Is There An Age Of Accountability?

First, it is important to recognize that the term “age of accountability” is not used in the Bible. The age of accountability is not an age at all, but a level of readiness and maturity. However, what the Bible teaches about personal responsibility for sin and the nature of salvation compels us to define this concept. Basically, the age of accountability is that time in the development of a person when he or she can and invariably does sin against God and thus stands in need of personal redemption through Jesus Christ.

Calvinism teaches that all humans have inherited a corrupt spiritual nature due to the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Due to this marred and perverse nature, the human heart is desperately deceitful, and man’s nature is therefore evil, according to Calvinism. This doctrine is referred to as “total depravity.” Due to this inherited spiritual depravity, babies are born with a corrupt nature and therefore are in a “lost” state. The only way for babies to be saved is for them to be one of “the elect”—a predetermined few whom God arbitrarily decided to save while condemning all others. Hence, free will does not enter into the question of salvation according to them. The Calvinist maintains that people cannot choose to receive salvation but must wait for the direct operation of the Holy Spirit to save them.

The prophet Ezekiel stated the very opposite of Calvinism:

The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself (Ezek 18:20 NASB).

Jesus also demonstrated the spiritually safe condition of children when He stated:

Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:3-4 NASB).

Adults must become like children if they wish to be saved! Children can hardly be spiritually depraved! Jesus also said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt 19:14-15 NASB). If, at conception, God forms “the spirit of man within him,” (Zech. 12:1), why would anyone wish to insist that man’s spirit is corrupt.

The Bible clearly teaches that people are responsible for their own actions, not for those of their ancestors. Sin is a willful act of rebellion against God on the part of an individual (Rom. 3:19-23; cf. Rom. 14:12). Clearly, an infant or young child is not capable of such a willful act of transgressing God’s law (I Jno. 3:4). At this point, one must be careful not to confuse bad behavior on the part of children with sin. Such behavior does not indicate that a young child has knowingly sinned against God. Children cannot be accountable for their actions until they have a knowledge of good and evil, until they know to refuse the evil and choose the good.

Jacob and Esau had no original sin; they did not sin with Adam when he transgressed. We know this because they were not sinners while in the womb of their mother, Rebecca. Paul wrote, “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth” (Rom 9:11 KJV). Since the Bible says Jacob and Esau had done nothing good or evil up to this time, we must assume that they became moral agents at some later time, after they were born. There are numerous verses like this in the Bible which show the doctrine of original sin to be false, and which also teach, either directly or indirectly, the doctrine of an “age of accountability.” Let us look at some of them.

When Noah came out of the Ark and built an altar to God and offered sacrifice to God, we read:

And the LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done” (Gen 8:21 NASB).

As Moses was telling the Israelites that they would not go into the Promised Land he said:

Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them, and they shall possess it (Deut 1:39 NASB).

God did not hold the children accountable for the sins committed by their parents because they had no knowledge of good and evil. A small child doesn’t understand the difference between right and wrong. The child is dependent upon his or her parents to guide him or her in doing the right thing. Such is illustrated by Israel’s rebellion against God in the wilderness.

Likewise, God declared that the King of Tyre, like everyone else, had come into the world without guilt, but had become sinful due to his own choices. “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you” (Ezek 28:15 NKJV). Paul tells us when iniquity is found in us. “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Rom 6:16 NASB). One becomes responsible when one is able to choose to serve sin (Satan).

The Bible doesn’t speak of a particular age when a child becomes knowledgeable of good and evil because it varies from child to child. To exercise this choice, one must be able to make certain distinctions. One must be aware they have chosen to do wrong and be able to repent of that rebellious lifestyle and therefore stand in need of salvation. This requires the ability of transferring trust to Jesus as their Savior and Lord and being willing to pattern their life after the example of Christ (Rom. 10:9-14). It should be obvious that an infant or young child cannot make these distinctions and therefore cannot be responsible for making such choices.

Interestingly, Jesus determined that He needed to be about His Father’s business at the age of 12. At this age, His Father’s will was more important to Him than the will of His parents (Luke 2:41-52). In Jewish law and tradition, a boy who turns thirteen is known as a Bar Mitzvah (“one to whom the commandments apply”), and is from that point obligated to fulfill Jewish commandments. Similarly, a girl who reaches the age of twelve is known as a “Bat Mitzvah”. The general practice among Conservative and Reform Jews is to mark this event with a religious service essentially the same as that held for boys. Also, in modern culture, a thirteen-year old Jew is not truly treated as an adult (for example, in Israeli law, as in that of most other countries, he or she is still considered a minor for several additional years).

There comes a time in the life of each child when that boundary of responsibility to God is crossed. A child invariably sins (Romans 3:23) and stands in need of Christ. However, it is impossible to set a particular age when this will occur. Indeed, each child will vary in reaching that time. Various factors influence spiritual maturing. Since children mature at different rates, some will be spiritually aware at a younger age. They also receive a varied religious education because of parents, teachers, and other significant adults to whom they are exposed. Children exposed to television and other modern technology will mature at a faster rate because of the teaching ability of such technology.

Of course, some never reach the age of accountability. Some are born with mental handicaps that leave them child-like throughout their lives. Nehemiah speaks of an assembly of those able to understand (Nehemiah 8:2-3). However, most come to understand their responsibility to live right during their teenage years.

Here are some questions to ask in order to help you determine if your child is ready, from an article by Matt Hennecke and Al Diestelkamp published in Sentry Magazine, September, 2005:

1. Is your child only afraid of going to hell at night? Or, do they express their fears and need during the light of day as well? Someone truly convicted will have concerns beyond the “night fears” that are common to children.
2. Does your child want to put off getting baptized until some future day–at worship, for instance? If so, then they may not see the urgency of baptism. Someone truly convicted will not want to delay (Acts 22:16).
3. How long have they discussed the subject? Do they bring it up on their own or is it prompted by you or some other event (like someone else being baptized)? We need to be wary of the “bandwagon” effect.
4. What sins do they claim to have committed? Have them write down all the reasons they feel they should be baptized. Keep their reasons for some future date when they may question whether they were baptized for the right reason.
5. Ask them what would have been the Ethiopian’s reaction if Philip said he could NOT be baptized (Acts 8:36)? If they realize he would have had to had it done anyway, then ask them, “What if I said ‘no’ to you about being baptized?” Do they feel as if they would have to do it anyway? Are they willing to do God’s will before their parent’s will?
6. Ask them, “how will your life be different when you become a Christian?” Do they have an “old man of sin” they need to crucify (Romans 6:6)?

Do you have a question about the Bible or Christianity? Send it to us and the answer may be posted as a Question of the Week.

Related Articles

• Do Infants Need To Be Baptized?
• What Does It Mean To Be Born Again?
• Is It Possible To Be Saved And Not Be A Member Of The Church?
• Why Be A Christian?
• How Does One Enter The Church?