Where in the bible does it say....

[Blain]

I have always been told that children who die young go to heaven even without being actually saved, apparently there is a certain age where they are innocent and don't know sin and supposedly at a certain age they are then held accountable. But where is that from and is it even true?

 

[dcontroversal]

When the young child of David (1 week old) dies as part of the punishment of David's murder of Uriah and Sin with Bathsheba...David testifies that he will go to that child when he dies and be reunited with that Child.

The other example is Paul's words of being alive once under the law and sin revived and he died....he didn't die physically so spiritually is the only option......


It seems these are the two most prominent sets of verses that lend to the age of accountability......there is no set age per se but when one reaches the age or point where they realize they are a sinner before God their accountability kicks in....

Just a few points to ponder I guess.......

Safe under the blood before accountability
Saved by the blood once acountable

 

[SarahM777]

What did Jesus say and what about John the Baptist?

John the Baptist shows that God can make children born again.

Matthew 18

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. [SUP]7 [/SUP]Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! [SUP]8 [/SUP]If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. [SUP]9 [/SUP]And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Jesus plainly shows that a little child can be born again. Jesus also plainly said whoever believes in Him has everlasting life. A little child that that believes in Him will have everlasting life. (By the way the word for little children in this verse is one that is under two years old)

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

I have always been told that children who die young go to heaven even without being actually saved, apparently there is a certain age where they are innocent and don't know sin and supposedly at a certain age they are then held accountable. But where is that from and is it even true?

No certain age is given in the Bible.....that is the doctrine of men. But the Lord will have mercy on whom he will have mercy.

 

[Joshua_Generation]

Many point to the age of accountability as being 12 and draw that from the passage in Luke 2.41-52

Jesus was 12 when he was learning in the temple.

[SUP]41 [/SUP]Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
[SUP]42 [/SUP]And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
[SUP]43 [/SUP]And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
[SUP]44 [/SUP]But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
[SUP]45 [/SUP]And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
[SUP]46 [/SUP]And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
[SUP]47 [/SUP]And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
[SUP]48 [/SUP]And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
[SUP]49 [/SUP]And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
[SUP]50 [/SUP]And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
[SUP]51 [/SUP]And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
[SUP]52 [/SUP]And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

 

[clarkthompson]

I have always been told that children who die young go to heaven even without being actually saved, apparently there is a certain age where they are innocent and don't know sin and supposedly at a certain age they are then held accountable. But where is that from and is it even true?

It does not ever say it.

 

[Willie-T]

What did Jesus say and what about John the Baptist?

John the Baptist shows that God can make children born again.

Matthew 18

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. [SUP]7 [/SUP]Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! [SUP]8 [/SUP]If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. [SUP]9 [/SUP]And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Jesus plainly shows that a little child can be born again. Jesus also plainly said whoever believes in Him has everlasting life. A little child that that believes in Him will have everlasting life. (By the way the word for little children in this verse is one that is under two years old)

Can you help us out here with a reference to that particular word? I've always thought it meant ANY age believer.

 

[SarahM777]

Can you help us out here with a reference to that particular word? I've always thought it meant ANY age believer.

[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]English (KJV) [?][/TD]
[TD]Strong's[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Root Form (Greek)[/TD]
[TD]Parsing[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 6"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]But
[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD]g1161 [/TD]
[TD]δέ de
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]whoso
[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD]g3739 [/TD]
[TD]ὅς hos
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]↑
[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD]g302 [/TD]
[TD]ἄν an
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]shall offend
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]g4624 [/TD]
[TD]σκανδαλίζω skandalizō
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]one
[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD]g1520 [/TD]
[TD]εἷς heis
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]of these
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]g5130 [/TD]
[TD]τούτων toutōn
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]little ones
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]g3398 [/TD]
[TD]μικρός mikros
[/TD]
[TD]

[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]which
[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD]g3588 [/TD]
[TD]ὁ ho
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[h=1]Lexicon :: Strong's G3398 - mikros[/h]

[h=1]μικρός[/h]
[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD] Transliteration
mikros
[/TD]
[TD] Pronunciation
mē-kro's (Key)
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Part of Speech
adjective
[/TD]
[TD] Root Word (Etymology)
Apparently a primary word
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"] Dictionary Aids
Vine's Expository Dictionary: View Entry
TDNT Reference: 4:648,593

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"] Outline of Biblical Usage

1. small, little
   
   1. of size: hence of stature, of length
      
   2. of space
      
   3. of age: less by birth, younger
      
   4. of time: short, brief, a little while, how little!
      
