AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
The Ministry of Reconciliation is a difficult ministry because it is not widely
accepted. Those involved in bringing in the Kingdom of God and His righteousness
will not win popularity contest. The Kingdom of God thoroughly denounces any and
all man made kingdoms.
1Cr 4:20 For the kingdom of God [is] not in word, but in power.
We know that Power is God's sovereign plan to Save. The name given to God's
First Begotten Son was Jesus which means ""Jehovah is salvation"
Once again I will focus upon God the Father and His Power.
When a baby is born, he knows nothing. Most Christians would concur that if an
infant dies they go to heaven because they cannot be held accountable. I believe
you would agree with this. Christians call this the age of accountability. It
eases our mind to believe that all those babies who have been aborted are in the
arms of a loving God. For no merciful Father would hold an infant accountable
for right or wrong.
But doesn't the Bible say that we "All have sinned and come short of the glory
of God?" "If we say we have no sin we are a liar?" So who are we to twist the
scriptures around to ease our own state of mind. If one is to believe that God
is no respecter of person and if we are to believe that all are born into sin
and mortality then anyone who believes in heaven for good people and hell for
bad must condemn the infants to hell.
Where in the Bible does it state that there is an age of accountability? Can we
find a scripture, which states specifically that a child is not responsible for
their actions until they reach a certain age? Are we to go by Jewish tradition
of accountability? What is the number? Say the age of accountability is 12
(hypothetically), I am one day from my 12th birthday, and I have never repented
of my sins. I die. I get to go to heaven because I did not reach that magical
number. But say I just turned 12 and I am celebrating my birthday when suddenly
I have an aneurysm and pass away without repenting. Am I to be cast into a fiery
hell for eternity? Yesterday I was going to heaven but because I have an earthly
birthday and reach the age of accountability, I am forever thrust out of the
presence of God?
Most people speak about 12 being the age of accountability but we do not put 12
year olds in adult prisons. In the United States, you have to be 18 to vote in
elections and 21 years old to drink. What is God's age of accountability? Where
is it written? Or are we to just assume "they should have known better."
The Bible records that we will be held accountable for "every idle word we
speak." Who speaks more foolishness than a child does? Where do we draw the
line? Do we have the right to draw the line? Are we in control of instructing
God based on our moral dilemma?
We are talking about ETERNAL DESTINIES here!
How can the church just assume that children go to heaven? Is it because they
believe God's mercy extends to the weak or those who can not be instructed
because of inability's to learn, to reason etc? What does human reasoning have
to do with matters of Spiritual significance? The answer is nothing. It has
nothing to do with it. If a man uses his human nature, carnal senses, (taste,
touch, smell, sight or hearing) to be contacted by God and awakened they will
never be illuminated.
What about grown ups with learning disabilities, or people that have never heard
personally about Jesus? What happens to them? Is the church capable of
announcing judgements without scripture to support their proclamations?
I BELIEVE that infants who die or who are aborted return to God because that is
where they came from. If they could talk or had knowledge of where they were
right before they were placed in the womb by Father they would be able to tell
you all about God.
Jesus is the light, which lights every man that comes into the world! EVERY MAN!
Can you extinguish that light? You can hide it, but you cannot put it out.
All things are of God, God creates all humankind. That infant child is under the
blood of Christ as are we all for we are justified by the blood. We have no say
in our own justification. The blood was shed for the whole world and the whole
world is included in Christ. Rom 5:9 Much more then, being NOW justified by his
blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. What reconciles us to God the
Father? Is it something we do? The answer is NO! Rom 5:10 For if, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God BY THE DEATH OF HIS SON, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved BY HIS LIFE.
Hbr 9:14 How MUCH MORE shall the blood of Christ.
Look… Adam's offense threw us all into this pit of outer darkness, it gave us
amnesia and we forgot who our true Father is. Adam's offense was horrendous and
because of His failure to obey God, we all are born into mortality. But we are
not mortal because WE ARE TRULY SPIRIT! Who we really are is who that is on the
inside of us. That person is Spirit who came from God and Jesus is the light
that keeps that person alive. Now we would all agree that Adam really messed up
in a big way and it effected All people, Everywhere, BUT look at the
scripture…Rom 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; MUCH MORE
they which receive ABUNDANCE of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall
reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the
offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Because Of Jesus, we have more life than we had death in Adam. Jhn 10:10 The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that
they might have life, and that they might have [it] MORE ABUNDANTLY.
What makes it more? Because the death that effected ALL men has been swallowed
up in victory by the GREATER LIGHT of Jesus.
