Age of Accountability

ashout · Feb 7, 2012

we assume that when a baby dies he's immediatly placed in either heaven OR hell, but what if he goes someplace ELSE and there he grows and chooses christ or not at which point he THEN either goes to heaven or to hell?

Osage Bluestem · Feb 7, 2012

I don't believe this is a doctrinal matter. But here is my personal view on it:

Age of Accountability « Osage Bluestem

PaladinValer · Feb 7, 2012

1Prophetess said:
Do all babies go to heaven or "a better place"? Is every "religion" the same (excepting those who do not believe in heaven or a better place) that all babies go to heaven?

If infants and babies have received Holy Baptism, then probably.
If not, then we have no way of knowing for sure, and trust them to God's mercy.

Could it be that some babies, because of their parents choices, go to a hell? Or if there is a heaven and hell, do all babies go to heaven?

A baby isn't capable of asking to be baptized, though since faith isn't a matter of intellect but of spirit, then they are always candidates. It is the Christian duty of all parents to have their children baptized as soon as possible. If they do not and the baby dies, then that is potentially a major issue.

I want to clarify that I do not want this to be a debate about "Is There a Heaven and/or Hell?" but rather, where do babies and small children go when they die before they reach accountability?

And what is the age of accountability?

There is no such thing.

bling · Feb 7, 2012

God is Love and a Loving God is not going to destroy innocent children.

These children are not “saved” but are in a safe condition, until the age of accountability.

Someone might ask: “Why do we not pray for the death of these children if they all go to heaven”? The problem is they will not have fulfilled their wonderful earthly objective that can only be accomplished on earth.
As far as the “age of accountability” I think this might help: Num. 32:11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—

Ishraqiyun · Feb 7, 2012

Age of Consent as in laws regarding rape or marriage?

Good catch. I meant "age of accountability".

Standing Up · Feb 7, 2012

bling said:
God is Love and a Loving God is not going to destroy innocent children.

These children are not saved but are in a safe condition, until the age of accountability.

Someone might ask: Why do we not pray for the death of these children if they all go to heaven? The problem is they will not have fulfilled their wonderful earthly objective that can only be accomplished on earth.
As far as the age of accountability I think this might help: Num. 32:11 Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Interesting. The cost began at 1 month (birth or inception?).

Lev. 27:6 And if [it be] from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation [shall be] three shekels of silver.

Rick Otto · Feb 7, 2012

A person can be held accountable only for what they can be accountable for & that varies with the person.

Standing Up · Feb 7, 2012

Rick Otto said:
A person can be held accountable only for what they can be accountable for & that varies with the person.

There is that sense in the increasing cost as one ages (see the Lev. verses).

ViaCrucis · Feb 8, 2012

1Prophetess said:
Do all babies go to heaven or "a better place"? Is every "religion" the same (excepting those who do not believe in heaven or a better place) that all babies go to heaven?

Could it be that some babies, because of their parents choices, go to a hell? Or if there is a heaven and hell, do all babies go to heaven?

I want to clarify that I do not want this to be a debate about "Is There a Heaven and/or Hell?" but rather, where do babies and small children go when they die before they reach accountability?

And what is the age of accountability?

There is no such thing as an "age of accountability", at least nothing about it can be found in Holy Scripture or in the historic teaching of the Christian faith.

We can only speak concerning what has been revealed to us, not of what is not revealed. Of what is not revealed we can only trust in God's perfect mercy and perfect judgment.

What is revealed is that all who have been baptized have "put on Christ" and are new creations in Christ Jesus and heirs of God's eternal promise. Infants included.

What is not revealed is concerning those who have never heard the Gospel of our Lord, whether the newborn babe or the villager from an undiscovered island. So, again, we entrust all to the care and kindness of God. He is good, He is merciful, He is kind and compassionate and overabundant with grace and loves all people everywhere with perfect and unwavering love.

-CryptoLutheran

Standing Up · Feb 8, 2012

ViaCrucis said:
There is no such thing as an "age of accountability", at least nothing about it can be found in Holy Scripture or in the historic teaching of the Christian faith.

We can only speak concerning what has been revealed to us, not of what is not revealed. Of what is not revealed we can only trust in God's perfect mercy and perfect judgment.

What is revealed is that all who have been baptized have "put on Christ" and are new creations in Christ Jesus and heirs of God's eternal promise. Infants included.

What is not revealed is concerning those who have never heard the Gospel of our Lord, whether the newborn babe or the villager from an undiscovered island. So, again, we entrust all to the care and kindness of God. He is good, He is merciful, He is kind and compassionate and overabundant with grace and loves all people everywhere with perfect and unwavering love.

-CryptoLutheran

Check out the second passover info for a few thoughts.

Ishraqiyun · Feb 8, 2012

Does the idea of "age of accountability" still make sense in a tradition that doesn't make use of the "free will" theory ? Do Calvinists uses it for example?

bling · Feb 8, 2012

Standing Up said:
Interesting. The cost began at 1 month (birth or inception?).

