According to the Word of God, a person becomes an adult
when they reach the age of 20 (twenty). The word “adult,” however, is not found
in the Bible. “Adults” are referred to as “men” or “women.” An “adult” is simply
defined as “a person who is not a child.”
A person who is under the age
of 20 (twenty) is a child. The Bible refers to people from conception through
the age of 19 as children. God refers to children in the womb as “children”--not
“embryos” (children from conception through 8 weeks), or “fetuses” (children 8
weeks through birth), or “tissue.” God also explains that babies in the womb
cannot do good or evil. Romans 9:11 says, “For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil...”
The Bible also uses various
words to describe children, some of which differentiate between the ages of
them: babes, babies, infants, boys, girls, little ones, children, youths,
etc.
A boy is a male under the age of 20. A man is a male age 20 or over.
A girl is a female under the age of 20. A woman is a female age 20 or over.
The Israelites in the
Wilderness
In Numbers, chapter 14, God pronounced judgment on all the
Israelites who were 20 years old or older (except for Joshua and Caleb and their
families) because they had refused to believe Him even after all the signs and
wonders that He had done in Egypt and the wilderness on their way to the
promised land. They were sentenced to wander in the wilderness for 40 years
until they dropped dead. Numbers 14:29-30 says:
“Your carcasses shall
fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your
whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.
Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you
dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of
Nun.”
The Bible goes on to say in Numbers 14:31-33:
“But your
little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they
shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcasses, they
shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness
forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcasses be wasted in the
wilderness.”
We see from this last passage of scripture that “little
ones” is used interchangeably with and means the same thing as “children.” God
said that all the Israelites would have to spend forty years wandering in the
wilderness until all the people who were 20 years old or older--at the time of
this pronouncement by God--died. All the people who were not yet 20 years old,
who had not yet reached their 20th birthday, the “little ones,” the “children,”
would be allowed to live. However, they would have to wander for 40 years in the
wilderness before they would be allowed to enter into the promised
land.
We see here the difference that God makes between people who are 20
and over, and people who are under 20. Without a doubt, there were numerous
teenagers and other children who were just as sinful and murmured and complained
just as much as their parents. But God did not sentence them to die, as He did
the adults. The reason is that God does not hold children to the same
accountability as He does adults. I Corinthians 13:11 says:
“When I was a
child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but
when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
Children--people 19
years old and younger--think and understand like children. There are a few
exceptions. Occasionally you may meet a teenager who is very mature for their
age, and by the age of 17, 18, or 19 may seem to act like an adult. But this is
very rare, and they probably do not act like an adult in
every way. But because they are children,
and they think and act and understand like children, God does not hold them
fully accountable for their actions as He does adults. God holds adults--those
20 years of age and older--fully accountable for their own actions. But with
children, God holds them accountable on a sliding scale. A baby, of course, has
no accountability for his actions. He does not even know what he is doing. But
as that baby grows, God begins to hold that child more and more accountable for
his actions until the time when he reaches the age of 20 and is fully
accountable for his actions. This is why God allowed the children to live and
enter the promised land, but He sentenced the adults to die in the
wilderness.
Someone may ask, “Why didn’t God just strike all the adults
dead on the spot and allow the children to enter the promised land without
having to wander 40 years in the wilderness?” The answer is pretty obvious. If
all the adults were struck dead by God instantly, there would be no adults left
to raise the remaining children. At this time there were approximately 1.2
million adult Israelites. Exodus 12:37 and Numbers 11:21 explain that there were
approximately 600,000 men. Figuring approximately the same number of women, you
come to about 1,200,000 adults. If you guesstimate how many children there were,
you will come to a number far above 2 million children! This number not only
would include the teenagers and younger children, but it would also include
numerous infants who were being breastfed at the time. God was not about to kill
off the parents and leave over 2 million children orphans. However, before Moses
interceded for the children of Israel (Numbers 14:13-19), God was going to wipe
them all out--including the children (Numbers
14:11-12).
