November 19, 2010

Tonight I read D&C 29:40-50. I was very intrigued by verses 46-48. It says that little "children cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me." I wanted to find the scripture that says children are accountable before God when they are eight years old. I found the scripture I was look for in D&C 68:25, 27, but it doesn't say quite exactly what I thought. It says in verse 27 that "children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when they are eight years old." The earlier scripture said that little children cannot sin, yet this scripture says children are baptized for the remission of their sins. So I believe this means that the actual "age of accountability" is sometime BEFORE age eight. I really don't think it is any time before three years old, but at some point, when "little children" turn into "children" they become accountable before God. I always thought that children weren't accountable UNTIL age eight, but I don't think that is truly the case. In fact, in D&C 68:25 it also mentions "age eight," but not in reference to the child being accountable. Rather, it refers to the parents, basically giving a deadline to the parents that if they haven't taught their children to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the time a child turns eight, then the PARENT is accountable and it is considered a sin on their part. It's important to note that the parents this deadline is given to is "parents that have children in Zion." So from what I've read tonight, I've learned that the age of accountability comes before age eight, at some point, and it is probably different from individual to individual. I learned that parents in Zion are expected to help their children understand the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, and that they have until their children are eight years old to teach them that.

I find great comfort in knowing that Satan is not allowed to tempt my sweet little son at this point in his life. And also, for that very reason, I feel a great responsibility to instill in his heart righteous principles and to help him establish a pattern of obedience so that the foundation is strong from his youth and cannot be tampered with. These early years are so vital in accomplishing the Lord's work in my role as mother to help my children learn to walk in His ways. This is not the time to allow distraction to take over. I must be vigilant and teach and live by example while my children are still before their age of accountability because then they cannot be tempted by Satan.