Age of accountibility

[angels4u]

I know we discussed this before too, but when do you think a child is accountible before the Lord ?

Angels

[CWJ]

Can't wait for this to get going

[endure4salvation]

Dont' know.

Jesus was 12 when he first went to the temple.

Children are absolutely innocent of sin:

2 Samuel 12:21-23

His servants said to [King David], "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!"  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.'  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."

Jonah 4:10-11

But the LORD said, "..But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left...Should I not be concerned about that great city?

1 Corinthians 14:20

Brothers, stop thinking like children.  In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.

Romans 7:9-11

Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.  I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.  For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.

Isaiah 7:15-16 (prophecy concerning Jesus)

He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right.  But before the boy knows to reject the wrong and choose the right...

Deuteronomy 1:39

And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not know yet good from bad--they will enter the land.

Mark 10:14-16

...[Jesus] said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.  I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

[RGR]

Different ages for different people. I guess it all depends upon the mental maturity and the amount of truth they've received. If someone is mentally retarted from birth without a chance of really comprehending the gospel to begin with, I'm going to assume they never reach that age. I mean, why would God cast someone aside who didn't have the mental capacity to understand what sin is? JMHO!

[Guest dove2]

I agree RGR. If someone is mentally retarded from birth or became that way as a young child there is no age of accountability. It does depend on the level and age of mental growth they are able to achieve though. I grew up in a Baptist Chrurch and was always taught that a child becomes accountable at the age of 12 because Jesus went into the Temple at age 12. Personally, I don't know.

[Guest LadyC]

the answer isn't that simple... because the "age" is a misunderstood concept. there is no specific age, in chronological terms. i believe the "age of accountability" is more of an abstract...

consider this. nowhere in scripture does the phrase "age of accountability" appear. nor is it defined. what is made clear is that Jesus said regarding children.

Matthew 11:25

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Matthew 18:3

And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:14

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 21:16

"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'

Luke 10:21

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

later, Christ equates adults with children:

John 1:12

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

[RGR]

I think 12 is probably a good guestimate. However, there are some 12 year olds that are simply not mature in any matter, let alone salvation. I personally was saved at 13 and a friend of mine says she was saved at 9. It all depends, I think, upon the maturity of the person, but I would say somewhere in those early teenage years or thereabouts.

[Guest LadyC]

I grew up in a Baptist Chrurch and was always taught that a child becomes accountable at the age of 12 because Jesus went into the Temple at age 12. Personally, I don't know.

if i'm not mistaken, the age of 12 was the chronological age when a child became an adult. many cultures still practice this... 12 year olds have rites of passage into manhood. many cultures required 12 year olds to become warriors, hunters, etc, at that age, after having gone through their rite of passage. i'm sure they reached the "age of accountability" long before that, as a general rule of thumb.

i've always thought, though i don't have scripture to back it up, that girls in the Bible reached marriageable age when they turned 12.

[Guest Calamity]

I don't think there is a "set" age of accountability.

[Guest dove2]

Actually in Jewish culture I believe the age starts at conception.