YES…Because The Young Are Innocent The Bible proclaims 2 opposing truths The young are...

YES…Because The Young Are Innocent• The Bible proclaims 2 opposing truths

• The young are innocent…knowing nothing Deut 1:39 Mt 18:3 19:14

• All are in danger of spiritually dying, perishing Jn 8:24 Lk 13:3, 5

Safety In The Innocence Of Youth

Danger Of Spiritually Dying & Perishing

When do we cease being innocent and become guilty?

Each Person

Age Time Line

YES…Because One Is Alive, Then Dead• The Bible describes one’s state before God in

2 different ways Rom 7:7-12• Apart from law, sin doesn’t exist v. 7

• Without law, “I was alive” v. 9a• Paul is not discussing when the Law was given, but

the point when he became aware of it cp. Phil 3:3-7• When the command came, “I died” v. 9b

YES…Because One Is Alive, Then Dead• The Bible describes one’s state before God

in 2 different ways Rom 7:7-12• Question: when would Paul have been alive

without the law?

• Answer: clearly before he reached the moralmaturity to understand it

YES…Because One Is Alive, Then Dead• The Bible also teaches that one is made alive

again after being dead in sin• Our own actions make us dead Eph 2:1-3

• Refutes popular error of being born in sin

• God’s mercy, Christ’s blood make us alive again Eph 2:4-5, 13

• Accomplished in N.T. baptism Col 2:11-13

YES…Because One Must Understand What It Means To Be Saved

• Salvation = a process with several steps• Baptism = the final step…it puts one into Christ

cp. Rom 6:3 Gal 3:27

• There are prerequisites to baptism

• These must all be understood

YES…Because One Must Understand What It Means To Be Saved

• Salvation = a process with several steps• One must believe Jn 8:24 Mk 16:16

• One must repent of sin Lk 13:3 Acts 2:38

• One must confess Christ as Lord Mt 10:32Rom 10:9-10

YES…Because One Must Understand What It Means To Be Saved

• Salvation = a process with several steps• There is a time when the doing of these steps

is impossible• Little children cannot comprehend them…and

are not accountable cp. 2 Cor 8:12

YES…Because One Must Understand What It Means To Be Saved

• Being in covenant with God is not like it was in the days of the O.T. covenant• 8–day olds were in covenant Gen 17:7, 9-12, 14• The N.T. covenant is not like this Heb 8:10-12• One must understand teaching Jn 6:44-45

cp. Acts 8:30

Conclusion• Is There Such An Age?• At what age does it occur?

• The age does not matter…what matters is one’s level of understanding of what God wants each of us to do to be saved