More On The Age Of Accountability

Q

In the article The Age of Accountability you wrote: “When they reach the age of accountability, they become responsible for their sins. They acknowledge their accountability in a ceremony called bat mitzvah for girls, usually held at age 12, and bar mitzvah for boys age 13.” Does this mean that when believers in Jesus are raptured, all girls under the age of 12 and all boys under the age of 13 will also be raptured? If so, can you imagine the impact on families worldwide?

A

The article was meant to show that children under a certain age are not responsible for their sins and from God’s perspective are sinless. But the ages come from Jewish tradition, and cannot be found in the Bible.

So this is what we know. The Holy Spirit led Paul to say that there was a time in his early childhood when he was considered to be sin free and had eternal life. When he became old enough to be held accountable for his sins he was scheduled for death. (Romans 7:9) Of course, his belief in Jesus canceled his death sentence (Colossians 2:13-14).

There are other Scriptures that hint of eternal life for children (Matt.18:10 is one example). The thing that isn’t clear is at what age a child becomes accountable. Many scholars believe it depends on each child’s intellectual capability to understand the sin/salvation issue. But whatever the age is, it would seem that all children who are not accountable will go in the rapture, regardless of their parents’ spiritual condition. And yes, it will have an impact on the post rapture world that’s hard to imagine.