The Age of Innocence; part of a series on the states of man from conception to your eternal state

1. The Age of
InnocenceMaud church of Christ
by Jim Bradshaw
Sunday Evening, May 4, 2014

3. Mat 18:1-6 ESV At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying,
"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (2) And calling to
him a child, he put him in the midst of them (3) and said, "Truly, I
say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never
enter the kingdom of heaven. (4) Whoever humbles himself like this
child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (5) "Whoever
receives one such child in my name receives me, (6) but whoever
causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be
better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and
to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
The Age of Innocence

4. Mat 19:13-15 ESV Then children were brought to him that he might
lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people,
(14) but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not
hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." (15) And
he laid his hands on them and went away.
The Age of Innocence

5. When Does Life
Begin?Num 5:28 ESV But if the woman has not defiled
herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall
conceive children.
Psa 139:13-14 ESV For you formed my inward parts; you knitted
me together in my mother's womb. (14) I praise you, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my
soul knows it very well.
Jer 1:5 ESV "Before I formed you in the womb I
knew you, and before you were born I consecrated
you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

6. When Does Life
Begin?Luk 1:36 ESV And behold, your relative Elizabeth in
her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the
sixth month with her who was called barren.
Luk 1:41 ESV And when Elizabeth heard the greeting
of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth
was filled with the Holy Spirit,
Luk 2:12 ESV And this will be a sign for
you: you will find a baby wrapped in
swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
In both scriptures, “baby” comes from the same
Greek word – brephos

7. Psa 51:5 ESV Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin
did my mother conceive me.
Do We Inherit Sin?
If I were to say that I was born in a field of spuds and in a potato patch
did my mother conceive me. Question would that mean that I was born
full of potatoes?
1) We are dealing with poetic language, not mean to
be scrutinized word for word.
2) Other interpretation can be gleaned for example
David is simply saying that he became just as his
mother was (as all are) at the time she conceived
him, Rom. 3:23.

8. Gen 8:21 ESV And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the
LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of
man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I
ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
Notice it says “youth” not birth. In N.T. times “youth”
meant someone up to 30 years old. With the increase ages
of time of the flood, youth may have even been older
Do We Inherit Sin?

9. Sin Requires Personal Participation
Eze 18:18-21 ESV As for his father, because he practiced extortion,
robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold,
he shall die for his iniquity. (19) "Yet you say, 'Why should not the son
suffer for the iniquity of the father?' When the son has done what is just
and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely
live. (20) The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the
iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The
righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness
of the wicked shall be upon himself. (21) "But if a wicked person turns
away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes
and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

10. Sin Requires Personal Participation
1Jn 3:4 ESV Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices
lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
Jas 4:17 ESV So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it,
for him it is sin.
When Do We Hit the Age of
Accountability?1. When we understand sin and can personalize it.
2. When we have the ability to Believe and Obey.

11. What if one dies before they
reach the Age of
Accountability?2Sa 12:20-23 ESV Then David arose from the earth and washed and
anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of
the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he
asked, they set food before him, and he ate. (21) Then his servants said
to him, "What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for
the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate
food." (22) He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept,
for I said, 'Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that
the child may live?' (23) But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I
bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."

13. Hear – Romans 10:17
Believe – Heb. 11:6; Mark 16:16
Repent – Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38
Confess – Matthew 10:32,33
Be Baptized – Acts 2:38; 22:16
Live faithfully – 1 Corinthians 15:58
Steps to Salvation