does anyone believe...

[Christ's Free Servant]

I know a young lady ( turned 3 the 28th of April this year ) that has been literally praying specific prayers for people she knows.

her sister who is 2 years older, prays the canned childrens prayers....

Emma loves to pray.  She has prayed for specific things for her class mates ( sunday school class mates ) as well as teen age girls.

after her prayers for the teens ( both my wife and me was present during this ) there was a wonderful peace about the teenage girls taht was not there prior.

during the time of our class  with the 2 and 3 year olds, Emma reminded us that it was prayer time, so we sat in a circle and took hands, then Emma wanted to be annointed with oil, so she was annointed and this began our prayer session, begininning with Emma being prayed over, then Emma started praying for others and she wanted the girls to be annointed, and they were and Emma stood up and placed her hands on Kayla's head and started praying for her, and then placed her hands on Melissa's head and again prayed for her, then she sat down and we all prayed together.  the prayer Emma was praying, I was in total agreement with.

so to answer your question, i will have to ask a question.............

when do children know right from wrong? at what age?

first off, we have to teach them some of the right and wrong things, such as sharing, and not sharing, hitting and not hitting, hurting some one or helping some one.....

and as they grow in age, they need to be taught other things, some of which will start coming more natural as they begin to connect things together.

another question to be asked, for the answer, is do they realize who Jesus is? do they know why He came to earth, do they know what He is all about?

our 2 & 3 year olds know who the Lion of Judea is..... you ask them and they will sing it out... they know who the Lion of Judea is.....

do they trust Jesus?  probably, or they would not be sitting down of their own free will and accord to pray, we do not force teh children to pray, we encourage them to sit with us but not forced,  we always have one or two that would rather play...

do the children realize why they need saved? do they know that they are not saved?  this may come at an early age for some, but others, may not know thatthey are lost until they are well in to their 90's.... for this, a differant age for each....

can the Holy Spirit work thru a child that is unsaved? one that has not taken Jesus as their Lord and Savior?

ABSOLUTELY......... and this may be because of this child being annointed by God, even in the womb.... or maby dedicated to God as a new born..... 

I believe Emma is being used by God, thru the Holy Spirit to touch other peoples lives, has she actually taken Jesus as her Lord and Savior?  I do not really believe she knows that concept yet, nor do I believe she realizes she needs to personally ask the Lord into her life...... that day will come. and I have no doubt, that she will ask Him in to stay, for I do believe that she is to be a great witness/prophettess for the Lord.

mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know what all of you believe as far as the "age of accountability," but there is a scripture in Romans, I believe, where Paul talks about a time when he was without the law:

Rom 7:9: "Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died."

Many people believe this is referring to the "age of accountability." When would Paul have been alive apart from the law? The law existed when he was born. He was born into sin as we all are. I believe that young children are alive in Christ until that age when the law comes to them and they understand right from wrong. So, young children do have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I was out one day testifying about Christ in the mall and a young child heard me telling someone that Jesus is coming back soon and she leaped for joy and squealed. She was about 2. Until the law comes and they understand right from wrong, it can not be held to their account, right? So, they would have purity of heart in praying for people and God would answer their prayers. And, if they died during this time, they would go to heaven. If they are too young to understand their sin and repentance, then it can not be held against them.

So, we may think that a young child is "saved" when in fact they are just not at the age when they are "dead" in their sins. So, I guess what we need to do is not assure young children that they are saved, but we need to nurture them and grow them towards a relationship with Jesus Christ once they fully understand sin and death and life. This is making me think about my own children, who are all grown now, and how I may have failed them in assuring them of salvation before they were too young to even understand what it means. But, as they grew older, I talked with them often about repentance and their need to live holy lives, so they all certainly understand now.

[Christ's Free Servant]

You know the thing of it is this....salvation is never about a prayer you prayed 30 years ago, it's about TODAY, right now.  Are you following Him NOW????

He is merciful and able to save me by the power of His Grace working in me.

In His Love,

Suzanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Christ's Free Servant]

Here's what it boils down to:

If you look at this thread and the "IF" thread and the current day confusion over the TRUE Christians, and the obvious lack of fruit in this nation.  Here's the formula for confusion. 

Take all the children, who pray a prayer, with NO UNDERSTANDING of repentance, and then ADD  the OSAS doctrine, SUBTRACT  the whole counsel/doctrine being preached, i.e., repentance, judgment, redemption from sin lifestyles, etc., and you end up with an adult who is thoroughly confused about his standing before Christ.  Because he/she has been told that they're saved no matter what, even though they have never come to the point of repentance and acknowledgment of their sinful state, and are STILL  living under the bondage of lifestyles of sin.  THAT  is why nothing is adding up these days, for a nation that claims to be 85% Christian!

We'd better start revisting repentance  and what it REALLY means.