You will also notice in the Bible that whenever God numbered
the people, whether it was for a census, for military reasons, or whatever, He
counted the people who were 20 years old and older. (Exodus 38:26; Numbers
chapter 1; II Chronicles 31:17; Ezra 3:8) This is significant because the age of
20 signifies adulthood. God wanted the adults counted.
God did
not allow children to enter the military. It is unfortunate that in this
country, the United States of America, 18 and 19 year old children are allowed
to enter the military. This is something that we, Christians, need to work to
change. Our country--as well as all countries of the world--should have laws
that prohibit children from being in the military. The military is definitely
something that is only for adults.
The Blind Man of John, Chapter
9
Let’s look at John, chapter 9, verses 1-3, paying special
attention to the word man, remembering that a
man is a male who is 20 years old or
older:
“And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his
birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or
his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man
sinned, nor his parents...”
The Word of God is telling us here (among
other things) that this person had been blind for
at
least 20 (twenty) years, because he had been blind from his birth
and was now an adult. The story goes on to explain how Jesus healed the man so
that he could see. Then in verse 21 the man’s parents said:
“...he is of
age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.”
By putting these passages of
scripture together, we see that a “man” is a person who is of age and can speak
for himself. This would also be true of a “woman.” A “woman” is a person who is
of age and can speak for herself. In other words, a person must be 20 years of
age to speak for himself or herself. If a person is not yet 20, they are under
the authority of their parents, and their parents speak for
them.
Parents Disciplining and Children
Obeying
Understanding that a person ceases being a child and
becomes an adult at age 20 is very important to the Christian. The Word of God
commands parents to discipline their children, and commands children to obey
their parents in the Lord. (Proverbs 22:6, 15; Ephesians 6:1) If a Christian
does not know at what age a person becomes an adult, then how would a parent
know when his child is too old to be disciplined? When would a child know that
he is no longer a child and does not have to obey his parents any more? Surely,
we cannot rely on the heathen governments of the world to tell us! And different
governmental bodies set different ages for “adulthood.” So if a person of a
particular age is standing within the borders of one government, they would be
classified as an “adult.” But if they walk a few steps into the borders of
another government, they are then classified as a “child.” Does a person really
change from an “adult” into a “child” because they cross over a border into
another government’s jurisdiction? And when they walk back within the borders of
the former government, does the person then change back into an
“adult?”
Some governments, like ours here in the United States, say that
at certain ages people are adults in some areas, but yet are still classified as
children in others! For instance, our government here in the state of Illinois,
says that 18 year olds are adults as far as smoking cigarettes is concerned, but
are children as far as drinking alcohol is concerned until they reach the age of
21! Different countries of the world (and different states here in the United
States) consider people to be adults at different ages for marriage purposes.
Sometimes males are classified as adults at one age and females are classified
as adults at another age! Here in Illinois, 18 and 19 year old children are
classified as adults for marriage purposes. This is all contrary to the Word of
God and is just plain confusion. As Christians, we are to live by the Word of
God, and if there is a conflict with the laws of man, “We ought to obey God
rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) As a minister of the gospel, I will not marry
children. Entering into marriage is only for adults. Children, people under the
age of 20, are still under the Biblical injunction to “Obey their parents in the
Lord.”
Ephesians 6:1 says:
“Children, obey your parents in the
Lord: for this is right.”
This verse refers to children, who are still
children--that is, it is referring to children who have not yet reached their
20th birthday. For when they reach their 20th birthday they are no longer
children and no longer have to “obey their parents in the Lord.” A person is not
obligated to obey his parents for his whole life as long as his parents are
still living! That is preposterous!
The Word of God does say, however,
that we are to honor our parents for our whole lives.
Exodus 20:12 says:
“Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be
long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee.”
Honoring is NOT the same thing as obeying. Honoring one’s parents is giving
them the respect that is due them as parents--even if they were and are bad
parents. For example, you would NEVER call your parents by their first names!
