is 20.  When the children of Israel sinned by refusing to go into Canaan, God spared those 20 and under.  You first see that mentioned in Numbers 13:26-34.  When God was numbering the people to go to war, he numbered those 20 and upward.  See Numbers 26:2.  I mentioned that those 20 and under were spared.  Notice what the Lord says about them in Deuteronomy 1:39 "Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither..."  The age of 20 comes up several times, so even though that may seem a bit old to us, if we are to find a possible age of accountability, I believe it would be 20?  Again, I don't really believe their is one, but I am just saying that is the closest thing to one I could find. 

Thanks for the post, Do you have any idea why the Jewish bar mitzvah is held at the age it is? Is that custom based on scripture? I guess I could have summed up the question by putting it another way. Do children go to the lake of fire, or hell? Thanks for the input.

[firestormx]

biblical Isreal seems to hold the age of 20 as when a male can go to war, I'm not sure if thats considered an age of accountability, not so sure God is sending dead children to hell, since Jesus is quoted "suffer not these little ones to come onto Me for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Thanks for the post.

[Guest Butero]

 

The age of accountability doctrine is man made.  I believe it was you that brought up the scripture in 1 Corinthians that tells how children are under the covering of their Christian parents?  I believe that children of Christians are clean because of the blood covering their parents are under, but not the children of sinners.  You remember the story of the death of the firstborn of Egypt all dying?  I don't believe those children were clean, and went to heaven. 

 

The closest thing I can give you to an actual age that could be an age of accountability is 20.  When the children of Israel sinned by refusing to go into Canaan, God spared those 20 and under.  You first see that mentioned in Numbers 13:26-34.  When God was numbering the people to go to war, he numbered those 20 and upward.  See Numbers 26:2.  I mentioned that those 20 and under were spared.  Notice what the Lord says about them in Deuteronomy 1:39 "Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither..."  The age of 20 comes up several times, so even though that may seem a bit old to us, if we are to find a possible age of accountability, I believe it would be 20?  Again, I don't really believe their is one, but I am just saying that is the closest thing to one I could find. 

Thanks for the post, Do you have any idea why the Jewish bar mitzvah is held at the age it is? Is that custom based on scripture? I guess I could have summed up the question by putting it another way. Do children go to the lake of fire, or hell? Thanks for the input.

 

I don't know of any scripture that would explain the Jewish bar mitzvah?  I think it is just a custom?  This would be controversial, but in my opinion, I do believe some children go to hell and some go to heaven.  This opens up another can of worms, in pre-destination and election.  I believe God has created some good and some evil, and we are what we are, regardless of age.  If we were supposed to be saved, we will be saved.  A lot of the doctrine we hear is based on people going by what seems right to them.  You feel like there must be some age of accountability, and that children are innocent, so you create a doctrine where we become accountable based on when we have enough understanding to accept or reject Christ.  It sounds good, but it isn't found in the Bible, and there is no direct mention of a specific age. 

[firestormx]

 

 

The age of accountability doctrine is man made.  I believe it was you that brought up the scripture in 1 Corinthians that tells how children are under the covering of their Christian parents?  I believe that children of Christians are clean because of the blood covering their parents are under, but not the children of sinners.  You remember the story of the death of the firstborn of Egypt all dying?  I don't believe those children were clean, and went to heaven. 

 

The closest thing I can give you to an actual age that could be an age of accountability is 20.  When the children of Israel sinned by refusing to go into Canaan, God spared those 20 and under.  You first see that mentioned in Numbers 13:26-34.  When God was numbering the people to go to war, he numbered those 20 and upward.  See Numbers 26:2.  I mentioned that those 20 and under were spared.  Notice what the Lord says about them in Deuteronomy 1:39 "Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither..."  The age of 20 comes up several times, so even though that may seem a bit old to us, if we are to find a possible age of accountability, I believe it would be 20?  Again, I don't really believe their is one, but I am just saying that is the closest thing to one I could find. 

Thanks for the post, Do you have any idea why the Jewish bar mitzvah is held at the age it is? Is that custom based on scripture? I guess I could have summed up the question by putting it another way. Do children go to the lake of fire, or hell? Thanks for the input.

 

I don't know of any scripture that would explain the Jewish bar mitzvah?  I think it is just a custom?  This would be controversial, but in my opinion, I do believe some children go to hell and some go to heaven.  This opens up another can of worms, in pre-destination and election.  I believe God has created some good and some evil, and we are what we are, regardless of age.  If we were supposed to be saved, we will be saved.  A lot of the doctrine we hear is based on people going by what seems right to them.  You feel like there must be some age of accountability, and that children are innocent, so you create a doctrine where we become accountable based on when we have enough understanding to accept or reject Christ.  It sounds good, but it isn't found in the Bible, and there is no direct mention of a specific age. 

 

Thank you for your honest post. I think your right and this does open a can of worms, so to speak. I agree that a lot of the doctrine we hear is based upon what seems right to us, and not what the word of God actually says. I know I have been guilty of this in the past. Thanks again.

[missmuffet]

The Bible says that even if an infant has not committed personal sin,all people,including infants and children,are guilty before God because of inherited and imputed sin.Thirteen is the most common number given for the age of accountability.This is based on the Jewish custom that a child becomes an adult at 13.Although the Bible gives no direct support to the age of 13.It varies from child to child.It is once he or she is capable of making a faith decision.

[firestormx]

The Bible says that even if an infant has not committed personal sin,all people,including infants and children,are guilty before God because of inherited and imputed sin.Thirteen is the most common number given for the age of accountability.This is based on the Jewish custom that a child becomes an adult at 13.Although the Bible gives no direct support to the age of 13.It varies from child to child.It is once he or she is capable of making a faith decision.

Capable of making a faith decision. Can you please use some verses to support this? I'm out of idea's to look for bible phrases trying to find bible verses about this.