In recent years the phrase age of accountability has given way to the more appropriately termed state of accountability. This change makes room for those of all ages with childlike cognitive ability. It seems to fit the character of God that He would not hold someone responsible for something that they cannot know due to the inability to understand it and then punish then for it anyway. The human soul is eternal and should a person not be capable of developing spiritual attributes in this life, they certainly can do so after this life when they are no longer hindered by their mental affliction. Now that doesn't give us a get out of sin free card. Once we are gone, however, our child will be dependent on those whose care, while well-intentioned, could never match that of a parents love. There are various Scriptures that give us strong evidence that those who don't have the ability to understand the gospel due to severe mental handicaps or impairments cannot be held responsible for rejecting it since they are unable to understand it. Wait, what? Discover our online home of Texan Newsjournal editions from years past. I have often asserted that the concept of a soul is the most dead concept from theology. So, from your second quote, I suppose you're saying, if they. All rights reserved. Sign up to receive e-mail from Insight for Living Ministries. Catholicism says that you aren't morally responsible for your actions until you reach the age of reason. Without God's gracious Does God show mercy to those who are mentally retarded, challenged, disabled, or handicapped?" Answer: The Bible does not specifically say whether or not mentally ill people go to heaven. He paid the price with his own life! The mainstream position in contemporary Catholicism is that all innocents go to heaven, whether baptised or not. This clearly includes those with mental health challenges of all kinds. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! I would not say it is 'free' but I would say no one with a mental disability has any disadvantage before God. If you don't like the company, let's just do it, http://www.comereason.org/theo_issues/theo060.asp, http://www.layhands.com/DoBabiesGoToHeaven.htm. If you want I can link there commentaries. God's redemptive work in Jesus. Keith Sanders is pastor of First Baptist Church in Keller, Texas. But we cannot deny God's sovereignty, even in this choice. And we pray. They die safely in the arms of Jesus.[1]. Yes they will. In fact, everybody can go to heaven for free as long as they turn away from sinning and believe in Christ and His grace, Christ has paid the full price for our sins and for us to have eternal life and joy in God's presence. However, the command to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation presupposes intelligence and the ability to exercise ones volition. The truth is that the Bible has very little to say about what becomes of the souls of infants and children who die and even less to say about what becomes of the souls of the mentally disabled. God provided a way of escape from going What was the one thing that prevented you from being a Press J to jump to the feed. Some are very logical, some are able to be empathetic, some aren't. Absurd. Children and those who are mentally disabled lack the intellectual and volitional capacity to make a decision for or against Christ; therefore, they are not heldaccountable for sin (see my article on The Gospel). That clearly isn't true. They are not classified as wicked evildoers and rejecters of Gods grace. You are mentally retarded, and you have grown up with a strongly Christian family, and they have explained the concept of a God to you, taught you of Christianity, etc etc, is that considered believing? Can a 3 or 4 year old truly believe? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food (2 Sam 12:21). Children and those who are mentally disabled lack the intellectual and volitional capacity to make a decision for or against Christ; therefore, they are not held accountable for sin (see my article on The Gospel ). We know that so long as we are living, our child will be loved and nurtured with the greatest of care. God doesn't discriminate. We can't deliberately go around sinning. God loves each of us as if there were only one of us"- Augustine. The idea is that all humanity is guilty because of our relationship with our federal head, Adam. Would someone who only crossed the line into "reason" occasionally, or only in some aspects be held accountable for their actions after a lifetime of not being rational. We who were saved have no excuse (Rom 1) but they cannot know what their greatest need is if they dont see the need in the first place, therefore it seems fitting that since they dont even know what repentance and faith is, how can they repent and trust in Christ to be saved? In it, philosopher and author Kevin Timpe wrestles through some of the questions around whether people will carry their disabilities into heaven. In the Bible, infants, little children, and others who cannot believe are neither told to believe nor expected to do so. There are definitely people who are severely mentally disabled. There is no such thing as a mentally disabled person. There is some biblical evidence, however, that anyone who is unable to make a decision for salvation is covered by Christ's death. However, a close look at related passages of Scripture appears to indicate that those unable to believe in