You would NOT get into a shouting match with them. You would calmly disagree, if
you disagreed with them, even if they were going off on you. And you may have to
walk away, but you would do it respectfully after saying good-bye. It may even
be that because your parents are so bad, you cannot see or talk to them--but you
still are respectful to them because the Bible says that you must honor them all
the days of your life.
Obeying one’s parents means to do whatever your
parents tell you to do as long as it does not conflict with what God is telling
you to do. Some parents teach their children to steal and lie and to do other
immoral acts. As a Christian child, you would not obey your parents if they told
you to do things like that. The Bible says to obey them “in the Lord.” This
means to obey them as long as it is in line with what the Lord says. However,
once you reach the age of 20, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this
is right.” no longer applies to you, because you are no longer a
child.
By the same token, parents are commanded to bring their children
up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). They are commanded
to train up their children in the way that they should go (Proverbs 22:6). They
are commanded to drive foolishness from the hearts of their children (Proverbs
22:15). This only applies to the parents and their children while the children
are still children--that is, while the children are under the age of 20. For
once a child turns 20, he is no longer a child, but has become an adult.
A Minister’s Children Must be in
Subjection.
The Bible says in I Timothy chapter 3, verses 4 through 5,
that a minister’s children must be in subjection (I realize that the specific
context is pastors, not ministers in general, but the
principle, as well as the whole passage of scripture, applies to
all ministers.):
“One that ruleth
well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if
a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church
of God?)”
The same principle applies here as it does in Ephesians 6:1,
Proverbs 22:6, 15, and similar verses. This verse applies to children while they
are still children. Once a child turns 20, this verse no longer applies. In
other words, as long as a minister’s children are not yet 20 years old, he (or
she) is required to keep them in subjection with all gravity. Titus 1:6 says, in
referring to ministers (pastors specifically, but all
ministers):
“...having faithful children not accused of riot or
unruly.”
Once again, this verse applies to the minister’s children who
have not yet reached the age of 20. If a minister has children who are adults,
the minister is not required to keep them in line. How
could he? His children are adults. If they act crazy when they become adults,
that is on them. It does not disqualify him from the ministry.
However, if they act crazy before they reach the age of 20, it
does disqualify him from being in the
ministry.
It must be pointed out here that these verses in I Timothy and
Titus DO NOT apply to a minister’s wife! The
Bible says that the children are to be in subjection-- not the wife! Ministers and Christians misquote
these verses all the time and say that the family
--including the wife--must be
in subjection and not be unruly, etc. This is NOT what the Word of God says. The
wife is an adult. The minister has no responsibility to control his wife. The
minister is not even supposed to try to control his wife. A minister who
attempts to control his wife is guilty of the sin of oppressing a woman.
The 2½ Tribes on the East Side of the Jordan River
When the Israelites were near the end of their 40 years of
wandering in the wilderness, and were encamped on the east side of the Jordan
River, the men of the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh were
given their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River because they
requested that they would be allowed to have an inheritance and live on the east
side of the Jordan River. (Numbers 32)
The condition of the agreement was
that all of the men of the Gadites, the Reubenites, and half the tribe of the
Manassites would have to cross westward over the Jordan River and fight along
with the other 9½ tribes for their possession of the land of Canaan. Only the
women and children (the little ones) of the 2½ tribes would be left behind on
the east side of the Jordan River. Once the promised land (the land of Canaan)
was subdued by the Israelites, the men of the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half
the tribe of Manasseh could return to their wives and families and inheritance
on the east side of the Jordan River. As it turns out, this took a number of
years to accomplish.
At first thought, it may seem like the 2½ tribes of
women and children that were left behind were left helpless, defenseless, and
vulnerable because there were no men among them. But this situation was not as
bad as it may seem if you understand that a man is 20 years old or older, and a
child is under the age of 20. This means that every boy who had not yet reached
his 20th birthday was left to care for and protect the women and other children.
