However, some people may consider this a true statement. One of the main qualities that a disciple should have is total commitment to Christ. This is something that children don’t have, as they don’t yet understand it. Young children are often incapable of taking up the responsibility of becoming a good Christian or a good disciple, as they do not perceive enough knowledge about the nature of discipleship. On the other hand though, it can be argued that many children often attend church every Sunday proving that they are capable of deep commitment to God. In fact, it can be said that children often reflect on their sins more and feel guiltier about them than many adults.
In his ministry, Jesus made it clear that he thought children should be treated with respect and not looked down upon. We are told in ‘Jesus and the children’ that Jesus’ disciples rebuked some parents who took their children to see him. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not stop them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these… anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:14-16) He was saying that he didn’t want children to be treated differently and that the Kingdom of God was as much for them as everyone else. This backs up the opinion that children can indeed be Christians. We also learn from this story that disciples should have child-like openness towards the gift of the Kingdom.
There is another argument that supports the statement that children should not be Christians. Being a Christian should be an individual choice, but children are not given this choice. This means that they do not get the chance to explore the various religious traditions and decide whether they really want to be a Christian. However, it can also be argued that if children were left to their own choices over their discipleship they would enjoy Christianity for a while, and then move on. They have no concept of the term forever. This would transform organised religion into a fashion and remove us from the presence of God.
With all of the arguments for and against this statement taken into consideration, I still disagree that children cannot be Christians. However, it is important to remember that being a Christian is a serious matter and there are many good reasons why children perhaps are not ready to be Christians
By Siobhan Mone