YOUR QUESTION:
Observe that not
ALL are imputed with Jesus’ righteousness whether they believe it or not, the
two actions are not comparable. Jesus’ imputation of righteousness ONLY works
with the additional requirements of faith and belief, without which you are
still damned.
- Do infant deaths go straight to hell?
- Do aborted children go straight to hell?
- Do mentally challenged people go straight to hell?
MY ANSWER:
There is something else you need to be aware of that will
explain God’s judgement on infants, the unborn or the mentally challenged. Let me take time and provide
you with all the details.
What your question
does not account for is accountability itself. Though the
Bible does not mention this explicitly, it is easy to validate this based on
scriptures that allude to this understanding. Let me provide some examples of
proof.
God’s judgement is upon those who are accountable for their choices
Rom 1:18-21 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. (20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (21) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
In the scripture
above, take note to whom the wrath of God is directed.
- men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness
- that which may be known of God is manifest
in them; for God hath shewed it unto them
- when they knew God, they glorified him not
as God
God’s judgement is
upon those who knew of God’s existence but chose to ignore Him and not worship
Him. God’s judgement is upon those who knew the manifested truth of God but
chose to reject it.
In other words, God’s
judgement is not upon those who have not known Him, or the manifested truth
about Him. Why not?
God is a righteous judge, and His justice is fair and true
The character of God
is perfect holiness, perfect righteousness, and perfect justness. The
judgements of God are perfect and so is His justice. In other words, every
person will be judged in perfect fairness and truth. We can be sure of this
according to His statutes,
Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Gen 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
People are accountable
for what they know. Since that choice is based on one’s ability to comprehend
and respond to information about God, a person becomes personally accountable
when he or she reaches a point where they have the spiritual and mental facility
to grasp the issues. This does not mean they are not sinful, but only that they
have not reached a place where they can understand.
Joh 16:8-9 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of sin, because they believe not on me;
When does accountability begin?
Since the primary
issue is the choice one makes to the revelation God has given, personal
accountability would vary and depend on one’s ability to understand the most
fundamental issues. This could be age or comprehension.
Rom 14:11-12 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. (12) So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Some say the age of
accountability could be around 12 or 13 due to this being the age when Jesus
went up to Jerusalem with his parents and was found in the temple discussing
the Law and asking questions. This was also the normal age for being received
into Judaism as a “son of the law,” which would make him a full member of the
religious community. In addition, a Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish coming-of-age
ceremony for boys, which marks their transition into adulthood and their
obligation to follow the commandments of the Torah. The ceremony is held when
the boy turns 13 years old according to the Hebrew calendar.
A scripture in Isaiah
gives an interesting accommodation for this age of accountability in the
Millennial Kingdom, where we know the age of men will be dramatically
increased. Isaiah says the following,
No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, but the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. (Isaiah 65:19-25)
Interpreting this
verse, we gather therefore that someone who dies at the age of 100 will still
be considered a child. The only reason for death at 100 years of age will be
because of judgment upon sin. (IE: Accountability age)
Jesus died for the sins of the whole world
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
The largest majority
of souls who will be saved are those who place their trust in Jesus Christ for
their salvation. They are the ones who believed on God and received the truth
He made manifest. Then there are those who might be too young or who have mental
illness and therefore do not have the accountability required to be judged.
These will be saved by God because He is just, righteous, and fair. The
scripture above confirms that Christ died for the whole world. His blood will
be applied to the lives of those who were too young or incapacitated to choose
Christ in this life.
A final word
The scriptures do not explicitly mention accountability in a similar way as it does not mention the word “rapture” or the word “trinity”. This does not mean that these theological views have no basis. The written Word alludes to these by studying line upon line and by cross referencing with other verses. Nevertheless, even if one chooses to decline the view of accountability, one cannot deny that God is the final Judge of the heart of a man. Come that day when that man stands before his Maker, God will judge that soul in perfect righteousness and justice. That judgement will be made based on what they knew concerning the existence of God and the manifest truth that He has given.
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