Age of Accountability

What is the age of accountability?

"The Age of Accountability" is an inferred doctrine (more theological stuff) that some Christians believe, but then again it all depends on the denomination and what they have been taught. It is believed that it is deduced from reasoning of the evidence presented in the bible. From verses such as the one in 2 Samuel along with others.

John 9:39-41
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? ; Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Romans 7:9
For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

I do not so much believe in an age of accountability, as I do the mental state of accountability. That is the state of a person mentally to know that there are consequences of their actions pertaining to sin. This not only covers age but also, various types of mental disorders. The mind must be able to judge the difference between right and wrong, or right and sin. They must be of the mental state to be able to determine that there is punishment for wrong doing in the eyes of God. Most children know what is wrong because they have been punished for the action. Example, a two year old will know not to touch a vase on a coffee table, but only after they have been punished for it. And usually after a few hand swats they learn that if they touch it they will be in trouble. The same with a flame on a candle, they learn not to touch it after they get burned. Older children and some adults will know not to touch a vase on a table after they are just told not to touch it, before any punishment is given. I see a difference between knowing wrong by experience and knowing wrong by instruction. Handicapped people in an impaired mental state could not ever know the difference between right and wrong, depending on the severity of the handicap. Like others, I feel that a loving God allows for these mental states.

Other religions such as the Jewish people believe that children are not responsible for their actions until they reach a certain age, 13 for boys and 12 for girls. This is the age of accountability according to their belief system, until then they are the responsibility of their fathers. (I had to throw this in)

Another example of accountability, from my point of view, is a person being responsible for their sins when their mental state has deteriorated to the point that they are no longer conscience of what they do. Many that refute the age of accountability, believe that a loving God will forgive the senile for sins because they don't know that what they are doing is wrong. Again this is inferred doctrine.

The age where a child is accountable to God for their actions pertaining to sin will vary according to their understanding. All my children were saved at a young age, because they understood what sin was. For my daughter it was at age 7 when she was accountable to God.