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Hi Bob; I often hear people say that if a child dies before it reaches the age of understanding; it will get to Heaven. I cannot find anything in the Bible about this and when do we reach the age of understanding? Also if someone is born mentally retarded and has no understanding do they get to Heaven as people say. I know people with children like that and they are convinced their child will go to Heaven. I know that God is just and will judge aright.
God bless
2006-10-16 11:47:32 Posted by Colin Moffett ()
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Colin,
The questions you raise are very good ones. There is a concept called "The Age of Accountablilty" that I am familar with. There are no direct scriptures that I am familar with that address this question directly.
However, the teaching of the "unpardonable sin" being the sin that damns someone to an eternity separated from Christ would support the age of accountability issue. Jesus paid the price for our sin at calvary. He died for the sins of the world... with the exception of one sin; the rejection of His free pardon on the cross.
So... as a child grows and matures, the Holy Spirit begins to prick that child's heart and the consciousness of sin and being a sinner begins to prick his or her heart as well. It is at this point that a child becomes accountable for his or her lostness and that age of accountability becomes reality for that person.
A child who is mentally retarded in my mind falls in the same category and that age of accountability may well be different for him as well. God knows our every need and the greatest need we have is Him; I am confident that He will speak to the need of special people who are born with special needs.
Some will use this same argument to speak to the heathen who has never heard the name of Christ... or the Muslim or Hindu... however, the age of accountability is still reached and without receiving the free pardon for sin in Christ Jesus, there is no remission of sin and therefore that person is lost and remains so.
This is at least one perspective.
Any other comments or perspectives?
><> Bob
2006-10-16 12:56:05 Posted by Bob ()
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Thank you Bob for your answer. I have a dear friend whose son has special needs and was born that way. I do not really know how to answer her when she states he is going to Heaven. I work on the basis that we are not sinners because we sin but we sin because we are born sinners therefore we all need to be saved including children and special needs people.But to tell that woman her son is not going to Heaven sounds cruel and she has been told that from other Christians. I would like to think he is going to Heaven and anyway that is for God to decide and not me. I honestly do not know and I can only tell her I think her son will go to Heaven but I have no scripture to base this on. I have thought about this a great deal and it does trouble me.
2006-10-16 15:56:15 Posted by Colin Moffett ()
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It was once said that the age of accountability is when you still a watermelon and hide the seeds.
Blessings
2006-10-16 21:14:52 Posted by Bro Larry ()
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Bro.Larry, I like that comment! LOL
2006-10-16 21:53:51 Posted by Anonymous ()
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