Question
Do children need to be saved to go to heaven? At what age does a child become accountable for their sins?
Answer
To begin with, let us first ask the question, “Why do we need to be saved?” The answer of course is, sin. It is being guilty of sin that causes the wrath of God to be justifiably placed against us.
1JOHN 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
COL 3:5 ¶ Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. COL 3:6 For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, COL 3:7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
The question now would be, “Are babies guilty of sin?” The answer is NO. Sin is a conscience choice made by responsible human beings who know right from wrong and decide to do what is wrong. True, we are deceived many times into sinning, but still it is our choice, just like it was the choice of Adam and Eve in the beginning. Babies do not have the ability to make such choices. They are not guilty of sin. further, they are not guilty of Adam’s or anyone else’s sins. Each of us must bear responsibility for our own sins.
GEN 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
DEU 1:39 ‘Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them, and they shall possess it.
EZE 18:20 “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
Therefore, we must conclude that since children have not sinned and are not guilty of anyone else’s sins, they are in a position of being in an acceptable relationship with God and would be with the Lord if they should die in that condition.
When do children become sinners? Simply put, when they learn and practice sin. Sin is something we learn to do, not something we inherit or contract as if it were a contagious disease. We learn to sin. When we do, whatever age that is, we become accountable to God for our actions.
Thankfully, when we become sinners, God, by His grace, has given us the way by which we can be saved. If we believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection, repent of our sins, confess Him as the Son of God before men and are baptized (immersed) in water for forgivingness of sins, we can be saved from the wrath to come.
ACT 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ– this Jesus whom you crucified.”
ACT 2:37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
ACT 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
ACT 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.
By Gary Hunt
