Is there such a thing as the Age of Accountability?
The idea behind the age of accountability is that before a certain age a child is not responsible for their actions. If they die before reaching the age of accountability, they are saved. After that, they are responsible for their own salvation.
What do you think. Is there such a thing as the age of accountability?
According to Isaiah 7, Deut 1:39 and other passages that speak of allowances for “knowing good and evil” I think there is, but it is not at a certain age. It’s when that person has the mental capacity to understand right from wrong. That’s different for many.
There is no scripture to back it up. But there is scripture that babys come from ther womb speaking lies. We are all sinners saved by grace, that includes babys.
I think that there is an age of accountability because the Lord Jesus uses the innocence of children(Mark10:13-16)as an example of how we as adults are to come to Him in faith. I also think that it makes sense that before GOD that age can be different for different individuals. I think that in light of this very sobering question. All that are born again believers should be praying continually for those who are not(young & old)that they may become born again.
do you belive that jesus was a sinner.scripture say’s he knew no sin. and there is scripture to back that up also.he was born of a woman as a human a baby. not to argue in any wat. just something to think about.
In Response to Linda Bryant. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit not by a human man. That is the difference between Jesus’ birth and ours. That is why Jesus was without sin from birth.
I believe you are correct in what you said Sue but not completely. Jesus was 100% God and 100% man (yes I know it’s an impossibility “by our rules”) but I believe it’s an interpretation issue. We are all born from the blood line of Adam and Eve, which means we are born with the natural tendency to toward sin. James 4:17 clearly defines sin as:
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
God lists for us several sins in the bible but that does not mean these are the only sins (ex…He doesn’t mention dinosaurs either but we know they existed). Also, if we are not aware that they are sin does that still make it sin? This can go several directions and I welcome everyone’s thoughts but I whole-heartedly and prayerfully believe that everyone is born with a “guilty conscious/some portion of the Holy Spirit” but we have to reach a certain maturity before it “really” has an effect. I had a cousin who’s father beat him into retardation when he was 3. He lived to 35 years old and never mentally matured past that of a 5 year old. Even though he lied on a few occasions as children will do, if you were to tell me he is anywhere but in the arms of Jesus right now I would argue with you for days. Above all God is Just and there is no justice in punishing someone eternally for breaking a law they had no mental capacity to understand that it existed.
It has nothing to do with mental capacity, it has to do with having ears to hear and eyes to see. In other words being born again. Who is born again? Who ever God draws unto to Him. He is sovereign. He does “His will and none can stay His hand”.
Yes,there is such a thing as accountiablity. Why would we serve a God that would throw anew born baby in hell?
If someone is old enough to read and understand what they are reading, then they are accountable. Romans 10:9 tells us That if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. I believe that someone as old as 5 years old could understand that scripture if they grow up in a house of believers. In Jewish customs it was said that the age of 12 was the age where a child begins to prepare to take their places in the religious community the following year. I would say no to the fact of this is a certain age of accountability.
David said of his son, after he passed away at a few days old. that he would see him again.
I BELIVE THAT WHEN A CHILD KNOWS RIGHT FROM WRONG. AND UNDERSTANDS THAT
IT IS RIGHT OR WRONG THEN THRY ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THERE SINS THATS WHY WE ARE TO BRING THEM UP IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO. THIS IS GODS WORD THAT MEANS TEACH THEM RIGHT FROM WRONG. AND WHEN THEY DO WRONG TEACH THEM HOW TO. HAVE A TALK WITH GOD ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. SHOW THEM YOU DON’T GO BACK AND DO THAT WRONG AGAIN.THIS IS HOW I WAS TAUGHT AND NOW I KNOW.AND I KNOW WHEN HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH MY FATHER WITCH IS IN HEAVEN.NOT IN A LITTLE BOOTH WHERE I CAN NOT SEE HIM AND FOR HIM TO TELL ME WHAT AND WHEN I AM FORGIVEN. THAT IS UP TO MY HEAVENLY FATHER.
perhaps (since we don’t always know the answers to God’s way of thinking)…the age of accountability has to do with our understanding (comprehension) of who Jesus is and what He’s done for us in the form of salvation. My daughter was 16 when she died. She went to church, heard of Jesus, but I can’t honestly know she was saved. I would like to think that God has put the “age of accountability” in place for those who hadn’t made a decision yet, and age wise (in their spiritual walk) were still too young to fully understand “salvation”.
