Age of Accountability

[darren]

In my denomination (as well as some others) there is whats called age of accountablity (up to a certain age a child is covered by the blood of Jesus and cannot go to hell.) I was wondering if this is something that is made up or if it is backed by scripture, because I can't find it anywhere in the good book (the Bible)

[Smalcald]

I am strange on this.

I don't believe in the concept of an age of accountability at least as I understand it. But not because I think children can go to hell, I don't believe they can, but I believe all children and infants can have faith in Christ, and that indeed Christ comes to all children and infants. For me it is about faith and how faith is created by Jesus Christ and not any effort of our own.

But I don't think it is a damaging belief or patently unscriptural, it just does not have strong scriptural support. It would only be damaging if it lead to people ignoring spreading the Gospel to little children from the earliest ages, with the idea that somehow they didn

[David from New Bern]

In my denomination (as well as some others) there is whats called age of accountablity (up to a certain age a child is covered by the blood of Jesus and cannot go to hell.) I was wondering if this is something that is made up or if it is backed by scripture, because I can't find it anywhere in the good book (the Bible)

This is another test of whether John Calvin or James Arminius is right. If Calvinism and its view of predestination are right there is no age of accountability to consider. If Arminianism is the right view of Scripture there is the need of a doctrine of the age of accountability. To me this where the search begins and probably ends. If we solve it here in this thread we will gain an important place in church history, we solved it on Worthy Boards! Oh by the way, the pope decided that the official Catholic doctrine of purgatory for the premature deaths of children was a created doctrine and had no Scriptural basis. So, that should be added to the group knowledge on this one.

Edited March 15, 2006 by David from New Bern

[jenni211]

I do not believe that there is a specific age. But I do believe that once a child begins to understand right from wrong they then become accountable for their actions. For example they know that they are not supposed to touch something, but choose to anyways. They know what they are doing is wrong but the make a conscious choice to continue with their wrong behavior. Parents that love will hold them accountable for their actions. its not a specific age but more like a time period when they become aware of things.

[EricH]

There is no scripture that speaks directly to this issue

[Smalcald]

I agree Eric.

However we do know that very young children and infants can both be filled with the Holy Spirit and have faith. I think part of the problem comes when we think that faith has something to do with our intellect or our ability to intellectually understand theological concepts, it does not.

Here is what Jesus says about children, I think it sheds some light on the topic.

15People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

40where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

Here we have examples of babies and the unborn responding to the Holy Spirit and to Christ Himself.

13 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

We are to emulate the faith of Children, not vice versa. I think anyone who has seen and heard the faith of a two or three year old, would agree, they take it on face value, as real as thier own breath or parents, that God exists.

15But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. 16"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, " 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'[a]?" 17And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Looking at these passages, I don't see Christ qualifying His thoughts about Children, that some would be saved and others not. However, certainly that does not prove any specific point I realize, it does give us comfort though who have lost children that indeed Christ does speak of them and indeed loved all children, that is good enough for me.

[BlindSeeker]

Numbers 14:9 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,

30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

De 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, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.

Isa 7:15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

Jonah 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

[darren]

I asked someone else about this issue and these are the verses she gave me:

2 Samual 12:13-23

13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."

Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, [a] the son born to you will die."

15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."

19 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked.

"Yes," they replied, "he is dead."

20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

21 His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"

22 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

David said I will go to him, but he will not return to me. This meaning that he will never see the child again in this life, but when goes to heaven he will.

[David from New Bern]

I asked someone else about this issue and these are the verses she gave me:

2 Samual 12:13-23

13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."

Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, [a] the son born to you will die."

15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."

19 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked.

"Yes," they replied, "he is dead."

20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

21 His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"

22 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

David said I will go to him, but he will not return to me. This meaning that he will never see the child again in this life, but when goes to heaven he will.

Good point and good situation to test on....Thanks for bringing it to the discussion...Everybody needs to be aware we have a Biblical reference to deal with?

[BlindSeeker]

I asked someone else about this issue and these are the verses she gave me:

2 Samual 12:13-23

13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."

Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, [a] the son born to you will die."

15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."

19 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked.

"Yes," they replied, "he is dead."

20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

21 His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"

22 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

David said I will go to him, but he will not return to me. This meaning that he will never see the child again in this life, but when goes to heaven he will.

David is simply stating he cannot bring the child back to life but that he could only join him in death, as was their fear,