The issue; “If a child dies, can we know if they will go to Heaven? Is there any age or stage of accountability? ”
This in turn often raises other questions, some we would rather not think about. What about children who die at birth or not long after? What about stillborn children? What about aborted children? What about children with serious mental and physical disabilities that affect their thought and behavioural processes? What about children who die in accidents or earthquakes or from starvation. The answers to these questions are beyond my capacity to understand or even endeavour to put forward a response. However we should not ignore the question, but seek His wisdom, as we explore what is revealed to us in Scripture.
This is an issue that most of us would prefer not to get involved in, however it is a subject too long ignored. As the one raising this subject it is not done lightly nor is there any reason to believe that I know the answers. However I do have an opinion and that is all it is, my opinion. I am not brave enough to air my opinion in case it is not in complete agreement with my Lord. However I am prepared to raise the issue and allow the Scriptures to speak for themselves.
I want to preface whatever I say by acknowledging and recognising that God is God, He is sovereign, He is just and He is love and I am but a mere mortal.
These are the constant attributes of God that I want to keep in mind as we explore the age of accountability issue and the balance of a finite person exploring and endeavouring to offer an explanation of the word of God.
I want to acknowledge those who have written on Covenant Theology and I acknowledge the value of this stand, and the Scriptures would confirm this. However my flimsy effort is to look at the children outside of this Covenant.
In over 25 years of experience in children’s ministry, here and abroad the discussion on this issue with church leaders or children’s workers, reveals very few have given the issue of the age of accountability much thought or any thought at all. More often than not the response is one of not knowing or guesses that range from five to fourteen years of age.
I am forever encouraged when I meet people who tell me they can never remember when Jesus Christ was not an important part of their life. Others tell me of making decisions for Jesus when they were three or four years of age. Those moments in their lives still linger on, some even tell how it happened and who was involved.
As we explore the Scriptures I do believe that some conclusions can be arrived at and acted upon which hopefully will be an encouragement in your ministry to children.
This portion of Scripture in Deuteronomy 31:10 -13 (NIV) is well worth considering as we explore the question before us.
V 10 Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year of cancelling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles.
The whole Jewish nation is commanded to come together on a regular seven year cycle. One of the obvious reasons was “the year of cancelling debts”
V 11 When all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place He will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing.
Another important purpose was that the Law was to be read out loud so that every-one could hear.
V 12 Assemble the people – men, women, and children, and the aliens living in your towns – so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God, and follow carefully all the words of this law”
All are commanded to attend, adults, foreigners and the little ones (NKJ) for the express purpose to hear the word of God and to learn to fear Him and to follow His teachings. God’s desire for the foreigners to come, demonstrates His love for the Jew and the Gentile. Children were explicitly invited by God to attend this event.
v 13 Their children, who do not know the law, must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.
The purpose was for the children of the Israelites and the foreigners to hear the law and learn to fear the Lord their God.
My understanding from this portion of Scripture is that the Lord would expect at least seven year olds, and possibly even younger children, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to be able to understand the Holy Scriptures. This of course would challenge us to hone our skills that we may be able to teach in such a way that the children would understand and respond.
When we come to teaching the Word of God, do we teach the whole counsel of God or do we say “They are too young, they cannot understand”??
A close scrutiny of 2 Timothy 3:15 would suggest that salvation for children is a real possibility:
“and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus”.
The Greek word used here for “infancy” is the brephos, which means a babe, a very young child. It is the same word used when Mary visited Elizabeth and “the baby (brephos) leaped in her womb” as reported in Luke 1:41.
Here I need to acknowledge there are two different interpretations involving this portion of Scripture. One is that Timothy accepted Christ as an infant and the other was the teaching from his mother and grandmother was such that he made a decision later, when he was older, possibly when Paul arrived on the scene.
I would take the view that the teaching Timothy received from his godly mother and grandmother, encouraged him to make a decision “for salvation” at a younger age than an older age.
At the time Timothy’s mother and grand-mother would have had only the Old Testament from which to teach. The “Holy Scriptures” that were taught could possibly have been the Scripture we have just explored Deuteronomy 31:10-13, as well as Psalm 78: 1-7 and Deuteronomy 6:4-9 which is an exhortation from God to impart our faith to our children. Other pertinent Scriptures include Mark 10: 13-16 and Matthew 18:1-14 which are treated in depth in another discussion paper.
Another option to be considered is that “every-one is in until they opt out”
In conclusion it is good to be challenged and encouraged by the word as we resolve this difficult and sensitive issue in our mind. I would suggest that how you resolve this issue will determine your depth of commitment to the children, either as a parent, a relation, a Sunday school or school Scripture teacher.
Thankfully it is God who saves; however we can be faithful and obedient to Him and explain the message of salvation to children as best we can.
Written by Graham McDonald
National Children’s Advocate for Religious Education in Schools
Children of the World a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ Australia
www.children.org.au