Results 1 - 2 of 2
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Age of accountability? | OT general | Freeatlast | 223964 | ||
I find when David says in 2 Sam.12:23 "can I bring him back again?" he is referring to life, so when he says "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." he is referring to death and the grave. To assume he means heaven based on the fact David was going to heaven is nothing more than an assumption. As far as the point at which a child reaches accountability is a debatable question. But in looking at the issue logically at what point in a child's life does that child reach the point of manhood? We are Christians and our heritage as Christians is based in Judaism. We worship the God of the Jews as well as the Messiah of the Jews so why would we not also understand that the becoming of age and responsibility was at his Bar-Mitzvah. Not that we have to perform a Bar-Mitzvah but only the recognizing the age of 13 as the age of accountability. A 13-year-old Jewish boy, considered an adult and responsible for his moral and religious duties. Jewish ritual celebrating a boy's 13th birthday and his entry into the community of Judaism. It usually takes place during a Sabbath service, when the boy reads from the Torah and may give a discourse on the text. (popularly translated as "son of the commandment"). The attaining by a boy of his religious adulthood and responsibility on reaching the age of 13; thereafter, he is counted in the prayer quorum (Minyan). The Mishnah (Avot 5:21) states that 13 is the age for observing the commandments (mitsvot). The term bar mitsvah ( "bar mitzvah" in the usual English spelling) appears five times in the Babylonian Talmud (BK 15a [twice]; BM 96a; San. 84b; Men. 93b), but in each case the reference is merely to someone obligated to fulfill the precepts of Judaism. The term utilized in the Talmud for a 13-year-old boy is bar onshin --- one who is responsible and punishable for his actions. This relates to the legal distinction that at age 13 the male child becomes liable for his own transgressions; no longer does his father bear this responsibility. (Basically the same for a girl) Bat-Mitzvah . . . . . Answers.com Freeatlast |
||||||
2 | Age of accountability? | OT general | Beja | 223965 | ||
Freeatlast, Let me respond in two parts. First, I will respond concerning the passage in 2 Samuel. As I have readily admitted, and will continue to do so, it is very possible that David simply means the grave. However, let me defend the possibility that he means in heaven with two observations. First, there is no flaw in the reasoning if we mean to say that it is possible that he meant it, and we do not mean to say dogmatically that he meant it. In other words, we can't say that he certainly meant the grave any more so than we can say he certainly meant heaven. There is some valid ambiguity here because of which we ought not be dogmatic on either side. The next observation, it seems that David is truely consoling himself in someway with what he says. He is finding some peace or assurance from it. It seems much more likely that he is professing something that comforts him rather than saying, "It's pointless at this point, so who cares?" Therefore, while I whole heartedly agree that David could be referring to the grave, I do not at all think it is a irresponsible reading of the text to suggest he means the child is in heaven. Though once again, I affirm we do not have the grounds to insist upon it dogmatically. Second, I will respond with regards to the age being thirteen. The one absolutely gaping problem is that scripture never in any way explicitely teaches a doctrine of "age of accountability." There are texts from which we infer that teaching, but nowhere can we point to a text and say that scripture was there specifically trying to teach us that children of a certain age go to heaven when they die. All passages are of the nature of the one in 2 Samuel which while we may look at them and have some grounds for hope, we certainly can't dogmatically assert such a doctrine. So then, if we can not dogmatically assert that scripture even teaches a doctrine of the age of accountability, how absolutely irresponsible it is of us to extend our speculation so far as to try to name an exact age! How can you argue that it must clearly be the age of thirteen, when you can not defend the doctrine even exists adiquately? Lets go one step further. What is to be gleaned from arguing a specific age? Nothing is gained except the risk of causing parents to be lax in their "laboring until Christ is formed" in them. I will state here what I will continue to teach in the Church which I pastor. We will extend the age of accountability as a comfort to a grieving parent, but we will never extend it as a comfort and a reason to be lax to the parent of a living child! May we stive mightily in the preaching of the gospel to our children! In Christ, Beja |
||||||