Jesus due to age or ability will be covered by the grace of God. If you havent, there is a horrible future for you (Rev 20:11-15) for if you die without Christ then you will awaketo shame and everlasting contempt but if you trusted in Christ, then you shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever (Dan 12:3). (Yes, I realize many theists will ignore the obvious impossibilities and just say 'god knows and is good" as if that made it a coherent concept). The first president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary J.P. Boyce affirmed the doctrine of imputed sin. Then Allah takes a promise from them to obey Him. Yes babies and mentally disabled people go to heaven if they are either under the age of understanding or totally innocent and unable to understand as some disabled are.. 5 Jerred Gay Updated Mar 27 Related What do babies do in heaven? The truth is that the Bible has very little to say about what becomes of the souls of infants and children who die and even less to say about what becomes of the souls of the mentally disabled. However, there is some biblical evidence that anyone who is not able to make a decision for salvation is covered by Christ's death. The second, and more significant problem with the innocence view, is that it would seem to come in conflict with Scripture. Heaven, For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. 19:13). Age 9. That is normally presumed to be eight, but in cases of intellectual disability might not be attained until some years later, and in cases of profound intellectual disability may never be reached. But how? (only among the mentally ill, infants, tribes too far out of reach - I'm taking a leap on the third one). So I met God this weekend and i want my gf to meet Him too. Anyways this one is based strictly upon a Christian point of view, and the concept of God is arguing if it should even exist. knowledge of good and evilregardless of agehave the responsibility to Safe in the Arms of God: Words from Heaven About the Death of a Child by John MacArthur. Make sure you hate what is wrong, and love what is good, and try to choose good. I'm afraid to "come out" as a Christian being surrounded Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you As a young Christian, what can I do for fun? Extremely depressed, and tired. So, if children and the mentally disabled are not naturally innocent but go to heaven when they die and every Baptist I know believes that they do what is the basis for such salvation? Excerpted from Insight for Living Ministries, Understanding Heaven Passport (Plano, TX: IFL Publishing House, Just received Chuck's "Stuff I've Learned That I'll Never Forget" CD in the mail yesterday. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. I'm afraid I can only speculate that since God tells us in the book of Jeremiah 1:5 that He knows us before He even forms us in the womb, that your sister, Becky, must have really done something . The first president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, J.P. Boyce, affirmed the doctrine of imputed sin. Probably because it is a very controversial topic that holds a range of opinions, other words for I haven't ever looked at the Concept of a God topic. Everyone is treated exactly the same, no matter who they are or what they've done. 15:3-4). It is archaic, an ignorance, to think there is a line that can be drawn even on a given day. Tagged as: Copyright 2010-2023 Telling Ministries LLC. He has promised that and he always keeps promises. The death of a child can be a difficult experience. Many Baptists have historically affirmed the concept of imputed sin. However, the command to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation presupposes intelligence and the ability to exercise ones volition. You can always pray to Jesus Christ, I'm sure he'd like that if you talked to him! You must choose and you must be held responsible. We exist to provide a safe haven for all followers of Jesus Christ to discuss God, Jesus, the Bible, and information relative to our beliefs, and to provide non-believers a place to ask questions about Christianity as explained in the scriptures, without fear of mockery or debasement. Is there an age of accountability in the Bible? The issue of God saving infants and mentally disabled individuals takes us to the heart of God's character and to the meaning of salvation. Thanks for the good work you do. Life after death was a certainty for David. David, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother There is no line. The mad man will say: Oh Allah, Islam came while the boys throw animals excrement on me!. 2023 Insight for Living Ministries. Jack has written 1277 articles on What Christians Want To Know! Your browser does not support JavaScript. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Can I bring him back again? The spirit, the mind, and the body are different aspects of a human being, though they are integrated. They steal. God demonstrated his own love for us in that while we were still . There are various Scriptures that give us strong evidence that those who dont have the ability to understand the gospel due to severe mental handicaps or impairments cannot be held responsible for rejecting it since they are unable to understand it. People are lighter and darker on a continuum and shift depending on all kinds of things like if they got a sun tan.
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