Ok, I know I am going to stir the pot but wanted to know what believers think about this, whats your opinion??

Question

Ok, so I have always believed in the "age of accountablility"(meaning there is a certain age when a child or person knows right from wrong and basic knowledge of Christ). Basically some believe there is not one since there is no mention of it in the bible(so, in short, everyone who is not saved is going to hell, no matter the age), but others believe because they can't fathom the thought of God sending a baby to hell just because he/she wasn't saved when really had no idea of the gospel. Whats your thoughts??? Once again I know this is a very controversial topic, just wanted some different opinions. Please no sarcastic comments.

Examples would be parents baptizing an infant for fear of it died would it go to hell. Or do you think that baby would naturally go to heaven?? So many different views on this just wanted to hear what the majority think.

Just a thought.
I can't fathom the fact that God would send a baby or a child that is unable to understand the gospel to hell. I know, know one knows what Gods eternal say is but I just wanted to know the opinions of others.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. Just wanted to see what the majority believed.

Oh and BELIEVER~
There is no doubt in my mind that your little precious baby is in heaven right now either.For my God is a God of Love. May God bless you!!

Answer 1

I don't believe there is a "fiery Gehenna", I believe hell is mankind's common grave...

And God is patient with us... There is a scripture that shows the child a baby is the responsibility of the parents... When a child is mature enough to know God and they show and exercise their faith then they may be baptized... Sorry I can't just quote the scripture, I will look for it and post later.


EDITED: "I found the scripture I was looking for..." It may be helpful, it may not be... For me this was an eye opener of the responsibility I have as a parent... This was on Noahs Days when the earth was flooded... The people took no note of all he warned them about...

Found at Genesis 7 verse 21 "So all the flesh that was moving upon th earth expired, among the flying creatures and among the domestic animals and among the wild beasts and among all the swarms that were swarming upon the earth, and all mankind..." 22 "Everything in which the breath of the force of life was active in its nostrils, namely, all that were on dry ground died."

This was really hard for me to read... Because it pointed out to me, that even in that day the innocent children of the people in that day, died... Thus showing me, it is the parents responsibility... My reason for showing this was to show a child who knows no better, needs to be loved and educated , spiritually fed at the proper time, first milk then solid food... Only then will a child know if and when they choose to be baptized... And this could be at an early age, but then again may go well into the teen years... No exact answer on when, just know to teach them well, is what we can do to help them along the way...

Setting a fine example, in ourselves as well... They watch all we do... We solely are responsible for them...

Answer 2

And I'll be the one person that goes up against the belief that all babies go to Heaven. Instead I'll say that God does the right thing, no reason at all to push Him aside so we can do the deciding for Him.

Everybody's been saying so far that babies avoid Hell because they're not accountable. Yet this is the Roman Catholic position, that we can avoid Hell through a sufficiently holy life. Why just babies, why not everyone? But Protestant thought is supposedly that no one merits Heaven on their own. So now an age of accountability? Kind of a conundrum, I would think. What other exceptions are there? Several logical problems surface, among them abortion, Heaven yesterday but risk of Hell today, and of course the necessity of baptism (or whether it is necessary at all).

Some things to think about, either we enter this world guilty or we may as well be completely innocent and deserving of Heaven. It all goes back to whether Original Sin is a fact or a fabrication.

Answer 3

There is an age of accountability and it appears in the old testament in the book of Numbers. The age was 20yrs. However, I doubt if that would still be the case today. It is the age where a child knows right from wrong and can decide to believe in God with some measure of understanding. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know God. Babies and small children don't go to hell. Jesus was always welcoming Little ones into His presence and told his disciples not to prevent little ones coming to Him. God is fair and loving. Trust in Him to make a better decision than we can. God Bless.

Answer 4

Romans 1:20, "For the INVISIBLE things of him from the creation of the world are CLEARLY SEEN, being understood by the things that are made, even his ETERNAL POWER and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" This "eternal power" is His saving power.

