Age of Accountability
The other day I was driving down the road and thought about voting in church. I know some congregations that have a men's meeting a vote on things. Other congregations just vote on stuff every once and a while dealing with elders and deacons. I don't know where your church falls but it doesn't really pertain to this post. I was thinking about who gets to vote in church elections. Some say the men, some baptized believers, some say baptized believers over 18. But when did God ever set an age for something. It got me thinking about age in the church.
So I was thinking about the "Age of accountability" as so many people refer to it. I've never heard a really good argument for the whole idea of there being a certain age where someone is absolutely responsible for there sins. I've heard some people suggest that when someone knows "the difference between right and wrong" they are accountable. I don't buy it because a 2 year old knows when they did something wrong.
I guess I've been thinking a lot about baptism this past week and the huge commitment that it is. It really disturbs me when I see someone who fairly young get baptized. I just don't think a 9 year old knows what type of commitment they're getting into.
I think we have a serious baptism problem in the Church of Christ. I think we push baptism at an early age. Let me put it this way. As a country we say you're not allowed to drink until you're 21. Why? Responsibility. You can't vote until 18. In most states they don't let you operate a motor vehicle until 16. But it seems like a lot of churches push baptism around 12. Not responsible enough to drink, vote, drive, or get married, we'll let you decided the most important decision you'll ever make at 12 or sometimes 9 or 10. Seriously???!!! I know a lot of people who think getting married before you're 20 is irresponsible, but that's only the second biggest commitment you'll make!
Here's my take. I think we've watered down baptism. I think we've watered down what it means to be a Christian; to be a follower of Christ who was crucified. I think we've taken a "Better safe than sorry" approach so far that we push baptism on people who don't know what they're getting themselves into. By the way Safe?! who said anything about safe! God is not SAFE, but he is GOOD (Clive Staples rip-off). Christ told his disciples to take up their cross; that's not safe. Your Christianity should put you in harms way, or at least in a really uncomfortable spot.
I started out with a title and a thought about age and I'll get to that here in a minute. I think we doubt God's grace, and we push younger kids to get baptized. Oh and by the way, the only time I could find that God set an age for something was in Exodus where those 20 and under were the ones allowed into the promise land. Is there an age where people should consider their salvation and are accountable? Definitely. Is it 8? No, no its not. I don't know what it is but I think 20 is a good number, and the only scriptural one.
Paul "I broke up a domestic dispute last night" Murphy
The other day I was driving down the road and thought about voting in church. I know some congregations that have a men's meeting a vote on things. Other congregations just vote on stuff every once and a while dealing with elders and deacons. I don't know where your church falls but it doesn't really pertain to this post. I was thinking about who gets to vote in church elections. Some say the men, some baptized believers, some say baptized believers over 18. But when did God ever set an age for something. It got me thinking about age in the church.
So I was thinking about the "Age of accountability" as so many people refer to it. I've never heard a really good argument for the whole idea of there being a certain age where someone is absolutely responsible for there sins. I've heard some people suggest that when someone knows "the difference between right and wrong" they are accountable. I don't buy it because a 2 year old knows when they did something wrong.
I guess I've been thinking a lot about baptism this past week and the huge commitment that it is. It really disturbs me when I see someone who fairly young get baptized. I just don't think a 9 year old knows what type of commitment they're getting into.
I think we have a serious baptism problem in the Church of Christ. I think we push baptism at an early age. Let me put it this way. As a country we say you're not allowed to drink until you're 21. Why? Responsibility. You can't vote until 18. In most states they don't let you operate a motor vehicle until 16. But it seems like a lot of churches push baptism around 12. Not responsible enough to drink, vote, drive, or get married, we'll let you decided the most important decision you'll ever make at 12 or sometimes 9 or 10. Seriously???!!! I know a lot of people who think getting married before you're 20 is irresponsible, but that's only the second biggest commitment you'll make!
Here's my take. I think we've watered down baptism. I think we've watered down what it means to be a Christian; to be a follower of Christ who was crucified. I think we've taken a "Better safe than sorry" approach so far that we push baptism on people who don't know what they're getting themselves into. By the way Safe?! who said anything about safe! God is not SAFE, but he is GOOD (Clive Staples rip-off). Christ told his disciples to take up their cross; that's not safe. Your Christianity should put you in harms way, or at least in a really uncomfortable spot.
I started out with a title and a thought about age and I'll get to that here in a minute. I think we doubt God's grace, and we push younger kids to get baptized. Oh and by the way, the only time I could find that God set an age for something was in Exodus where those 20 and under were the ones allowed into the promise land. Is there an age where people should consider their salvation and are accountable? Definitely. Is it 8? No, no its not. I don't know what it is but I think 20 is a good number, and the only scriptural one.
Paul "I broke up a domestic dispute last night" Murphy
posted by Paul Murphy at
4:54 PM
3 Comments:
I vote we dunk people every 10 years for good measure. Dunk them when they're born, when they're 10, and every ten years until they die. (better safe than sorry)
I think you're just hoping the Age of Accountability is 27.
By
Philip, at 11/10/2008 4:45 PM
fantastic post! I completely agree with you. We water down Christianity, we make it boring, we are supposed to be nice guys... I dont read any of that in the Bible. Its a War. We are talking about true life and true death here. Not a decision that should come quickly or lightly.
Love the CS quote; a great moment from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
By
Justin and Heather Bland, at 11/16/2008 4:13 PM
Some good thoughts there. A few (conflicting) observations:
(1) I don't like the whole "Age of Accountability" thing either. It seems to me like there must be such an age, but it certainly isn't clearly delineated in the Bible.
(2) I think another argument in favor of a "higher age" is when you consider how much change and development you go through in your college years (18-23ish). To me, it seems largely at that age when you either come to "own your faith" (make it yours instead of your parents') or abandon it.
(3) On the other hand…I agree that baptism is hugely important and a huge commitment, but I wonder to what degree you need to understand that when you make the decision (certainly to some degree, but what degree?).
What I mean is that as I mature as a Christian, my understanding of what I've gotten myself into continues to develop.
I think the important thing is to realize that you're being obedient to Christ, and that you're aligning yourself with him instead of the world. And I don't think you have to be very old to realize that.
By
Luke Dockery, at 11/27/2008 8:07 AM
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