Made Him to be sin

[pnattmbtc]

Me:You don't believe children can exercise faith? (cutting out the context, which is asking about children before the age of accountability)

Robert:Sure, at the age of accountability, 

The question was if children before the age of accountability could exercise faith.  You cut out the part of the question specifying that it was asking about children before the age of accountability, and then responded that children at the age of accountability could exercise faith.  Why would you do this?  Specifically, you are editing the question, either intentionally or by accident, to make it appear that it is asking something different than it is asking.  Please don't do this.

I'll assume your answer is no, children before the age of accountability cannot exercise faith.  Why would you think the age of accountability would be the same time of the age at which one could exercise faith?

Let's start out by defining terms.  Here's a common definition for the age of accountability.

The age of accountability is the idea that there is an age where an individual becomes responsible for being able to distinguish between right and wrong.

Is this an OK definition for you?  If not, you can explain what you have in mind by the term.  The only definition I can think of which would make your assertion true, that one cannot exercise faith until the age of accountability, would be one like this:

Age of accountability = The age at which one can exercise faith.

Is this what you have in mind?

[Robert]

The question was if children before the age of accountability could exercise faith.

​Speculation here is worthless....They can't, so there....

[8thdaypriest]

 

Not all the time.  That is, not all the time before the age of accountability was Jesus Christ an infant.  He was a child the rest of the time.  Surely as a child He was able to exercise faith. 

​1 Corinthians 13:11 "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child:" (KJV)

Jesus was born a human infant, who grew into a human child.  For that time - Jesus thought as a child.  Mary and Joseph taught Him.  The spirit of His Father - indwelling Him - influenced Him to act kindly toward others.  As Joseph and Mary taught Him right from wrong, the spirit within affirmed those teachings, or caused Him to ask questions.  I believe the spirit also helped Him to remember the Scriptures, and helped him to "connect the dots" for His later questioning of the rabbis, His commentary and interpretation, of the Scriptures.    If the LORD could impart wisdom to Solomon (as a gift), could He not impart greater wisdom to His own Son? 

So yes - a child may have a "childlike" faith.  There are a few examples:  Samuel was about 12 when God called him as a prophet.  The captive girl who advised her Assyrian master to seek out Elijah may have been preteen.  Joseph was 17.  Daniel was also a teenager.  John the beloved is assumed to be around 18 or 19 yrs.  David the shepherd boy was probably a teenager. 

Edited June 9, 2015 by 8thdaypriest

[pnattmbtc]

​1 Corinthians 13:11 "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child:" (KJV)

Jesus was born a human infant, who grew into a human child.  For that time - Jesus thought as a child.  Mary and Joseph taught Him.  The spirit of His Father - indwelling Him - influenced Him to act kindly toward others.  As Joseph and Mary taught Him right from wrong, the spirit within affirmed those teachings, or caused Him to ask questions.  I believe the spirit also helped Him to remember the Scriptures, and helped him to "connect the dots" for His later questioning of the rabbis, His commentary and interpretation, of the Scriptures.    If the LORD could impart wisdom to Solomon (as a gift), could He not impart greater wisdom to His own Son? 

​One could say, ""When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, I had faith as a child."  We've heard the expression "child-like faith," which bears evidence that we know that children exercise faith.