   5. of quantity: i.e. number, amount
      
   6. of rank or influence

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Greek Lexicon :: G3398 (KJV)

 

[breno785au]

My 2 year old believes in Jesus, he likes to pray and he knows Jesus when you point him out in pictures. It's rather cute and amazing how easily they believe lol

 

[dcontroversal]

My 2 year old believes in Jesus, he likes to pray and he knows Jesus when you point him out in pictures. It's rather cute and amazing how easily they believe lol

Amen and a child like faith...Take Jesus at his word....AMEN

 

[Breeze7]

I would say grown men and women are still children to God. We can never be as advanced as God so we remain his children forever, that's in my thought.

 

[phil112]

........................................Jesus plainly shows that a little child can be born again. Jesus also plainly said whoever believes in Him has everlasting life. A little child that that believes in Him will have everlasting life. (By the way the word for little children in this verse is one that is under two years old)

Without having scripture to back me at this point, I'm gonna disagree here a bit. I don't think one has to be born again until they have reached the age of accountability and sin willfully. I think Christ's death on the cross paid the price for the sin they born into, and God's grace, thru His Son's death, pays that redemption after we sin knowingly. There is much in the bible that need not be spelled out letter by letter. Our God given common sense should help us through some of the easier stuff.

 

[SarahM777]

Without having scripture to back me at this point, I'm gonna disagree here a bit. I don't think one has to be born again until they have reached the age of accountability and sin willfully. I think Christ's death on the cross paid the price for the sin they born into, and God's grace, thru His Son's death, pays that redemption after we sin knowingly. There is much in the bible that need not be spelled out letter by letter. Our God given common sense should help us through some of the easier stuff.

Why does one have to sin willfully BEFORE one is born again? Was John the Baptist born again BEFORE he was born? Remember he was filled with the Holy Spirit BEFORE he was born. And then what do you do with this

Matthew 18

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
[SUP]2 [/SUP]He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. [SUP]3 [/SUP]And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [SUP]4 [/SUP]Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. [SUP]5 [/SUP]And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Causing to Stumble

[SUP]6 [/SUP]“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. [SUP]7 [/SUP]Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! [SUP]8 [/SUP]If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. [SUP]9 [/SUP]And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.


Jesus plainly says there are little ones that believe in Him.

 

[JesusMyOnly]

You must believe that God is a God of mercy, love and grace. A God who is Righteous, fair and just would never send an innocent child into a place of everlasting punishment. There is a difference between someone flat out rejecting God and His word and then an innocent person who doesn't quite understand the difference between right and wrong.


Infants, innocent children and the mentally handicaped are all who God will mercy upon if they were to die unsaved.


I don't really know of a verse in the bible that gives a specific accountability age. But I do know that in Isaiah 7:15 it says (NASB version) "He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. There is a point in time when those of us who can come to that age of maturity understand the difference between right and wrong and that we can choose good or evil. This level of maturity/understanding may be different ages for different people. And even if a young child can start learning between right and wrong God understands they have much more to learn.

 

[resurrection33]

I have always been told that children who die young go to heaven even without being actually saved, apparently there is a certain age where they are innocent and don't know sin and supposedly at a certain age they are then held accountable. But where is that from and is it even true?

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 RSV

 

[Tintin]

Children seem to have a belief in God from a very early age. It's only later, when they're brainwashed (sorry, I mean, educated) to believe there isn't a God, that they doubt and many fall away. Here's an interesting article.

Children see the world as designed - creation.com

 

[MarcR]

I don't think that there is a specific age. A person with cognitive disabilities might NEVER reach the age of accountability; while a precocious child might reach it very early in life.

In 'normal' human development there is a point at which we recognize right and wrong. That recognition is not associated with any particular chronological age.

At the point where we recognize that there is a standard and we fall short of it; we must choose to accept Jesus' provision or be accountable.

 

[ChristInUs]

Herod killed all the children 5 and under at that point it is the faith of the parents. God will not atone a nation that kills its babies.

 

[MaranathaSoonQuick]

Herod killed all the children 5 and under at that point it is the faith of the parents. God will not atone a nation that kills its babies.

I believe it was 2 and under.

 

[ChristInUs]

I believe it was 2 and under.

Well in America it's 6 months or under.