If you really believe that all that are not born again by the time they die are
going to be endlessly punished, then it HAS to be your responsibility to empty
your bank account NOW! Not tomorrow, but, now, pronto, this
second---immediately! You must devote ALL of your resources and your every
waking moment, your LIFE, to rescuing as many of earth's teeming billions as
possible from this fate that you sincerely believe awaits them.
You cannot prove with scripture that babies and mentally ill people go to heaven
when they die so you must use your ever waking moment to work on getting them
All saved. It is your responsibility. God has placed the work of salvation in
your hands! DO NOT sleep, DO NOT eat, and DO NOT watch t.v., go to the lake, a
theme park, etc because people are being cast alive into the unquenchable fires
of hell! Since you ACTUALLY believe in eternal punishment, doesn't it go without
saying that you should hound your RELATIVES to "get saved"? And hound them
without ceasing? Even if it means that they come to hate you and avoid you and
stop speaking to you--does it matter?
What's more important? Your retirement or your children's education---or the
ETERNAL condition of a soul? Which of these most interests God? And forget
vacation plans too. New clothes? What! With millions of eternal souls, entering
a "Christless eternity" every day? Forget clothes! You should drive the least
expensive car possible, sell you house, and empty ALL financial accounts. These
resources are needed for plane fares, gasoline, camping gear, tracts and Bibles
to reach the WORLD---now!!!
And don't forget to urge your pastor to sell the church building. (Don't most
church facilities remains empty or nearly so, week after week anyhow?) Urge that
man of God to realize that the money is needed to send out missionaries---NOW!
Furthermore, the church leadership must immediately empty their retirement and
pension funds. There are 10's of billions of dollar$ sitting in these funds
collecting interest while millions of souls are headed for Hell. Are you
investing into this life which is passing away? Or in the life to come? You WILL
be held accountable for that money the Lord has entrusted to you. If eternal
torture is the fate of men, women, and children who have not yet been born
again, how can you bear to see them slipping away into the eternal flames which
your dollars rot in mutual funds and stocks?
Are you watching television to entertain yourself? To "escape?" Christian, those
who end in Hell can NEVER escape…ever! What are you doing "entertaining"
yourself with this filth for in the first place? Do you think a God who is going
to torture the greatest portion of mankind because of sins will allow you to get
away with filling your mind with the filth of Hollywood and Madison Ave? Burn
those God-forsaken things and use that valuable time to bring in one of those 12
year olds who have been seduced away from Godly living BY those T.V. sets you
use as an "escape."
If you believe the church tradition of hell-fire, then what I've outlined above
is the very LEAST you should do to save the world's poor souls from this awful
fate. You should really be willing to lay down your very own life for the worst
enemy you have, if you REALLY believe in the church "tradition" of everlasting
punishment. Jesus laid down His live for His enemies. Shouldn't you do the same?
"Love your enemies."
Besides casting all UNbelievers into everlasting torturous flames, MOST church
denominations teach that Christians stand a good chance of being cast away
forever right along with the unbelievers of this world. Do you realize, based
upon the doctrines of most churches that a single sin makes one worthy of
endless torture? Do you know where that line of demarcation lies where you have
gone too far? Do you keep a perfect record of all your transgressions against
God and your neighbor?
STOP!
Jesus Christ is responsible for the salvation of the world. He died for
unbelievers. He died for sinners, He gave His life and shed His blood a ransom
for the many not the few. Why the MANY? Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name,
saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and
shall hate one another.
Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And
because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for
the remission of sins.
Because the MANY are sick and need Him (The great Physician) Jesus came for the
many.
Will the wicked suffer? Yes they will. We all have suffered loss. All material
things and items that we hold on to that is not of God will be removed. All of
our evil intentions, wickedness, thoughts of murder, hate, etc. All of these
things will be burned with the fire that proceeds out of the mouth of God. The
fire is the flame of His Word. Will it be painful? Yes it will. This corrective
judgement may seem harsh it may seem cruel for some will be beaten with many
stripes and others with few, but whom God loves He chastises.
This correction for the disobedient will refine the gold until every impurity
and every ounce of dross can be removed. It is God who is the potter and we are
the clay and the whole world is in His loving hands. Is He unable to mold us
into His image and His likeness? Do you believe there will be some that He gives
up on? All of these questions raised in this writing are well worth you seeking
the heart of God on the matter.
Do Not take my word for it. Don't run to your bookshelf to read the opinion of
the latest, greatest best selling author. Don't go on line and research. Don't
run to your Pastor and ask Him. Do you know what Father wants? For you to come
to Him, ask Him, cast your cares upon Him. He will answer.
Dale Thompson
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