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Many
Christians understand there to
be an age of accountability.
This belief holds that children
under a certain age who die are
not held accountable for their
sins as they are unable to
understand right from wrong and
unable to understand Jesus'
death on the cross. This
is typically not considered a
form of
inclusivism however.
Also included in the age of
accountability are those who are mentally handicapped
and would have the mental capacity of a child.
There appears to be little
Biblical evidence for an age accountability outside of
David's comments in
2 Samuel
12:21-23. After the death of his son born out of
adultery to Bathsheba he says,
"I will go to him,
but he will not return to me." David appears to
understand that he will be with his infant son once
again.
Other arguments
for an age of accountability are based on God's nature.
Most Christians cannot fathom a loving and merciful God
sending a child to hell.
There is no
standard age that one becomes accountable. Some
hold to thirteen as the age of accountability however
because this is when a Jewish boy became a man.
Baptism plays a
part in an age of accountability according to some as
well. Infants who are baptized are not held
accountable until they reach accountability whereas
those with unbelieving parents or who otherwise simply
are not baptized as an infant are held accountable for
their sins from birth. This is viewpoint is
derived from the belief that baptism replaced
circumcision in God's commands as God's blessings were
passed from Israel unto the church.
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