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Post by Leeza on Nov 5, 2014 5:56:40 GMT
I am sure that a lot of us, including myself, have been taught that babies and children are protected by the Lord as far as their salvation goes, until the age of accountability. Once they reach a certain age, they are protected against going to hell until they are able to achieve a level of maturity to make a decision for the Lord. So therefore, we are taught that all babies and children will go to heaven until they reach that age of accountability.
My question is: Where is that in the Bible? And what is the age of accountability?
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Post by shiloh on Nov 5, 2014 15:59:30 GMT
That's a good question, Leeza. I have often wondered that myself. I read some studies on that and I'm sorry I don't have any scripture verses on hand to back this up, but according to what I read, it is a time when we know right from wrong but more importantly, rejecting or asking Jesus into our heart. That's the real shortened version. So, since we are all born with original sin and yet have an innate God given nature to where we mature to the age of accountability, there is no excuse for when we admit we are sinners.
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Post by Leeza on Nov 5, 2014 17:00:41 GMT
Thanks, Shiloh. I would love to read one of those studies if you ever come across it again.
One of the reasons why I was asking this question is because I think of little kids who seem to have no conscience and who have psychopath tendencies, even as little children. I'm kind of wondering if that is what happened to people like John Wayne Gacy, or Jeffrey Dahmer when they were kids. Or Hitler. If they had no conscience as children, how could they possibly feel any remorse for their sins, let alone feel a need for a savior? If they died when they were kids and had psychopath tendencies, would they have gone to heaven? I'm really curious about that.
Along the same lines, do you remember that old movie, "The Bad Seed" with that little girl who had no conscience? That was really chilling to me, because I do believe it is based on real life. Personally, I can't understand it, because I have a super sensitive conscience. If I look at someone cross-eyed, I immediately feel convicted and guilty. So that is hard for me to understand.
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Post by Benjamin on Nov 5, 2014 22:26:50 GMT
There are a few good answers to this online (I'll see if I can find one in a second), but the ultimate truth of the matter is fairly simple: 1) we are all born in sin; 2) nothing in Scripture says that there is an "age of accountability". What we DO know, however, is that Scripture clearly says that people are held accountable according to the measure of their understanding. Romans talks about this quite a bit, in the opening chapters. We also know that God is loving, and merciful, and that He quite clearly values children in a manner that we can't even comprehend. I think this is where the belief in an 'age of accountability' stems from, and despite the fact that the phrase doesn't appear in Scripture, I think it's conceptually valid. I don't think we can be dogmatic about when that age IS (in my experience, children develop at vastly different rates, particularly between the ages where such understanding kicks in, from around 9-14), but I think this is one of those issues where we can safely trust that the Lord will do what is right. from www.gotquestions.org/age-of-accountability.html
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Post by shiloh on Nov 7, 2014 21:13:17 GMT
Here's a couple more: Age Of Accountability Q. Some popular prophecy scholars teach that children will be included in the rapture regardless of whether they are believers or not. What scriptural basis is there for this? What is the age / event at which a child becomes old enough to be responsible for their own beliefs? A. The scriptural basis is found in Matt. 18:10-11 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Paul alluded to this when he wrote “ Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.” (Romans 7:9) He was saying that before the age of accountability he was not responsible for his sins, and had eternal life. But once he came of age he was responsible, and became subject to death. In the Jewish culture the age of accountabililty was 12-13. There is no such clarity where the Church is concerned. I’ve assumed that means that it’s different for everyone, and accountability comes when a child is old enough to understand the concepts of sin and salvation and make an informed decision to accept or reject the Lord’s offer of pardon. gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/age-of-accountability/ Here's another good one, but longer on the age of accountability by Jack Kelley: Coming Full Circle
A Bible study by Jack Kelley gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/coming-full-circle/
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Post by Leeza on Nov 8, 2014 22:33:05 GMT
Thanks you so much for these two studies, Shiloh. I really like Jack Kelly because he presents sound doctrine. I also liked the scriptures he used for this study on the age of accountability. That answered some questions for me. I always say, "When in doubt, ask Jack Kelly!"
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Post by shiloh on Nov 8, 2014 23:08:16 GMT
Yeah, I like him too, Leeza. He doesn't complicate his studies and makes them simple to understand. I still like Jack Kinsella's articles too, because he was the same way. I miss him. They both get right to the point. When I read those long drawn out studies, I'm always like this..... "What paragraph was I on?"
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Post by Leeza on Nov 9, 2014 17:35:45 GMT
Oh, yeah, long drawn out studies bore me to tears, also. I feel like that poor kitty on the keyboard, lol!!
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Post by shiloh on Nov 10, 2014 10:01:40 GMT
Yeah...hahahahaha..or like this, right Leeza? "I'll pick back up on that study later....after a li'l catnap."
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Post by morningstar on Nov 11, 2014 6:21:02 GMT
I have to go with Jack Kelleys explanation, I think that he explains it well.
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