It is a common belief that our characters are established by the time we are three years old. And that many Christians believe that eight is the age when a person truly knows right from wrong and can be held accountable for his or her actions, although there is no Scriptural basis for this.

On March 17, 2011, according to The Wellington Daily News, several juveniles at the Middle School in Wellington, Kansas were found to be in possession of illegal drugs and had to find out the hard way what would happen when they broke the law.

Teresa Lee wrote in her article that “A 13 year-old boy has been referred to juvenile court for distributing certain illegal drugs and possession of illegal drugs, while a 15 year-old boy and 14 year-old boy have also been referred for possession of certain illegal drugs.”

Later, “on Sunday…juveniles were found in a car, parked in a driveway, ‘huffing chemicals.’  [An] officer later determined the juveniles, described as high school aged, were ingesting canned air, similar to those used that dust off computers and other electronic equipment.”

It should seem that juveniles would know right from wrong. That is not always the case since much depends on the home environment, peer pressure, or other influences. Still, considering how much information is available, through television, movies, and the Internet, it is amazing to find so many of our youths ignoring what they have learned and going with what they feel like doing. This is self in a nutshell.

Did you know that Scripture says that each one of us will be held accountable for what we do during our lives? That ignorance of the law is no excuse? (Leviticus 4:27)

One thing to note is that, if we are believers, we are not to obey man’s law if it violates God’s law. God’s law is supreme and something we should always keep in mind. Usually one’s conscious will help us dictate on this matter. So if you are troubled by something you have done or intend to do, think twice about it and seek God on the matter. He will never lead you astray. And you will feel much better in the end.

“We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” (Romans 13:1 KJV)

“‘… Ignorance of the law excuses no man; not that all men know the law; but because ’tis an excuse every man will plead, and no man can tell how to confute him.’ John Selden (1584-1654), posthumously published in Table Talk, 1689…”

For more information:

http://www.wellingtondailynews.com/news/x1777825671/Wellington-juveniles-busted-for-drugs

http://www.bibleserralta.com/IgnoranceExcuseSin.html

http://www.rbs2.com/cc.htm

http://www.truthinlove.com/analogies/law_of_man_vs_law_of_god.htm

http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/X0516_Terry_-_Gods_Law_is_.html

http://www.learnthebible.org/the-age-of-accountability.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/05/030513075924.htm

http://www.ourcivilisation.com/decline/chldhd.htm

http://www.gotquestions.org/laws-land.html

http://www.openbible.info/topics/personal_responsibility

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_of_age


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