Perhaps “the age of accountability” kicks in after we are “born again” because we have come to the “age” of understanding and are now held “accountable”.
I truly don’t know what to believe…Help????
Jo Jones, JESUS Himself stated that HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE, the ONLY way to the FATHER ins through HIM. Trust in JESUS as the CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD and except HIM as YOUR personal LORD and SAVIOR. And everything else is just semantics. Don’t miss the forest through the tree’s my friend.
I believe that there is no certain age of accountability for anyone. It comes different with every child. The longer you’ve been in church the earlier it comes. I’ve been raised in the church all of my life. I’m now 18 years old and believe that I’ve reached the age of accountability years ago. I still live with my mom and she still makes me go to church with her even though I’m 18. Please leave your opinion and book and verse of what you think.
The age of accountability is twenty, it is given three times in the “Old Testament”, once in Numbers 14:28-30, the other two I will leave you to find :o)
It is sad when Christians just believe what they hear from like a pastor or someone that is supposed to have all the answers. The fact of the matter is God is the ultimate judge and he is a jealous God and he hates sin soo much. It is hard to believe that God would not accept a baby into his kingdom if they die at birth but that fact of the matter is who cares what we think it is whatever God says. None of us deserve to enter God’s kingdom but through His grace we have been chosen to enter God’s wonderful Heaven.
God cannot even exist with sin, so bottom line is if someone deny’s Him, He will deny that person. Is a baby capable of sinning and “denying” God? I don’t think so. He is an all loving, merciful, gentle God and “Father” so I doubt He would send His own newborn creation to hell.
To be saved you have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, A baby or young child cannot believe. You have to hear the Word of God, you have to repent from your sins, you have to confess your faith in Christ, a baby or young child can do none of these. The Lord would not leave a plan of salvation that someone in sin could not obey.
Babies, infants, children, etc. are not excused from eternal damnation just because they don’t understand. “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12) What age group is this verse talking about? ALL age groups. The Bible is clear that it is not about understanding that saves you, but by faith alone. How then is faith produced in the infant, the baby, etc? By the Holy Spirit through faith alone in and through Baptism, that’s how. Baptism is not water alone, but the Word of God with the water. It’s not a true Baptism without the Word of God. Read this closely: “Baptism NOW SAVES YOU…” (1 Peter 3:21) “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) “He who believes and is Baptized will be saved.” (Mark 16:16) “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:3-4) We can now live a new life at any age. We are commanded to Baptize “all nations” according to Matthew 28:19-20. What age group is in this phrase “all nations”? All ages! None are excluded. How can a baby believe? Simple: by the same Holy Spirit that caused you and me as adults to believe. Just because they don’t communicate in adult forms of words and phrases does not mean that the Holy Spirit is not in them to produce faith and enable them to believe for eternity. It’s up to Him, not us. We just do what we are told and He takes care of it all. In Jesus’ Name….Amen!
Surely the commands that God/Jesus expect us to obey must be first understood to be obeyed. A new born can not understand what is required of it. You must become a disciple of Jesus and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins AFTER you have repented. Can a baby or young child do that? Clearly not. God is the judge, not us, so in this topic of opinion we should not be dogmatic. Do not go beyond what is written and use the power of reasoning which God gave us. Reading the Bible makes clear that overall it is about the relationship (grace given us), not strict rules (works in a sense), which God desires from us. So let us continue to reason together…