I called BEEP TALK on Way Of The Master and asked a question about Age of Accountability. If you get a chance, click HERE and listen to the Pre-Show Show. Its basically the first 2 minutes of the show. Listen to the answer that Todd Friel gave me and let me know what you think.

If you can't or don't have time to listen to the show, give me your opinion on whether there is an AGE or LEVEL of accountability. What does the Bible mean when it says, "All have sinned..." and "There is only one way to Heaven...and that's through salvation in Christ'. Thanks a bunch!

If you wanna listen to it, click HERE and its the HOUR ONE. Again, its within the first 2 minutes or less of the show. Thanks!

Great topic... this is one my wife and I have wrestled with (being parents of one and another on the way)... a very near and dear to my heart topic. We've settled on not pursuing it and sticking with the answer Mike has given.... both Job and David talked of seeing their children in the life to come (though the age of Jobs children hasn't really been established in my mind). My inclination is to take that hard stand like Jewel does and say "well... i better get started on DAY ONE with presenting my lil baby with the gospel when january comes!!!!"... imagine that i'm clipping the U.Chord and presenting my child with the law at the same time "i know you've only been here a few seconds... but this is important son... something could happen to you on your way over to that table where they clean you up!".

lol

seriously tho. While the Bible is clear that Christ is the ONLY way, it also does speak of small children being in heaven... but what age IS the age of accountability? does my 4 year old have something to fear?

here's something interesting to toss into the discussion...

could the destination of a child under the age of accountability depend on the faith of their parents?...

1 Cor. 7:14
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

just some food for thought

lj.

whoa.... that settles it for me.. i'mma have to dig into that one a little deeper.

just had this thought... so in going with the 1 corinthians script.... does that mean aborted children from the unsaved... or just children who are born to the unsaved who die.... they're going to hell?

Consider Jeremiah 19:4

The LORD is rebuking Israel for all the atrocious things they had done. One of which was sacrificing their children to the pagan gods. God refers to those sacrifices as "innocents"

Though babies are born with the inherited Adamic nature and are therefore inclined toward evil, they are not guilty of personal, willful sin against God.

Even more elementary to the topic is that salvation is by grace alone. Even the faith we are given is accomplished by God's grace. Salvation is not based upon our decision, but by the grace of God.

For those who are able to understand right from wrong, good from evil, etc., they are commanded to repent and believe. Could God save men through faith and it be totally of grace? Of course. We believe that much. But, if God so chose to save all babies, regardless of who their parents are, is the salvation of those babies still by grace alone? Certainly.

Consider David's story again. Remember that David had four other sons besides the one who died as an infant. When they died, his reaction was much different. He was deeply sorrowed with their deaths. He knew Absalom was not in heaven, and even said that he wished it was him who had died in Absalom's place. But, with the baby, he got up, washed and put on new clothes and ate. He knew where he himself was going, as he stated in Psalm 23 "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Where he was going, he knew he'd see his son there.

I think the best answer is to say, "I don't know since the bible doesn't specifically address the issue".

The bible does address who can be saved and that's whom God has chosen. So I have no problem in believing Babies like adults are chosen to be saved. I personally believe God does show favor to his elect by choosing to save their kids who have died as an infant.

Act 16:31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."


We have an example in Luke where John was saved from the womb. So here we can kind of see a case against the age of accountability. It's was by the Sovereign Will of God to save this baby from the womb.

Luk 1:15 "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb.


Good topic!

Sorry!!! I was the one who started the topic and haven't responded to everyone else's response. hee hee.

I understand what you guys are saying. I'm still wrestling with the idea (especially since David and Jeremiah came before the coming of Christ - so everyone, including David, went to Hell, until the death of Jesus Christ)...however, I am willing to believe, for right now, that babies are saved by their parents.

Thx you guys.

this is the problem you adamic baby lovers will fall into every time. the age of accountability. LOL! I say it plenty. I don't think it's our place to read things in.. the scripture NEVER EVER.. not remotely or indirectly, refers to any such teaching as the age of accountability.

Looking at romans 9.. God clearly says "one i hated.. one i loved..".. essentially.. one i elected.. the other i did not. where do you think the one he hated would have ended up had he not made it?

I think the best thing to say about this is "It's in God's hands". The Bible teaches that we're BORN into sin.. enemies of God from the womb! We don't have anything to go by in saying whether or not a specific child went to heaven or hell.. we judge by fruit! That's all we have to go by. Babies and mentally incapable people can't bear that fruit so we can't tell. HOWEVER... we know that God has already elected who he will. as in the case with esau and jacob, he already knew the one he elected... so had those children died in the womb or as infants.. i believe God would have recieved the one and rejected the other. But this is about the only case where we know the mind of God on this.. and it clearly says.. "one was a vessel of wrath, the other was elect". so.. i think the decision is up to God and we should stop there. if the children are born.. we as Christian parents should do our DARNDEST to preach them the gospel and get them to a point that conversion is evident in there lives.

That's where my wife and i have settled.... anyone think we're crazy? lets discuss!

careful with that Romans 9 passage... cuz the context of it was hundreds of years after both Jacob & Esau lived... that was more a description of the lives they lived and the generations that followed... i.e. Jacob's descendants became Israel (God's chosen ppl)... while Esau's became a bunch of pagan worshiping heathens

lj.