Ages of behavioral and attitudinal accountability

Last updated: 05/17/13

The Ages of Behavioral and Attitudinal Accountability What's the age of accountability? While the Bible never comes out and tells us that there even is one. Yet tradition has it at 12. However, I would like to suggest another possibility. There is not merely one age of accountability but rather four. These are the ages for having reaches expected levels of maturity: 12, 20, 30 and 50. Infants, ages 0 1, are not counted as there is not much really you can expect from them except for their love. At age 12, doing as what would be normally expect for that age, Jesus was found in the Temple doing his Father's work. His parent's had actually expected him to begin doing Joseph's trade, not Father God's trade. Jesus was technically correct, yet for a mere youth to be teaching in the temple, that would have been seen as setting the wrong example. Though technically an adult, his parents still had authority over him. He would have to wait till the next age of accountability to begin His work. Who did God hold responsible for the decision for Israel to not just up and enter the promised land? Except for Moses, Joshua and Caleb, everyone aged 20 and over at the time God spoke to them at Mount Sinai were held responsible for Israel's national rebellion against God. I would suggest that this may be a better precedence than simply entering early adulthood. Had Moses not gotten angry at the people, and not hit the rock when he was supposed to speak to it, perhaps he would have entered the promise land as well. Who were required to enter into the priesthood? All male Levis aged 30 were required to enter into the priesthood. This is also the age that Jesus begun his earthly ministry. The expectation was to have learned what's required of them to be able to immediately begin service to God. This means they were expected to teach and lead others into the worship of, and obedience to, God. Biblically speaking, 50 was not the age of retirement but rather the
Jeff Rader 1

Ages of behavioral and attitudinal accountability

Last updated: 05/17/13

age one stopped formal service (working) and begin life as a community elder. These were the ones that sat at the city gate and judged disputes and other matters. If someone was caught not acting their age, the elders would judge such things. Simply speaking, these are the levels of maturity expected by the specified ages and during the given age ranges. These ages and age ranges come from the examples of the expectations for levels of maturity as set forth in the Bible. Infants are not expected to be have any maturity. Likewise, children, those aged 2 to 11, are expected to be immature. Immaturity, in a child, is, acting one's age. However, once a child enters into early adulthood, that youthful adult is expected to now have reached specific designated level of maturity.

These are the expectations: From 0 1 (infancy): Tightly supervised No major expectations Learns to trust mommy and daddy By age 2 (entry into childhood): Expected to be able to walk unassisted Expected to be able to speak simple things Expected to be able to understand simple things Expected to obey simple instructions Expected to be able to perform simple tasks Expected to be potty trained From 2 11 (the childhood years):
Jeff Rader 2

Ages of behavioral and attitudinal accountability

Last updated: 05/17/13

Directly supervised Expected to learn the foundations of authority, boundaries and familial relations Expected to learn the foundations of faith and law Learns to relate to family, authority figures, as well as others Expected to learn family interests Expected to learn civil interests Expected to learn basic spiritual accountability and responsibility At 12 (traditional age of adult accountability) Expected to pursue family interests Expected to take on minimal personal responsibility For girls (from 12 death): Expected to be married off Expected to raise her children Expected to assist her husband as needed Expected to take care of the house Expected to work for boys: from 12 19 (the discipleship years): Moderately supervised Expected to take a wife Expected to learn civil interests Expected to learn religious interests
Jeff Rader 3

Ages of behavioral and attitudinal accountability

Last updated: 05/17/13

Expected to learn father's trade Expected to earn a living for his family Expected to learn the foundations of civil relationships Expected to learn moderate spiritual accountability and responsibility At 20 (age of conscription) Expected to serve family interests Expected to know civil interests Expected to serve national interest Expected to have moderate religious commitment Expected to take on moderate responsibility From 20 29 (the servitude years): Remotely supervised (supervised by way of administrative oversight) Expected to serve family interests Expected to serve civil interests Expected to serve religious interests Expected to earn own living Expected to respect the needs of others Expected to learn advanced spiritual accountability and responsibility Learns to relate to coworkers, as well as occupational and civil leaders. At 30 (age of entering the priesthood/ministry) Expected to have familial commitment (wife and children)
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Ages of behavioral and attitudinal accountability

Last updated: 05/17/13

Expected to have complete religious commitment Expected to take on maximum responsibility Expected to teach family interests Expected to teach civil interests Expected to teach religious interests From 30 49 (the mastery years): Expected to lead (set the example) Expected to disciple (encourage others to follow that example): Expected to teach maturity Expected to encourage maturity Expected to censure immaturity Expected to correct immaturity Expected to rebuke immaturity At 50 (age of the elder): Eligible to become administrative oversight Expected to censure all immaturity Expected to correct all immaturity Expected to rebuke all immaturity Expected to be mature No one retires. From infancy, to becoming elderly, all ages serve their purpose.

Jeff Rader