There were tens of thousands of teenage boys in these 2½ tribes! Many of them
were 19 years old and just days away from turning 20 when the men left to cross
over the Jordan River. Plenty of others were 16, 17, or 18. When these boys
turned 20, they stayed on the east side of the Jordan River. They DID NOT cross
over and join the other men. So in a relatively short period of time, there were
thousands of men (boys who had just turned 20) among the 2½ tribes on the east
side of the Jordan River. Not to mention the fact that a teenage boy can be very
strong and knowledgeable about sowing and reaping crops, raising and caring for
cattle, building and repairing houses, and an outstanding fighter, if necessary.
The Legal System and
Adulthood
Since God, who created people, says in His Word that a
person becomes an adult at age 20, a person becomes an adult at age 20. To
disagree with this is to disagree with Almighty God. In all countries of the
world there should be laws that treat children--those who have not yet reached
their 20th birthdays--one way, and adults--those who are 20 years old or
older--another. To treat a child as an adult is child abuse. Children should
NEVER be tried in courts as
adults. Children should never be incarcerated with adults.
Children should be treated as children until they reach adulthood (20 years of
age). If a child acquires a criminal record before the age of 20, it should not
be counted against him once he becomes an adult. The Bible says in I Corinthians
13:11 that children--those under the age of 20--speak and understand and think
like children. It is not fair to hold a child responsible for something in the
same way that an adult is responsible. And even though some older children may be able to comprehend like an adult,
we are to follow the example that God left us in His Word in Numbers, chapter 14
and other places. Children are not to be treated the same way adults
are.
You have to wonder how and why men in our governments of
the world came up with different ages of teenagers for “adulthood” when the
Bible is so clear as to when a person becomes an adult. Why did the men in
government here in the United States who make the laws choose “18” as the age
when a person is called an adult? Could it be that this was a way for these men
to “legally” be involved with and “look at” teenage children? And what if 18 and
19 year old children are not enough to “satisfy” these men in the future? Will
they then change the laws so that 16 and 17 years olds are also called
adults?
In our country here in the United States of America, we have made
a little progress in treating children as children and protecting their rights
as children. But more progress needs to be made. We haven’t reached it
yet.
As far as schooling is concerned, we need to make some minor
changes. As Christians, we are not against school. We, the people of God, are
the ones that invented it! But the way schooling is set up here in the United
States, when a child graduates from high school (grades 9-12, sometimes called
“senior high school” or “secondary school”) he is normally 18 years of age.
(Some children will turn 18 during the three months of summer following
graduation.) The government then turns them out into the workforce declaring
that they are adults! They are not adults! They are still children! Some
will go to college, but many will not. Many cannot afford college. What we need
to do is offer Junior College (grades 13-14, sometimes called “Community
College”) to the 18 and 19 year old children of our country for free (paid for
by taxes), like grades 1-12 of public school are free (paid for by taxes). Then,
even if they choose not to finish up 4 years of college and get an undergraduate
degree, they at least will be adults when they enter the workforce and everyday
life and have an Associate of Arts (A.A.), or Associate of Science (A.S.), or
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree.
This also would alleviate
the problem of high schools piling on an excessive amount of work. As it stands
presently, the high schools pile on excessive work because many children will
not attend school beyond high school. But if it could be almost guaranteed that
all high school graduates would attend at least 2 years of college, the high
schools could lighten up the excessive amount of work that they have been laying
on the students. The high school students could then breathe a little and get
some sleep and have a life other than studying every night to the wee hours of
the morning.
One Last
Thought
In the Word of God, the Bible, the number seven (7) is the
number of completeness or perfection. This is also borne out in the definition
of the root of the Hebrew word for “seven.” This number represents God because
God is complete and perfect.
The number that represents man in the Bible
is six (6). The Bible says that man was created “a little lower than God.”
(Psalm 8:5) The number “6” is a little lower than “7.”
The Word of God
also says in Genesis 6:3 that man is to live a minimum
of 120 years on this earth. (see How
Old Can a Christian Live to Be? ) A “score” is 20. Therefore, the
minimum number of years that man is to live on this earth is “sixscore,” or 6
(the number that represents man) times 20. The first “score” of a man’s life is
his childhood.