If you believe in sin??????

Question

At what age do children begin to be accountable for their own sins? Can an infant sin? If a 3 year old says she saw a monster (clearly a lie) is that a sin? Just curious what others believe.

Answer 1

As soon as the intent is selfish, then there is sin. A 3 yr old obviously doesn't have the ego strength to intend to do harm. When the "monster" becomes a willful attempt at deceit, then it is a sin.

Answer 2

The age of accountability is different for different people but it is usually about between 9-12 but yes all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Also there is not one that is good no not one... and man's heart is wicked continuously. Until your child is accountable then we as parents are responsible for their actions Bring a child up in the way of the Lord and he will not depart from it. Christ's first recorded trip to the temple was at age 12 that should give you some indication. Baptizing infants is not biblical there is not one single account of infant baptism in the Bible. You must have the ability to chose to follow God on your own, a baby can not make that decision. Ever notice that no one calls God grandfather but only Father? hope that helps God Bless.

Answer 3

Dear Gumby,

"Sin" is defined as "transgression of the law." In 1 John 3:4 we read, "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

If you are in a foreign country and break their law, you will be prosecuted and punished regardless if you speak or are able to read their language. There is no such a thing as "situational ethics" with God's law. If you break His law, you are a lawbreaker and guilty whether you are 2 months old or 84 years of age!

The "age of accountability" is a false doctrine propagated by people ignorant of God's righteousness and justice. The fact is we have ALL broken God's laws and under the penalty of eternal damnation. God says in James 2:10, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

You see God's standard in Perfection because He is perfect. Those who "think" they have done enough "good" to equalize their sins are just fooling themselves. We need God's righteousness to enter into heaven! The Bible says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

This is why everyone needs the Savior Jesus Christ.

As far as babies are concerned, we read in Psalms 58:3, 4 "3The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;"

In Psalms 51:5 we read, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me."

Just as ducks inherently quack, so sinners sin.....it is part of are nature. A person must be born-again and receive a new nature in order to enter Heaven. Only God can do that miracle of giving a person a new nature!

Answer 4

Once children know to make their own choices then they have a choice to sin or not.
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23-24
The last question not sure about that answer.

Answer 5

Sin is a highly philosophical concept and it changes with the wind. Some one who could understand the mental processes should be held accountable, but in this day and age that seems to be fewer and fewer people.

Answer 6

We are born with original sin. This is why the Church (including 90% of all Christians on the planet, past and present - including over a billion Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Orthodox, Episcopalians, Presbyterians. Methodists, Lutherans, Reformed Church in America, etc.) Baptize infants.

The fact that Holy Scripture is not clear on an "age of accountabiloity" should give you the answer. Any answer you see given is a complete guess and it is a gray area and there is no such thing in Christian theology.

Answer 7

We are all born with a sin nature. And yes, at the baby stage we see selfishness, tantrums, disobedience, etc. The question though, is when are we held accountable? Christ came to save mankind from damnation because of our propensity to sin, but if a child died before willful accountability, I believe the same grace that saves a consenting adult will save an ignorant child. God alone knows when this is.

Answer 8

According the the Bible, we are all sinners and born into sin. The actual act of sin does not need to take place, because we are born into it. We are 'reborn' when we accept Christ. We are still sinners, but we are saved. Babies are sinners not from acting or being sinful, but by our own human nature.

Answer 9

The parents are accountable until the child "come of age," or after baptism. Basically, teenage years, when right from wrong is clearly understood.

Answer 10

When does your child distinguish the truth? A child cannot know its lying without first knowing the truth. When children learn this difference, then they can start being accountable to their actions.
This is where the parents need to be in their lives.