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Can a young child become a Christian?

Hawkins

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The New Covenant requires a human's consent to accept. Only Jesus/God can judge at what age one shall be considered to have such a consent. Human laws have such a definition as at what age one can sign legal documents. Jesus/God will be more precise in a case by case and individual by individual situation. The Jewish customs can provide a good reference though. In Jewish customs the age of 12 is considered as adulthood.

On the other hand, the best bet is a child is not subject to judgment before he reached his maturity (as defined by Jesus/God on an individual by individual basis). In Jewish customs, it's said that there's no children in hell.
 
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ViaCrucis

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Yes, of course a young child can become a Christian.

If you were to ask me when I became a Christian, as in a specific moment in the history of my life, I wouldn't be able to give a date. I've believed in Jesus since I was in diapers. There has never been a time in my life where I haven't had faith in Jesus.

The idea that salvation is the result of a singular moment of decision is wholly contrary to Scripture, two thousand years of Christian witness, and attacks the dignity and integrity of the Gospel itself.
 
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DragonFox91

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It's strange b/c I knew I was one when I was young, but nowadays I see young children claiming to be Christians, & it's like, 'you're way too young to truly know.' Some people fall away when they get older. I suspect many times they were just following the crowd when they were a child. Is that taught to them what being a Christian really is, I wonder, it's not easy & it has to be their own.
 
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bèlla

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My daughter had a deep relationship with God as a child. She wrote lyrics, poetry and was permitted to attend our women's and Precept's bible study as a minor. We went to a synagogue beforehand and attended different services. Hers was more hands on and allowed laypeople to have an active role and she took part. That might be controversial for some (since we weren't together) but I knew it was a better fit.

~bella
 
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ViaCrucis

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It's strange b/c I knew I was one when I was young, but nowadays I see young children claiming to be Christians, & it's like, 'you're way too young to truly know.' Some people fall away when they get older. I suspect many times they were just following the crowd when they were a child. Is that taught to them what being a Christian really is, I wonder, it's not easy & it has to be their own.

I suspect that if we could peer into the hearts and minds of adult believers, we'd discover many don't really put a lot of thought into what they believe--they believe because it's what their parents believed, because it's what their church believes, because it's what their pastor believes.

Does that make it any less real?

Is salvation about forging our own path and being able to competently pass a theology exam?

Or is salvation about a Jewish Carpenter from Nazareth who was nailed to a cross for you and me, and who rose again, and even a faith the size of a grain of mustard can move mountains?