In His Truth,

Suzanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[jesussaves]

Thank you all for sharing the knowledge the Lord has given you on the subject of salvation.

I sit here remembering when my daughter was a little one. At about the same age as her daughter now, she would lay her little hand on me and pray, or she would tell people Jesus loves them. I cannot remember a church service that she did not want to raise her hands, many times she would walk down to the alter during alter call and pray with everyone else. Once, when she was 5, she had to get stitches and the doctor wouldn't let me stay to hold her hand. She looked at me and said, "That's o.k. mommy, Jesus will hold my hand." Child like faith like that blows me away. I knew she loved Jesus, even if she had no concept of her sinful nature yet.

As a youth she struggled with some things, but at age 16 she repented of her sins and was water baptized over again. (she knew she was baptized at age 5 but told me she thought she should be re-baptized because she now knows what baptism is and she wanted to make a public confession that she believes in Jesus and the old has been washed away.) Not long after that she was baptized in the Holy Ghost.

I look at her life. I see a young woman that believed at a young tender age and the Lord has nurtured all along the way. I see a child that the Lord began a good work in and the Lord has been faithful to keep working on her and keep bringing her to the place of completion. I see a child of God that the Potter is working on.

Her daughter, the one I began this post about, moved my heart in such a way that it bore witness with my spirit. I cannot explain it any other way.

I have been teaching children in church for over 20 years, seen many give their hearts to Jesus and know there is truly a time that they have to see themselves as sinners in need of a Saviour. I have watched the Holy Spirit draw them and change them as they get older. Christs Free Servant, you are very right, as is everyone else.

The Lord may very well have a special call on her life, but for now she has to be nurtured and loved and encouraged to love the Lord with little raised hands and dances of joy. Looking at her, as when I watched her mom, it is easy to see what the Lord meant when He said we must become as little children to enter in. Humble, believing, trusting and loving without reservation.

[Work in Progress]

So, we may think that a young child is "saved" when in fact they are just not at the age when they are "dead" in their sins.

We are dead in our sins the moment we are conceived. That is what the bible says - that we are conceived and born dead. There is no age that that suddenly happens.

Suzanne, I'm sorry you got slammed. I hear what you are saying and ITA.

[Christ's Free Servant]

So, we may think that a young child is "saved" when in fact they are just not at the age when they are "dead" in their sins.

We are dead in our sins the moment we are conceived. That is what the bible says - that we are conceived and born dead. There is no age that that suddenly happens.

Suzanne, I'm sorry you got slammed. I hear what you are saying and ITA.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In that case, if an infant or child died, he or she would go to hell. Is that what you are saying?

[tsth]

So, we may think that a young child is "saved" when in fact they are just not at the age when they are "dead" in their sins.

We are dead in our sins the moment we are conceived. That is what the bible says - that we are conceived and born dead. There is no age that that suddenly happens.

Suzanne, I'm sorry you got slammed. I hear what you are saying and ITA.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for your kindness WIP. I knew I was not gonna win a popularity contest on that one though... . I just want people to know that just because a prayer was prayed at 10, does not mean a person is guaranteed entrance into heaven......we need to WAKE UP, cause that's never been what it's about.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Guest Bro David™]

Thanks for your kindness WIP.  I knew I was not gonna win a popularity contest on that one though... .  I just want people to know that just because a prayer was prayed at 10, does not mean a person is guaranteed entrance into heaven......we need to WAKE UP, cause that's never been what it's about.

In His Love,

Suzanne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am not sure I am following you here Suzanne.

If a child who believed in Jesus were to die he/she would not go to heaven ?

If I remember correctly Jesus Himself through His word's guaranteed the Childrens redemption and attaintment of Heaven.

Secondly the age of accountability is clearly played out in Deut' when God allows the young to enter.

When a person does not know the diff" between good and evil how then does he become evil.

We do not get salvation through the prayers we make or through the act of repentance.

We all have got Salvation through Grace.

And through that Grace we are able to have Faith.

With Faith then we will produce works which attest to the Faith we have.

If a person is not of sound mind since birth.

Would it be then Biblical to ascertain that he/she will not be in heaven ?

No the age of accountability comes into play when, anyone of a conscious mind knows the diff" between good and evil and then chooses each unto His/Her own.

Thus to say that a 10 year old child will not go to Heaven is totally extra-Biblical.

If a child at ten has Faith in Jesus Christ and the Fact that He is Lord, how then does she forfeit the passage to Heaven, unless he/she falls from that Grace in which he/she was at 10.

Children who do not know the diff" between good and evil will go to Heaven.

The Bible tells us so.

YBIC

[Guest Bro David™]

This is a solid Christian site where one can get more info on this subject in depth.

Fortress

God Bless You All

[tsth]

[quote name='Bro David