When is a young person ready to obey the gospel and become a Christian? This can be a challenging question to answer. It is tricky because the Bible doesn’t give a specific age of accountability. Instead, it varies from person to person.

We need to address three groups of people as we explore what the Bible teaches about this critical topic.

Young People

  • You were born innocent and sinless (Ezekiel 18:4; Matthew 19:13-15).
  • There comes a time when that innocence goes away.
  • The accountable person has the ability reason and think (Isaiah 1:18).
  • The accountable person can know right from wrong (Deuteronomy 1:39; Hebrews 5:14). He feels a sense of guilt in his God-given conscious when he does something sinful (2 Corinthians 7:9; Acts 2:37).
  • The accountable person can understand the gospel. He understands what the Bible teaches about sin (Romans 3:23; 6:23). He also understands God’s part in his salvation (Ephesians 2:8; John 3:16; Romans 5:8-9).
  • The accountable person can obey the gospel (Hebrews 11:6; Luke 13:3; Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38; Luke 9:28).

Parents

  • We don’t want to pressure our children. God wants people to obey the gospel willingly (Acts 2:37).
  • We don’t want to discourage our children either. This could kill zeal and desire to serve God!
  • We want to help them. God has given us the primary responsibility to help them come to know Him (Genesis 18:19; Ephesians 6:4). This requires that we listen, ask questions, and study the word of God with them to determine if they are truly at the age of accountability.

What can the local church do?

  • Pray! Pray for all of the parents and young people who are currently working through this critical matter. Pray that God will bless and help them make wise decisions.
  • Encourage! Encourage all the youth who make the decision to give their lives to the Lord.
  • Celebrate! Rejoice with the angels even when young sinners decide to have their sins washed away by the blood of Jesus (Luke 15:1-10).

Conclusion:

Praise God for the young people who have hearts to serve Him!