"Age of Accountability"

[kittylover0991]

Hey everyone

I'm not sure how much this topic is discussed, but it was a question posed to me the other day, and then following, the topic of "age of accountability" came up in my Doctrines class.

If there is someone with a serious mental disability, is there an "age of accountability" that applies, a point in which they understand salvation or a set "they were not able to understand"??

In other words, if there is someone who has a disability to the point that there is no way that they can understand about salvation, right from wrong, etc, will they automatically open their eyes in heaven with a new body??

A small baby, as shown by the story of David, will go to heaven becuase all though they are sinners naturally, they can not be held accountable to that sin as of that point. With that, can a person with such a disability automatically go to heaven?

In Christ,

Crystal

[Zadok Rox]

If they truly cannot tell between right or wrong, then they'll enter Heaven when they die.

[GloryToGod!]

I think this is a great topic! Especially since out of my 4 now grown kids, 2 of them are mentally impaired and both have a severe mental illness. Both have accepted Jesus as the Saviour and have been water baptized. My daughter, now 26, lives in a group home and is the most severely impaired. Her IQ is around 52 and she can barely read at a first grade level. She is also chronically, severely mentall ill. Sometimes she understands what Christianity is all about and then other times it is though she is about 4 yrs old. This is just my opinion, but I believe she will go to heaven after her time on earth is over. To the best of her limited ability she understands Jesus being her personal Saviour.

My son, now 24, lives on his own with me overlooking closely. I take care of his finances, drive him to appointments (he can't drive) but for the most part he does everything else on his own. His mental illness handicaps him enormously, but if he stays on his meds he can live a happy live. In my son's case I believe that he has reached an age of accountability and has made a choice to live his life for Jesus. He works 3 days a week, openly shares his testimony with others, and he belongs to an on-line prayer group....which he likes very much.

So I can see both sides of the matter being discussed here. It's my opinion that God will handle each person individually. I will be interested to read other peoples comments.

God Bless,

Kathy

[EricH]

The Bible does not specify an age of accountability, nor does it address the issue you have raised directly. We simply must trust in the character of God to do the right thing.

[OneLight]

Hey everyone

I'm not sure how much this topic is discussed, but it was a question posed to me the other day, and then following, the topic of "age of accountability" came up in my Doctrines class.

If there is someone with a serious mental disability, is there an "age of accountability" that applies, a point in which they understand salvation or a set "they were not able to understand"??

In other words, if there is someone who has a disability to the point that there is no way that they can understand about salvation, right from wrong, etc, will they automatically open their eyes in heaven with a new body??

A small baby, as shown by the story of David, will go to heaven becuase all though they are sinners naturally, they can not be held accountable to that sin as of that point. With that, can a person with such a disability automatically go to heaven?

In Christ,

Crystal

I have seen more love from those with disabilities then I have from "normal" humans. I personally believe that God holds them special in His heart. If they are disabled to a point where they are like a child, I don't believe they can be accountable like you and I.

God Bless Them!

[Axxman]

There is nothing scripture that says man must fully understand sin, before it is sin. Furthermore, there is nothing in Gods law that says sin must be recognized as sin before a person is held accountable. In fact, the bible teaches us that those who are lost are clueless when it comes to matters of the cross...

"The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing..." 1 Cor 1:18

The message of the cross is foolishness to the lost whether they are 5 or 45. Age, or the ability to comprehend, is not the standard by which God sheds his mercy and grace.

Romans 9:15-16 "For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is Not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy".

[Zadok Rox]

I believe the passage in the New Testament regarding those who have never heard the Gospel before would also apply for those who can't understand right and wrong (very small children; the severely mentally impaired).

[username_5]

There isn't a single sentence in all of scripture than even remotely implies 'an age of accountability'.

What the scriptures do say is that all have sinned. It also says that upon birth all have inhereted the sinful nature of Adam and Even even if one is so young (unborn) as to have not been able to sin.

There are many who believe in a God who wouldn't dare send anyone to hell for eternity unless that person was given a reasonable chance to accept Jesus. The reality is that this is not supported by scripture. What scripture says is everyone is deserving of hell and the only escape clause is faith in Jesus.

Anyone who believes babies or those with mental disabilities will invariably go to heaven are inventing ideas not supported by scripture.

The ideas may be true or false, but they are certainly not supported by scripture.

[damo1]

from damo1

high i read what you shared hear and you do not need to worry as they wil go to heaven

i am about to start work with a group that deals with foster kids my self and this group gets handed disabled children by parents who no longer want them we call them special needs children so as to not put a lable on them

the young boy i am going to be looking after has been in foster care since he was a baby and can not express him self or look after him self you need to look after him as with a new born doing everything you would do for your normal child and he is 17

people with mental issues and are on medicen can also understand as we have a female in our church she has not given her heart to the lord she has been hear for 7yrs and my pastor works close with her but ground rules are also layed out so no members in our church do not get harrased or threatend as this person is good at doing this so my pastor has a close relationship with her and she understands when she is in church she has to behave and respect others that are appart of our church my pastor use to be the manager for mental health hear wear i live

you can use many things to communicate like art music and shapes depends on the person or child the boy i am looking after listens to music and uses his eyes as a form of communication when he is trying to get your atention so i wil be doing this with the young boy i am about to be given to look after and work close with as he has a foster home and we are giving the parents respite brake when he is with me he wil come to church with me

i am going to be buying him some christian cds and wil also by the bible on cd for him and this is how i am going to reach out to him and share as i want him to also see the things i do so he understands who i am as he is with a lovely family who are not christians but have taken him into there home

so do not worry at all they wil go to heaven there is this one child that uses his feet and he does christian christmas cards and he has such a talent and this is how he is able to express him self and people order these christmas christian cards all over and so do i when i am giving out christmas cards to my friends he even puts bible verses in the cards

hope this helps from damo1

[Zadok Rox]

There isn't a single sentence in all of scripture than even remotely implies 'an age of accountability'.

What the scriptures do say is that all have sinned. It also says that upon birth all have inhereted the sinful nature of Adam and Even even if one is so young (unborn) as to have not been able to sin.

There are many who believe in a God who wouldn't dare send anyone to hell for eternity unless that person was given a reasonable chance to accept Jesus. The reality is that this is not supported by scripture. What scripture says is everyone is deserving of hell and the only escape clause is faith in Jesus.

Anyone who believes babies or those with mental disabilities will invariably go to heaven are inventing ideas not supported by scripture.

The ideas may be true or false, but they are certainly not supported by scripture.

While there no direct mention of an "age of accountability", there is scripture that backs up the belief that those who never heard (or cannot mentally comprehend) the Gospel can be allowed into Heaven:

Romans 2: 13-15

13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Lord, thank you for BibleGateway.com's Bible word search.