Grace Evangelical Society

P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202
  • About
    • Home
    • Beliefs
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
  • Resources
    • Grace in Focus Blog
    • Grace in Focus International Blogs
    • Grace in Focus Radio
    • Grace in Focus Magazine
    • Free eBooks
    • Journal of the GES
    • Book Reviews
    • Partners in Grace Newsletter
    • Audio Messages
    • Videos
    • Email Subscription
    • Bookstore
    • Online Tracts
  • Store
    • Main Page
    • On Sale
    • Return Policy
    • Your Cart
    • Your Account
  • Events
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • Free Grace Church and Bible Study Tracker
    • Free Grace Jobs
    • Ministry Links
  • Donate
    • One Time Donation
    • Monthly Donation
    • Your Account
  • Search
Home
→
Blog
→
The Rapture and the Age of Accountability

The Rapture and the Age of Accountability

November 24, 2020 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Age of accountability, are children raptured with their parents?, the Rapture and the age of accountability

Martin asks a question that deals with the Rapture but also applies to the gift of everlasting life: 

The age of accountability is always mentioned when dealing with the death of a child or someone with mental disabilities.  In 1 Thess 4:17, does the harpazō [catching up, i.e., the Rapture] include those who have not reached the age of accountability?

First, does the Bible teach that there is an age of accountability? Yes, it does. The clearest example is found when the new nation of Israel sent in a dozen spies when they were at Kadesh Barnea. Because they listened to the ten unbelieving spies, everyone twenty and over died over the next thirty-eight years, except for the two believing spies, Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:29ff.). None of those people were allowed into the Promised Land.

All those under age twenty got to go into the Promised Land. That is telling.

There is no other text that gives us an age of accountability. I think it is twenty. But it could be thirteen or ten or it might vary from child to child. Many think it is the age at which a child can distinguish between fantasy and reality. But remember Kadesh Barnea.

Second, there is a general principle in the Bible that God does not hold people accountable for that which they are unable to do. So, we know that small babies and infants who die will not be eternally condemned. However, the principle from Kadesh Barnea is that God is much more gracious than that. Most likely even teens who die before coming to faith in Christ will not be eternally condemned. (I know some of you are gasping at this point. How could God be that gracious? Well, He was at Kadesh Barnea. But we do not have a clear statement other than that, so maybe the age of accountability is younger than that.)

Third, another principle of Scripture is that only those who believe in Jesus gain everlasting life (e.g., John 3:16; 5:39-40). Therefore, I would say that anyone who dies before the age of accountability (or people who never gained the mental capacity to believe) will not simply be given everlasting life. Possibly God makes an exception in their case since He would not condemn those unable to believe. But I think there is a more likely solution.

Fourth, we know from Scripture that many people died and then were raised from the dead and in some cases lived for years after that. There are at least three recorded incidents of people that Jesus raised from the dead who lived again in natural bodies, and one of them was a pre-teen (Jairus’s daughter was twelve years old). Quite possibly Jairus’s daughter or the widow of Nain’s son were unbelievers. An unbeliever given more time to live is given more time to come to faith and be born again.

I think that tens or hundreds of millions of people will be raised at the start of the Millennium in natural bodies. They will be given a chance to live out their natural lives and to come to faith in Christ. What a great time to come to faith, when Jesus is physically present on earth and ruling! Those who come to faith will gain everlasting life. Of course, I may be wrong. Maybe God simply gives them all everlasting life and glorified bodies (or everlasting life and natural bodies). But I think it more likely that they will be given the opportunity to come to faith in Christ, be born again, and then lay up eternal treasure.

Fifth and finally, the same principle applies to the Rapture. We have examples from the OT of children who were delivered from tribulation with their parents. I am thinking of Noah’s three sons and daughters–in–law and Lot’s daughters. That suggests God will do the same with the children of believers at the Rapture. It is inconceivable to me that God would orphan the children of believers to go through the Tribulation without their parents.

Of course, in my view they do not gain everlasting life at that time. If they are believing children, then they already have it. But if they are not yet believers, then I suggest that they will be with their parents for seven years (which likely will seem like seven minutes) and then will go into the Millennium with natural bodies. If they come to faith in Christ during the Millennium, they will gain everlasting life.

I realize that there is a lot of speculation in my answer. That is because the Scriptures do not come right out and say, This is what happens to children who die before age twenty or This is what happens to children under age twenty when their believing parents are raptured. We have to speculate based on principles established in Scripture.

Martin, I hope you find that helpful.

Subscribe by Email

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
Bob_W

by Bob Wilkin

Bob Wilkin (ThM, PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary) is the Founder and Executive Director of Grace Evangelical Society and co-host of Grace in Focus Radio. He lives in Highland Village, TX with his wife, Sharon. His latest books are Faith Alone in One Hundred Verses and Turn and Live: The Power of Repentance.

If you wish to ask a question about a given blog, email us your question at ges@faithalone.org.

Cart

Recently Added

February 6, 2023

What is the Difference in the “Follower of Jesus” and “Believer in Jesus”? Aren’t “Follower” and “Believer” Basically Synonyms? Also: Does Romans 11:35 Contradict the Doctrine of Eternal Rewards?

Welcome to Grace in Focus radio. Today and all this week, Ken Yates and Bob Wilkin are answering questions from listeners like you. What is...
February 6, 2023

Saving the Lost (Luke 19:9) 

In Luke 19:1-9, we find the well-known story of a short, but rich, man named Zacchaeus. We are all familiar with the story, and with...
February 3, 2023

Romans–Part 05–The Solution

Welcome to Grace in Focus radio. Today, Kathryn Wright and Ken Yates conclude this short series as they get to the good part of the...

Grace in Focus Radio

All Episodes

Listen to Stitcher

Listen on Spotify

Grace In Focus Magazine

Grace In Focus is sent to subscribers in the United States free of charge.

Subscribe for Free

The primary source of Grace Evangelical Society's funding is through charitable contributions. GES uses all contributions and proceeds from the sales of our resources to further the gospel of grace in the United States and abroad.

Donate

Bookstore Specials

  • Inerrancy for Dummies $7.95 $5.00
  • Here Walks My Enemy: The Story of Luis (Hardcover) $13.95 $5.00
  • The Journey of Faith $15.00 $9.00
  • Grudem Against Grace: A Defense of Free Grace Theology $15.00 $10.00
  • Here Walks My Enemy: The Story of Luis (Paperback) $6.95 $3.00
Grace Evangelical Society

(940) 270-8827 / ges@faithalone.org

4851 S I-35E Suite 203, Corinth, TX 76210
P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube