I have a bit of pity for the working-world at large. For those who are finished with their education there is some measure of sadness, because I am not sure that you are allowed any longer to experience what it is that I am experiencing right now. The euphoria of taking that last test, turning in that last paper or attending that last class of the semester is like nothing I have experienced. It is not earth shattering, not like having a baby or getting married; let us keep it in its proper perspective, but there is the feeling of a great weight being lifted from your shoulders. Literally, your steps become immediately lighter, your thoughts brighten, and, in general, you feel as if the world is once open. Without question, these possibilities will be tempered with reality, the next month off will not be nearly what you think it will, concerns and deadlines of different varieties will take precedence, but you cannot think of that at a moment like this. For now, absolute joy.
Logical Fallacy
To open up a completely different can of worms, I have been troubled by something that I heard at church on Sunday morning during a baby dedication. Let me me begin with the prefatory-caviat that I am not arguing what Scripture does or does not say. I realize that faith is dependent upon belief in the absurd (ala Kierkegaard), but this is often entirely contrary to logic. Scripture speaks to three-day-old corpses being raised from the dead and ascending to heaven, but one cannot argue that this is consistent with reality-at-large. The miraculous aside, for that is an entirely different arena that need not be discussed here, there are certain doctrines that occasionally seem equally puzzling to my finite mind.
More to the point, on Sunday, while two babies were being prayed over by their parents' pastor, there was a phrase uttered that caught me a little off guard. It is not as if I had never heard such a thing, but it never resonated quite the same way as it did at that moment. His wording I cannot remember, but he made clear his stance that these babies were already covered in sin and in need of redemption one day. Perhaps he was not saying that they were already enmeshed in sinfulness, but he was indeed certain, as were all those in attendance, that they would be.
My problem with this is minor. Once again, laying aside Scripture, because that argument must always be circular in nature, it seems inherently illogical to call those babies sinful. They cannot possibly have sinned, could they? I grant that parents say that even babies show a tendency towards selfishness, vanity...etc, but is this sin? They have no rational thought nor conscience, so they cannot be held accountable for their actions any more than we might hold one accountable for one's fantasies while dreaming.
Even if the likelihood is that they will sin one day, and that is hardly arguable, the simple fact is that they have not yet, and therefore they should not yet be branded as sinners. It is like convicting someone who mutilates an animal as a child as a murderer, because statistically those who engage in the one act also engage in the other.
There is nothing theological or proven about this, I am too tired and lazy for that today, but it is stewing in my mind.
Logical Fallacy
To open up a completely different can of worms, I have been troubled by something that I heard at church on Sunday morning during a baby dedication. Let me me begin with the prefatory-caviat that I am not arguing what Scripture does or does not say. I realize that faith is dependent upon belief in the absurd (ala Kierkegaard), but this is often entirely contrary to logic. Scripture speaks to three-day-old corpses being raised from the dead and ascending to heaven, but one cannot argue that this is consistent with reality-at-large. The miraculous aside, for that is an entirely different arena that need not be discussed here, there are certain doctrines that occasionally seem equally puzzling to my finite mind.
More to the point, on Sunday, while two babies were being prayed over by their parents' pastor, there was a phrase uttered that caught me a little off guard. It is not as if I had never heard such a thing, but it never resonated quite the same way as it did at that moment. His wording I cannot remember, but he made clear his stance that these babies were already covered in sin and in need of redemption one day. Perhaps he was not saying that they were already enmeshed in sinfulness, but he was indeed certain, as were all those in attendance, that they would be.
My problem with this is minor. Once again, laying aside Scripture, because that argument must always be circular in nature, it seems inherently illogical to call those babies sinful. They cannot possibly have sinned, could they? I grant that parents say that even babies show a tendency towards selfishness, vanity...etc, but is this sin? They have no rational thought nor conscience, so they cannot be held accountable for their actions any more than we might hold one accountable for one's fantasies while dreaming.
Even if the likelihood is that they will sin one day, and that is hardly arguable, the simple fact is that they have not yet, and therefore they should not yet be branded as sinners. It is like convicting someone who mutilates an animal as a child as a murderer, because statistically those who engage in the one act also engage in the other.
There is nothing theological or proven about this, I am too tired and lazy for that today, but it is stewing in my mind.
There is no way you can lay scripture aside in reference to this. You are referencing a pastor of a Bible believing church who holds to scripture as authoritative in regards to man's relation to God. Scripture IS God's specific revelation which tells us our standing before a holy God, without which we cannot know that we are fallen. Without scripture we can logically assume that there is a God, but we cannot know the nature of that God unless he tells us. Furthermore, we cannot even know our own nature unless our creator tells us who we are.
That being the case, Romans 5:19 - "...by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners..." and other passagases surrounding this one, we know that we all sinned in the first man. We are now fallen and sinful. Sinfulness is not a byproduct of sin, rather sin is a byproduct of who we are - sinners. Sin is the result, not the cause.
I would agree with your pastor that babies, though having never committed a sin, are already covered in sin through Adam because that is how God presents it to us in the bible.
"Suffer not the little children for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
I believe there is a certain age
of accountability, and I do not believe that begins at birth.
I do not know the exact age when our minds can completely comprehend right from wrong, and also realize that one does have the choice of self-control over the flesh that drives one to sin. Some say it is 7, and others have said 12 or 13. I do know that but the Lord knows. In my own experience of raising children I have seen through my first born that her recognition began around 6 and is growing more into the age of 8. She wanted to be baptised and is now maturing spiritually daily. Zoe is now asking to be baptized and she is 6. She is also growing into the knowledge of our Lord and seeking to grow her personal spiritual life with Jesus. Caleb is 5 and speaks much of His Lord and being His servant.
I think maybe the age of accountability is different for all of us. We all age in fleshly years at the same rate....but in our spirit we grow in different seasons. Some do not have the benefit of Godly parents to teach them the way of living through the spirit rather than the flesh. Some do not have the priviledge of spiritual mentors or shepherds that lead them to the path of righteousness at a young age. God takes all of these factors into account. It is not His will that any should be lost and I do believe He grows every human being into His image in due time.
However there is the condition that one has to submit their flesh under His spirit and be willing to change. He will call out all, but there has to be submission under His spirit at some point in the time one has been given on earth. The only unforgiveable sin is the rejection of God's holy spirit. Every one ever born is given this opportunity wether at 1yr. or at 100 years old. It is God's timing not our own. He chose us not the other way around. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He orders all of our steps. He is sovereign God after all.
Babies are born in a fallen world. They are born seeing and living in the flesh. They are born under the curse released after Adam and Eve sinned, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. He defeated the curse and overcame death itself. He released all of mankind from the curse of sin...but it is up to the individual to receive this gift and believe through faith that he is clothed in the righteousness of God through the gift of Jesus. When a person can spiritually comprehend God's provision of freedom from the curse of sin and recognize his or her participation of sin and their own need for redemption, I believe he has reached the age of accountability. God is righteous and merciful and His judgments are good. Again it is not His will that ANY should be lost. He is always speaking and is surrounding every human being with His spirit continuously until their very last breath. I believe every one has a chance for salvation from the prince of England to the aboriginie in the African desert.
Obviously a baby cannot comprehend any of this yet so they are not and would not be held accountable for the ignorance of their need of a saviour by our Lord Jesus. They are given special provision by our Father. His heart is tender towards our little ones. Just reading the gosples we can see how many times Jesus mentions children and how awesome they are. He even said "It would be better for a milestone to be tied around a man's neck and thrown into the sea than if he causes any of these little ones to fall." He watches out for them believe me. I take His words seriously and take special care of the children He has put under my care in my household, mother's day out, and at sunday school where I teach. Those are His kids and He desires the kingdom to be revealed to them.
That is why it is sooooo vitally important to teach these kids the concept of walking in the spirit led by Jesus Christ rather than walking in the flesh in the world. These children need a shepherd now more than ever before. There are sooo many voices speaking to them via the internet, television, radio, video games, I-Pods, radio, newspapers, teachers, preachers with their doctrines of behaviour, etc. etc. etc. Our children are confused and lost in the voices speaking so many different truths. IT is our responsibilty as disciples of Jesus to teach them and point the way to the light of truth in Jesus Christ and His wisdom. To show them they have a heavenly shepherd that will never leave them and who gave His very life for them so that they could live a life to the fullness provided by His death and ressurection.
That is why a say No to empty philosophies of obviously anti-faith men. Confusion and smoke in mirrors only misleads them to other paths that can only lead to deceit and dispair. Point to the way to living life daily through Jesus, dieing daily, killing the flesh that leads to sin daily, and simply being led by the spirit of truth daily. Point to truth and hope in this world of wars and rumors of wars, pestilance and famine, earthquakes in diverse places, nations rising against nation. Point to divine and miraculous protection in this era of threats of WW3 and nuclear bombs. Point to power against the enemy that surrounds us at every corner. This generation needs it. They need the truth and manifestion of God's power and glory in their life.
How can the little ones know if we do not teach them? It is our responsilbity. Our burden as the older generation. Our mandate given to us by God. Teach them, lead them to me He says. Show them the way and when they are older they shall not turn from it.
You say it is disturbing how these kids find disdain in literature both classical and modern. I find it distrubing that today only 4% of our kids are being churched. And by church I do not speak of religion i.e.Going to church every time the door is open and tithing to a building. Nonsence I say. That is the religion of the pharassies. I speak of being led by the voice of Jesus Christ daily...in every circumstance of every day. I speak of freedom of the curse by the power of the holy spirit in our very mind and body!
Do we tell these kids they can hear the voice of God, not through a preacher but through the word of God and prayer? Do we tell them they can have the power of God in their hands if they would only seek to know Him personally? Do we tell them that they have a life destined for them as great as the people written of in the bible? Did not Jesus say..."You shall do even greater works than these you have seen me do?"
Are they just words or do we BELIEVE them? This is the Harry Potter generation. This is the generation that sees power and wonders and desire to aquire them. They are tired of life as usual. They are sick of the mundane. Books at school have become boring and meaningless. The bible stories have become stale. They desire power. They desire evidence. They desire the super-natural that the church has not yet in my own experience began to provide but now the world is offering out at every corner.
Why is this generation un-churched? Why do they sleep through school? They are bored and want more. I know as a teenager I felt the same. What's the point of all this? What do you care teacher of me of my life and pain? Why should I read this book simply to pass a test...what on earth does it benefit me in my life? What fruit does any of it produce? What is the point?
Our kids are dissensitised and restless and yes neglected by parents that live at work. They want more and we had better step up and show them there is more than this provential life or the world and it's answers will do it for us.
There is magic and power. We'd better teach them of the manipulation of power of evil and the righteousness of good and of God's glory. We'd better teach them that God is supernatural and has the power to even raise the dead.
Nonsense and weird? Whatever. The bible says that the word of God is foolishness to man, but I do not care. The foolishness of God confounds the wisdom of man.
I stand up for the supernatural. I stand up for miracles. I stand for freedom of sin and am called to teach these little ones they are free from the curse that sin brings and can have everything God promises in His word if only they would believe.
These kids have the power of belief. They believe honestly and truly in Santa Clause. I did. I honestly believed because my parents and teachers told me. What if we taught them the super-natural power of God which is truth?! What if we say "Hey there is life out there...not aliens as the world says but demonds and angels?" What if we said "Jesus walked on water so can you!" What if we said...."If you had the faith of a mustard seed you could speak to this MOUNTAIN and it would be removed!" What if we said "Hey, you can heal cancer by the touch of your hand and word of your prayer that lines up with the word of God!" What if we said "You can feed 5,000 with a loaf of bread and some fish?" What if we could just believe what Jesus said and did? What if.
I tell you what the kingdom of God belongs to children because they believe without question, and I have witnessed miracles in my own children because of that very fact. Natalie was overcome by His holy spirit and has a prayer language. She was delivered from asthma at camp and now is a vessel in which the Lord indwells and uses her. Zoe said she opened her mouth one day and she began to speak in tongues....and Caleb has had dreams and seen visions of Christ. They believe and they have the kingdom inside of them. GLORY!
People may call me crazy but I am past the point, finally, of not caring what man thinks of me. A bondage I have carried all my life to please man has been released from me. I believe His word, and I believe we have been given the power that Jesus Christ said He could appoint to us through His spirit.
I have not yet accomplished all that I believe He has in store for me but I am growing. My fervrent prayer in life is that my children will have the fullness of Jesus Christ and His power manifested in their lives for the Glory of God our Father. I pray for these kids being raised in day-cares and schools. I pray for these teachers given the responsibility to teach over a 100 children a day which I do not believe was ever supposed to be. Kids get lost in the crowd, I know because I was one. It is not possible to properly disciples over a hundred kids...it is not possible to properly disciple people in these mega churches of thousands of people. Jesus Christ himself only chose 12, and then there were only 4 intimate friends out of those 12.
My point is....no more church as usual....no more school as usual. There is a higher calling and a greater annointing awaiting this generation like never before. The bible says that in the last days He will POUR out His spirit like never before..."Your children will dream dreams, your old men will see visions, your women shall prophesy"(not necessarily in that order mind you :-) _ I receieve that promise and I pray that all who hear His call will as well.
I pray for you as a teacher and the annointing I know God has given you to teach. I pray that while teaching concepts of truth through literature that you can sneak in how it parallels with the truth of God. I know God has appointed you for a time such as this Michael and you are in the preparation stage of the ultimate goal He has for you in your life. Hold on to the promise you heard Him speak to you those many years ago. Don't be discouraged. It was a seed and is is being cultivated and grown as you walk daily in your life. Hold onto Him and you will not be ashamed.
With love and prayers to you and yours.
Cami
I appreciate your comments always, Cami.