The age of accountability

The doctrine of an “age of accountability” is as old as the foundations of the world and was taught to and accepted by Adam himself. On the 5th of April, 1831, as Joseph Smith was translating the 17th Chapter of Genesis, Verse 11, he was inspired with the following insight concerning The Lord’s covenant with Abraham:

"And I will establish a covenant of circumcision with thee, and it shall be my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations; that thou mayest know for ever that children are not accountable before me until they are eight years old" (italics added).

We can readily infer that since Abraham was informed of the age at which children become accountable, Adam was also aware of this doctrine. John A. Widtsoe says:

“Adam was taught the gospel, was baptized received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and was ordained to the Priesthood. While details are not given, the inference seems justified that the father of the human race received a knowledge of the fulness of the gospel and all its gifts. We know that he was ordained a presiding high priest.
Adam taught the gospel to his children and his children's children. Upon those who were worthy he conferred the Holy Priesthood. The gospel with its principles and practices, its Priesthood and powers, was generally known among the people of Adam's long day.” (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations)

We can therefore assume that Adam baptized his children at the “age of accountability” because he knew at what age children became accountable.

In chapter 8 of Moroni, Moroni shares a letter from his father, Mormon, written, as Moroni tells us, shortly after his call to the ministry. Mormon tells his son in detail about the exaltation of little children who have not reached the age of accountability: Again, Mormon does not define the proper age. Perhaps this principle was so well understood in his time that further definition was not needed. In verses 11-17, he says:

"And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins."
But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!
Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell.
Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell.
For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism.
Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.
And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation."

In verse 12, we learn that little children have not been held accountable “even from the foundation of the world” – another corroboration of the fact that Adam knew of the “age of accountability.”

So little children have always and eternally been held blameless until they reach the age when they are accountable to the Lord for their actions. King Benjamin understood this principle although he did not define the “age” of accountability either. As with Mormon, perhaps this doctrine was well understood. He said. “,,,and the infant perisheth not that dieth in his infancy” (Mosiah 3:18), and again “And little children also have eternal life.” (Mosiah 15:25)

The Savior understood this principle perfectly. In Mark 10: 13-14, 16 we learn that He reacted strongly when his disciples tried to keep the little children from him:

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God … And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

In this dispensation, this truth was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and perhaps because the truth of this most benevolent of doctrines was lost through the apostasy, it was necessary for him to define carefully what is meant by the age of accountability. This principle was first revealed to him on the 5th of April, 1831, (See the discussion of Joseph Smith’s translation of Genesis 17:11 above.) but was not canonized in modern scripture until November of 1831.
The date of this translation is significant because it gives us the earliest date at which Joseph understood fully the principle of accountability – at least 5 months before Section 68 was given.
In D and C 20:71, given in April of 1830, the Lord informs Joseph that:

”No one can be received into the Church of Christ unless he has arrived unto the years of accountability before God, and is capable of repentance.”

Yet the proper age remained unrevealed.

The first mention in modern scripture of the state of little children in the eternities can be found in D&C 29:46-47, given in September of 1830:

But behold, I say unto you, that little children are redeemed from the foundation of the world through mine Only Begotten;
Wherefore, they cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me;

Again, we are informed that “little children are redeemed from the foundation of the world through mine Only Begotten” –evidence also that they are redeemed through the atonement. Still, the age at which children begin to become accountable was not then defined. However, Section 68: verse 25, given in November of 1831, finally does clearly define the age at which children become accountable.

And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, [italics added] the sin be upon the heads of the parents.

This doctrine of an “age of accountability” is part of the larger doctrine of accountability for sin -- we are each accountable for our own actions while we are in mortality. In relation to our own salvation, King Benjamin counsels us that we must “… becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19) -- before we can enter the Celestial Kingdom and dwell eternally with our Father-in-Heaven and the Savior. Even as little children are not accountable, so we are accountable. Mormon understood this doctrine -- he said that parents must “humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children.” (Moroni 8:10) Christ himself confirmed the need to prepare ourselves to receive eternal life by becoming as little children, he said:

“Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. (Mark 10:15)

Just as the rest of the ancient gospel was restored in this dispensation, so this basic yet profound doctrine was restored in fullness and refutes eternally and unequivocally Satan’s apostate counterfeit – that little children must be baptized to remove the stain of Adam’s original transgression. The burden of the transgression in the Garden was removed by Christ’s atonement.. He broke the bands of death and provided resurrection as a free gift to all those who have ever dwelt on the earth,

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor 15:22)

Mormon quotes Christ as follows:

“Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me…” (Moroni 8:8).

Because of the atonement, little children remain as innocent and incapable of sin today as they were at the “foundations of the world.”