This says we can clearly see the invisible/spiritual things of God by observing the things which He created. Do you have anything to do with your natural birth? Did you choose to be born? Did you choose your parents? The same is true for your spiritual birth. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Mark 10:15, Jesus said, "...Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein". People misread this verse. This says, unless you received the kingdom of God when you were born into the world, you can't receive it later. How does a little child receive the kingdom? Through "fee will"? Well, the same way a little child "receives" the kingdom of God, is the way an adult does. You are either a child of God when you were born, or you never will be. John 6:37, Jesus said, "ALL that the Father giveth me SHALL COME TO ME; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out".

Answer 5

Good question. You're right in that scripture tells us nothing about this topic. Perhaps God knows who would have been saved upon reaching the age of accountability, and saves only those children? Maybe He saves all of them, since they can't yet decide for themselves? Maybe they go to hell, since God cannot commune with sinners, and all are born into sin?

I don't really have a solid answer for you, and you'll find that no one will. But always remember that our God is a just God, and His judgment on the matter greatly surpasses ours. Far be it from us to try and make claims as to what God will and will not do... Let's just sit back and remember that God is sovereign, He is in control, and He will make this decision in a manner more just and more fair than any human being could possibly even come close to.

Hope that helps.

Answer 6

There might be an age of accountability, but it must be different for each person. An adult of 35 years who has limited mental faculties could not be judged the same way as another 35 year old who has no impairments. I don't believe any of us are going to end up in a place of eternal torment. The Bible says the dead are conscious of nothing at all. We can't be tormented if we aren't conscious. So far it looks as if everybody here is on the same page about something. I don't know if that means anything, but it's interesting.

Answer 7

1. David stopped praying in sack-cloth & ashes when the love child between him & Bathsheba died. When his servants questioned him "Your son is dead, why have you stopped mourning". He replied, "Because I will see him again". -- This is clue number 1.

2. Jonah is told by God that He pities those who cannot tell their right hand from their left (a reference to children). God pities them greatly.

3. This whole Crockology/Theology of Original Sin that got people in Northern Africa up in arms about baptizing children some 400 years after the churches had exclusively baptized adults caused some to start "baptizing babies". Humanly, St. Augusting was a genius, but spiritually he was dead . The Love of Christ is not shown in any of his statements about the Donatists/Cathari (my spiritual forefathers).

God is a God of Mercy. He is a God of Holiness.

But no where in the Bible has He ever instructed us to baptize children. If Jesus Christ and the Apostles did not focus on this, then we should not overfocus on it either.

I believe that God condemns and judges mankind based upon the choices mankind makes. Righteous judgment requires an opportunity to reject the gospel and the truth of God. Underdeveloped minds do not have this chance.

Answer 8

Well, take it from someone who lost an infant.....my baby is with God and angels. Sometimes at night I hear the pitter patter of little feet in the upstairs hallway (call me nuts, I don't care I KNOW it is my son) and when I go up there....."no one" is there (at least that I can physically see). I know it is him....he has also come to me (and others in my family) in other ways to let me/us know he is OK and made it to "the other side".

There is NO WAY my son is in hell period. Baptized or not. The God I believe in would NEVER send an innocent baby to "hell" (which I don't believe in anyway by the way; hell is separation from God, not some "place"). In fact MY son came here I believe to sacrifice himself in order that I wake up and start living life consciously and not unconsiously. He died for my experience, not his.

Please read my blog on my 360 called "The Gift"....this child of mine lived only 11 hours and changed more lives than some people who have lived till they were 100.

Answer 9

There is no "age of accountablity" It is when a child learns right from wrong and they either choose to live for God or live for themselves. God knows everyones hearts and he is a good judge when it is judgement time. He will know how to be just. Also, all little children that die before they can understand most likely go to heaven if they die (Mark 10:14) Also, a baby getting baptised does not do anything for them, it will not "cover" them when they are older, they are too young to understand and be in repentance for their sins. The true baptism has to be done with you in repentance and understanding what you are doing.

Answer 10

I get a kick out of all you religous nuts. Which God is the right God?? Will all the 'wrong' believers go to hell or something?? Why do you believe in such superstitious nonsense?? Really - do you not have a brain of your own?? I think religion is responsible for half the wrongs of the world. And greed takes care of the rest!!