age of accountability

[Elizabeth]

I'm wondering what the perspective would be for something along the lines of what Christians call the age of accountability?

[alon]

Mar 30, 2019 19:39:22 GMT -8 Elizabeth said:

I'm wondering what the perspective would be for something along the lines of what Christians call the age of accountability?

Tough question; and my answer will have to be somewhat speculative, as indeed the definition of "The Age of Accountability" itself is highly speculative. It is not found in scripture as a statement, rather it is based on how we understand the character of God from reading scripture generally. It is in Christianity the age at which God holds an individual accountable for their sins. At that age, they must repent of their sins and trust in Jesus, or they will face judgment. If they die before that age, they are still saved. It's based on a Pelagic belief about human nature more than God's nature. Still based on His character as we understand how He responds to our sin. Pelagianism teaches that we are not born with fallen natures, rather we become fallen when we choose to sin. That can only occur at the age of accountability. There is a form of this known as semi-Pelagianism, which teaches we are born with fallen natures, however we are capable of choosing between good and evil at the age of accountability, which is whatever age we are able to decide to sin. The age of accountability differs between individuals since people have different levels of intelligence, moral awareness, cultural influences, and so on at different times in their lives.

Jewish custom is that a child is covered by his/her parents until age 13, at which time the child becomes responsible for their own actions. At that time they are still responsible to their family and to their sect, but they begin to take their place as an adult in Jewish society. That's an oversimplification, but generally I believe it to hold true.

My answer is "yes, and no." I think as people we like things defined succinctly, tied in a bow and handed to us on a platter. I think different people understand right and wrong not just at a specific age; but different actions are understood as right or wrong at different ages, and that not usually at one specific time when the light bulb turns on. Rav Sh'ul talked about "sin unto death," and Melech Dovid talked about being born a sinful man and born in a sin. talks about adults even being guilty of unknown sin which, when discovered they had sinned they were to make restitution if necessary and offer a sacrifice for it in order to be covered. Sin is sin, whether we know it by age, understanding, circumstances or training, or not. Sin unto death is rebellious sin, when we knowingly sin or do not repent when we discover we have sinned. So yes, as we mature we gain an understanding of sin. But I don't believe it is a specific age. And by 13 most of us had a pretty good understanding of sin and could start to take our place in religious society. But I believe God sees it on an individual basis. If you understood something to be sin and either chose to do it anyhow, or upon discovering it was sin refused to repent, then you are responsible. And for sins where you outright rebelled and did it in spite of knowing it, as I understand there is no sacrifice. Your only recourse is to humble yourself, repent and throw yourself on your face begging God's mercy.

Obviously most  hold that if a person is mentally incompetent he is not responsible. I believe even those who are in some way retarded mentally still have some understanding of right and wrong. All I can say is regardless how competent, how smart, how moral etc. a person is, I am glad it is God who determines responsibility. I have a hard enough time with my own sinful nature. I just tell people the further from Yeshua and you get, the more danger you are in. Past that, accountability is between the individual and God.

That is my understanding based on a general reading of scripture. Every camp, whether Pelagian, denominational, sectarian, or whatever can give scriptural reasons. But the fact is we are all speculating based on how we interpret those scriptures and how we see the character of God. You just got my admittedly speculative view on sin and when we are accountable for it. I do not believe accountability is an age, rather the point at any age when we understand something is sin. And yes, when we come to a realization Yeshua is our Messiah and our savior and we either accept or reject Him. However again I do not believe even that to be a one and done choice, but rather a continual commitment. 

Dan C

PS: I don't have the time right now, however if you want to discuss it further we can look at scriptural references later. Maybe jimmie can give us his views and one of his "infamous" (sic) lists, which are usually pretty comprehensive. However I have to get ready and go meet some people from my synagogue right now. Good question though.

[Elizabeth]

This is so hard when a child dies who has not only never been taught about Yeshua, but was abused horribly and suffered at the hands of evil. I pray that when such a thing happens, it's G-d's way of saving them because otherwise all they know and learn is evil, and so maybe He saves them that way. I don't know, just hard to grapple with those circumstances cause it's not only like they didn't get a chance. It's like they were only born to suffer unless He saves them. That's just not fathomable to me. I feel in my heart maybe that is sometimes how He saves them, but that's also just my own take in certain very evil circumstances when the child would maybe otherwise be overcome by it spiritually and then couldn't overcome it to become G-dly as an adult.

[jimmie]

You may find the following scriptures instructive in looking for the "age of accountability"

Exodus 30:14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
Exodus 38:26 A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
Leviticus 27:3 And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
Leviticus 27:5 And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
Numbers 14:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 27How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, 30Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. 32But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

I Kings 14: 12 Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
II King 21: 1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah. 2And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
II Kings 22: 1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
II Kings 11:21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.
12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
II Kings 2: 23And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
II 24: 8Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done.
Luke 1:41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: