I have found that non-accountability is difficult to prove for all Children born or otherwise. Although I believe they will be in the rapture along with the Saints. My reason for this belief is the nature of a loving and Just God. There is an age of accountability usually around 12 in the Hebrew culture. I have been unable to find anything else to establish it as a fact as to how it will be for them in the rapture, or even if they die before that.
I can only say that God has been more than fair in forgiving my own sins and saving me. What reason could He possibly have for not allowing children who do not have the ability to know any better. I know God is just either way which ever is allowed.
Christ said;
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Little children are already as little children.
Mat_19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
Mat_19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
I take this to mean, If we all are as little children when we enter those gates then we all have the innocence of a child.
Children accept things so easily don't they?
MB
Yes, they do, lol.
I don't really view the quoted passage to infer innocence, because we have a principle established that there really are no "innocents" when it comes to relationship with God.
And yes, I mean babies in the womb as well.
Harsh as that sounds, let me explain why I take that view: because I do not see Scripture teaching a good works/bad works, innocent/guilty scenario, but I see Scripture teaching an equal position for all of mankind, summed up by Paul here...
Romans 3:10-12
King James Version (KJV)
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
This has been conveniently been called the Depravity of Man by some, and it is an irrefutable Doctrine in my view.
Instead, I believe that in view is the approach to Christ, which is to be one of a faith like that of a child. There is no "Age of Accountability" to be found in Scripture, only the implicit teaching of Accountability for sin.
So the first thing I would mention in trying to address this issue would be to first understand why and how God judges sin. And it is pretty simple, something we can substantiate from any passage from any era dealing with judgment of sin: God judges according to the response of the revelation provided to men (general term which includes women). We see Adam's sin judged, and that sin was in violation of the revelation provided him: "Don't eat of that one over there."
We see in every instance one becomes accountable for sin when one violates that which God has declared to be His will for man. Paul speaks of three primary means of revelation of the will of God, the internal witness He provides all men, the testimony of Creation, and the direct revelation which has come through God speaking Himself, God speaking through Prophets, and God speaking through His Word. And since revelation is progressive, we know that there is an accountability for the specific revelation of that Age.
Here...
Hebrews 10:28-29
King James Version (KJV)
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
...we see that those that reject Christ will be held more accountable than those that rejected "Moses' Law," which is the Covenant of Law, or, Mosaic Law.
We see that same principle spoken of here:
Acts 17:29-31
King James Version (KJV)
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
And here:
Romans 5:12-14
King James Version (KJV)
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
So I would suggest that no man has ever been bereft of the revelation God provides to all men, and, God will judge them according to their response to that revelation.
When we apply that to unborn babes and small children, we know that their ability to comprehend that revelation is limited.
Does this mean they are excused? A free pass to Heaven?
No, it just means that God will judge them with the same just grace He showed to men under differing economies of revelation. No-one in the Old Testament trusted in the Cross of Christ, because no-one in the Old Testament had the revelation of the Mystery of the Gospel, yet, we see men described as being justified by their faith.
So what is it, then, which we have to consider in order to make sense of this, and come to a reasonable conclusion as to the fate of children and unborn babes?
As I said, fairly simple, it is just a matter of the fact that all are born outside of relationship with God.
So for children, and unborn babes, we can say with absolute certainly that our God, Who is merciful beyond our ability to comprehend, will bestow grace to those children, just as He showed grace to men in previous Ages. By all rights King David should have gone to Hell when he died, because when he died the only offering for sin he could present was the blood of an animal. And while God prescribed and demanded that temporary atonement, those sacrifices could not redeem David from an eternal perspective.
But he didn't. Because of the grace of God.
Okay, having said all that, lol, now we get back to what happens to children in the Rapture.
I think if the above is accepted as reasonable, then we consider that the fact that just because someone hasn't sinned (the unborn babe for example) doesn't mean the root problem doesn't still exist. Even for the babe unborn in the womb there is a separation between them and God. They are not united with God as every born again believer is.
So the stage is thus: the Rapture occurs, and we have believers, unbelievers, children, and even unborn babes in both the wombs of believing mothers and the wombs of unbelieving mothers.
What happens?
And sorry, I could just say what my view is, but it's a lot more fun for things to be considered a little in the discussion.
God bless.
