Christians Only ! Does anyone know ??

Question

When a child reaches the AGE of accountability for their sins ?
I am a Holy Ghost filled Christian.I've heard many things about this and I would like to see If anyone can produce scripture to back this up.
Please provide scripture when answering. Please Serious answers only !

Thank You Midnight Poet. Very Good answer.

Thank you Four Arrows. This Is what R&S should be about people coming together sharing Biblical Information.

WOW. I want to thank everyone for answering this reguardless of personal belief. This Is awesome !

Answer 1

Many say the age of 12.

For myself I was around 6 when I understood right from wrong, heaven and hell. It was about this time God began to reveal himself to me.

I don't think it is a particular "age" that God uses but rather God judges the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Answer 2

I DO NOT COME WITH SCRIPTURE BUT I DO HAVE AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. In my mind ( and I am a solid christian teen) a child comes into accountability for their sins when they can be fully aware of the fact that they are commiting a sin. If in your heart, mind, soul, and spirit you know what a sin is and you know that you are commiting one you can be held accountable. ONLY if you are fully aware though! If you have a vague idea or some what of a notion, most likely you can't be held accountable because you don't know so you have no knowledge of what you're doing so there isn't a great impact on your part. So as I said before I believe a child can be held accountable for their sins when they are fully aware of what a sin is and they are fully aware that they are commiting one. I know you wanted a scripture but this is the best I could think of from the heart( remember I'm only a teen ;-) ). God is love and God Bless You. I pray you'll find the right answer if mine isn't it!

Answer 3

I think different children comprehend sin and have a knowledge of right and wrong at different ages. I find no scripture which prescribes a chronological age where sin is excused but the call to baptism appears to be for all believers. To understand and know you done wrong I think is probably emerging around age 2. et to comprehend self - when time suddenly becomes understandable is surely around 6.
So I am sorry there is no cut off date. St Augustine dealt with the issues but we are conceived and born in sin according to the scriptures and any parent with an experience of a temper tantrum would evidence this as a classic example of puttin self before others which is sin. God doesn't grade sin it is all bad, neither does He demand differing degrees of faith to be saved - in fact He tells us we have to come to Him as a child.
Sorry not to be of any further help but God treats us as individuals and gives the parent His quality of forgiving towards recalcitrant children. In summary a child has reached the age of accountability when the child feels guilt on its own without intimidation by anyone - the conscience is working and therefore it knows it did wrong.

Answer 4

I don't believe there is a specific scripture that defines the age of accountability for children. What I do know is that in the jewish culture, a boy becomes a'man' at 13. He goes through a right of passage ceremony. I think it's called a barmitzvah? From that point he become responsible for his own actions and is treated like an adult. Once a child has been taught right from wrong and has an understanding of it,and they begin to choose their own will, I believe at that point they will be held accountable for their own attitudes and actions. You may be just as surprised as I was to note a particular scripture I found reguarding this subject, in an indirect way. It is Rom. 11:32. I may be wrong, forgive me if I am, but it sounds to me that you might be better served to know more about the Mercy of God, than His judgement. I hope this passage helped. sincerely, Rose

Answer 5

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Note here in this scripture the word "sin". It does not say sins as of many but "sin of the world."This is the sin that was passed down by Adam and Eve.Children are no longer born with sin but are as Adam/Eve was in the beginning.And just as Adam/Eve were later tempted so are children when they come to accountability.


Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Here in this scripture baptism is for those that believe.Wouldn't it stand to reason that a child could not believe until it came to an age of maturity.


John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Here in these verses it is apparent that an understanding of sin is needed to come to a true repentance.Some children might come to this understanding when they are quit young, others might take longer.I believe Samuael was 5 when he started his work in the temple under Eli.Jesus was 12 when found in the temple doing His Fathers buisness.

Answer 6

Good question:
First off the Jews Barmitzva the boys at around 12.
The whole issue is not about what age really. Mennonites in the Anabaptist tradition were the ones starting adult baptist in 1525. We were killed for believing it. That is why we came to America.
Now the issue is broader then you understand.
Many evangelicals yours as well have a mixed theology on the nature of sin.
Augustine brought into the church the whole idea that people are born sinful. It is not biblical, Jewish, nor early church theology. There was a fight over this in the early church and the Catholics went one way, following Augustine and the Eastern church kept the course of the early church. Modern theology of evangelicals comes from two men who followed Augustine. Martin Luther who was an Augustinian monk and John Calvin who was an evil man who followed Augustine and killed people who thought different then him burning Sevetus at the stake for three days over green wood.
The eastern church and early church believed that we are born with free will and not with a sin nature that makes us sin.
In the Bible sin is an act, not a nature. This means that we become responsible as we understand that what we are doing is wrong.
John 9:41 If you were blind , you would have no sin:
The Great evangelist Charles Finney wrote and attacked this false doctrine of born in sin in he theology.
You see if we are born sinful we are not responsible for the things we do.
David Wilkerson believes like me and said,
If you keep on believing you sin is inherited and you like a tiny cork carried away by a mighty torrent, you will finally give yourself over to your slavery. Why fight it if you can't beat it?
This fatalistic approach is a clever lie of satan to keep slaves in line. There is not one iota of truth to it..."

The problem with todays spiritual leaders is that they suffer form lack of proper understanding and training. Sincerity is not an excuse for wrong information. Wrong information leads to wrong application.

Answer 7

the bible doesn't have an exact age listed in scripture. everyone is different, some mature faster, some never mature, you also have to look at the people with mental problems, their brains may never reach that point. i think that only you and god can really know when you are mature enough to know right from wrong. he knows what he's doing, and everyone will have a chance. i think it's best to start children off early, and instill god's word upon them so it will make it so much easier for them to accept jesus in their hearts at an early age.

Answer 8

There is no specific age in scripture on this, all I can give you is this:

http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/faq.html

Many theologians believe that children under the age of accountability go to heaven when they die. This is a great hope for the innocent children who suffer and die. I believe this, and if so, they then go to a better place.

2 Sam 12: MKJV
19 But David saw that his servants whispered. And David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the boy dead? And they said, He is dead.
23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

David knew that he would meet his son in paradise. As for the unbelievers children, all I have is this:

Rom 2: MKJV
14 For when the nations, who do not have the Law, do by nature the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves;
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and the thoughts between one another accusing or even excusing one another,
16 in a day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

This shows that there are some people whom have not heard the law, but their conscience leads them to goodness and to eternal life. While others harden their hearts and conscience, and they sin, regardless of not hearing God's law. So I believe that all people are born with a conscience that leads toward God, and are given grace to salvation until they come of age, harden their hearts, or hear the gospel (once they hear the gospel, salvation must come by accepting it, if they are of age and understand it).

I wish to add, that I had believed for awhile that spouses of believers were saved as well. Because of this scripture:

1 Cor 7:
14: For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

However, that conclusion is wrong, because in the very same chapter it says this:

16: For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

I had also believed such through Acts where it speaks of households being saved. But that was a wrong conclusion as well described by 1 Cor 7:16 as seen above. Each adult must come to God alone through faith in Christ Jesus.

Answer 9

There is not an exact number. It is when they start thinking about what they are doing and how it will affect the world they are part of. I've heard sermons on this and will have to look up the scripture.

Answer 10

Ask yourself what makes sense to you?
Is there one day, year or age. NO.
It is different for each one depending on how they develop. That is why children and mentally ill etc. are all in heaven...
Earth is only like the caterpillar in the cocoon. Next is the butterfly. That is if your wings are not clipped.