The “age of accountability” refers to
the age at which a child is deemed able to understand and respond to the
gospel. It is believed by many that,
before reaching this age, a child is not held accountable for his or her sins,
not being able to grasp the difference between right and wrong nor being able
to comprehend the message of the gospel.
Should such a child or infant or mentally delayed person die, God grants
him or her salvation based on His own gracious character.
There is no direct evidence from the
Bible for an age of accountability.
Those who believe such an age does exist draw on several ideas to
support it:
·
God’s love for
children (Matthew 19:13 “Let the little children come to Me and do not forbid
them for of such is the kingdom of God”)
·
King David’s
infant son’s death (2 Samuel 12:23 “I will go to him [in heaven when I die] but
he will not return to me [since he is dead here on earth]”)
·
We know about God
through observing His works in nature (Romans 1:20 “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal
power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has
been made, so that people are without excuse.”); if we do not observe
with understanding then we do not have the necessary knowledge to submit to him.
In this line of thinking the age of
accountability itself varies. Some say
13 based on the Jewish tradition of recognizing boys and girls as adults at
that age; other say younger is appropriate since younger children can
understand the concepts of God, salvation and of right and wrong. God would be the ultimate decider on the age
which could vary from person to person.
This is not to say that infants, young
children or the mentally delayed are free from the taint of sin, since we have
all inherited a sinful state from Adam and Eve.
It merely argues that God chooses to extend mercy to those not having intentional sin.
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