Lev. 27:6 And if [it be] from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation [shall be] three shekels of silver.

What does that have to do with the baby being responsible, does the baby pay the tax?

tofayel · Feb 8, 2012

If you believe on God, you should believe on haven and hell. All child must go to haven.
Simply you may count 12 years for boy and 9 years for girl, after that they will accountable. Also we should remember God has best consideration and kind.

Standing Up · Feb 8, 2012

bling said:
What does that have to do with the baby being responsible, does the baby pay the tax?

Good question. Probably has nothing to do with the subject.

Albion · Feb 8, 2012

Ishraqiyun said:
Does the idea of "age of accountability" still make sense in a tradition that doesn't make use of the "free will" theory ? Do Calvinists uses it for example?

It's a mainly Roman Catholic concept that refers to the maturity level necessary for understanding the difference between good and evil....not all the other wild guesses that have been put forth on this thread.

Standing Up · Feb 8, 2012

Albion said:
It's a mainly Roman Catholic concept that refers to the maturity level necessary for understanding the difference between good and evil....not all the other wild guesses that have been put forth on this thread.

Hmmm, wouldn't that be EO instead of RC? IOW, RC believes in original sin at birth, whereas EO doesn't believe that (at some point you can distinguish good/evil).

Albion · Feb 8, 2012

Standing Up said:
Hmmm, wouldn't that be EO instead of RC?

No.

IOW, RC believes in original sin at birth, whereas EO doesn't believe that (at some point you can distinguish good/evil).

Where this "age of accountability" concept comes into play is:

1) when to allow children to received their "first communion" considering that what is intended by the church is that they should not commune until they are old enough to appreciate the difference between good and evil, not merely between "do that and Mommy will like it" and "I'll be punished if I do that." and

2) when, more or less, children who are not baptised arrive at an age where they are capable of committing sin on their own (i.e.
"actual" sin as opposed to "original sin"). Before such a time, it is questionable if they deserve hell, even if we are all born in sin.

The EO commune infants, so this wouldn't affect their children in the same way,and the EO view of hell and sin is different, as you noted, again making the "age of accountability" as understood in the West less important.

Sadalmelik · Feb 8, 2012

this, imo, is just something invented by those that believe in an eternal hellfire, and dont want to believe that babies and children could possibly go there, (it makes human adults uncomfortable to imagine that...), so they make up this doctrine of the age of accountability, although no one knows what it is....and the reason no one knows if it exists, or what the age is, is because it is manmade, and doesnt exist in scripture...its no problem for me.....because i dont believe in hell the way most do....so i have no problem with trying to figure out the age of accountability cause it doesnt matter and it doesnt exist.

the "doctrinal christian" will never be able to explain this, as many things they cant, therefore they just try to make stuff up, thats all, i completely understand why they do this....its human nature....now if only they could apply the same compassion to other adults, as they extend to babies/children, they would see the problem with the eternal hellfire scenario....for some reason they just cant do this....its beyond me.

what they fail to realize is, that even as adults, we are still children in Gods eyes, and just as we look at our babies and children, God looks at us, even as adults, much the same way....for even the smartest, prettiest, most handsome, most talented, most friends, most popular, most powerful, most whatever you want to insert......looks like a newborn compared to Gods characteristics......THAT IS A FACT. so while we like to think of ourselves more highly than babies....we are in fact 1 in the same.when compared to God

Albion · Feb 8, 2012

jrog said:
this, imo, is just something invented by those that believe in an eternal hellfire,

Eternal hellfire was indeed a belief of the church at the time this age of accountability came into play.

and dont want to believe that babies and children could possibly go there, (it makes human adults uncomfortable to imagine that...), so they make up this doctrine of the age of accountability, although no one knows what it is....and the reason no one knows if it exists, or what the age is, is because it is manmade, and doesnt exist in scripture...its no problem for me.....because i dont believe in hell the way most do....so i have no problem with trying to figure out the age of accountability.

You make it sound arbitrary, but in fact there is an approximate age at which humans are able to think certain thoughts. If they bear upon religious beliefs, responsibilities, etc. then an age of accountability could logically have significance. You may practice "believers baptism" and reject infant baptism. If so, is it not the case that it matters at which age one is baptised? I don't mean an exact age that is applied to every last person, irrespective of individual differences, but a general rule.

Most people would say that at thirteen almost any normal human is capable of accepting Jesus but at, say, age five he can only repeat a learned "Jesus loves me" response and is not yet able to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior in a genuine sense. The age of accountability idea is similar to that.

Sadalmelik · Feb 8, 2012

tofayel said:
If you believe on God, you should believe on haven and hell. All child must go to haven.
Simply you may count 12 years for boy and 9 years for girl, after that they will accountable. Also we should remember God has best consideration and kind.

exactly what scripture do you base this on......boy 12 and girl 9? uy yiy yiy, im getting going now....before i lose what little sanity i have left.

Age of Accountability

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