Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin. Deuteronomy 24:16
clusters, elements: Autumn Tea, paper: Indian Summer – all by DitaB Designs
We are all born sinners because of inheriting Adam’s sinful NATURE, but we are not all born having SINNED. Contrary to the teachings of some, babies will NOT be held responsible for ADAM’S sin, and therefore God will NOT condemn them to hell if they die before baptism. Personally, I feel that when people say such things, it is misrepresenting God toward unbelievers – making Him appear to be unjust when in fact without God there would be no such thing as justice, mercy, grace and every other good thing. As shown in the verse at the top, the Bible is clear on our being held accountable for what we did ourselves (2Cor. 5:10, Rev. 22:12), just as it is clear that we need to call on the name of Jesus to be saved (which babies are unable to do), and believe – THEN be baptized (in that order). (Rom. 10:8-13, Mark 16:16, Acts 8:12-13, 18:8) It is the belief and blood of Jesus that washes away our sins. (1John 1:7) The water is symbolic of drowning the old sinful self and rising up out of it into Jesus’ resurrection (Romans 6, 7:4-6; which is why John the Baptizer baptized where water was plentiful – the repentant believers were immersed – John 3:23 – Peter also connected baptism with Jesus’ resurrection – 1Pet. 3:21 – it marks the beginning of the new life in Christ, having died to sin – 2Cor. 5:17, Eph. 4:20-24). If baptism has replaced circumcision as a sign of being a child of God, then why do we have these passages showing that circumcision did not save anyone? (Rom. 2:29, Col. 3:9-11, Gal. 3:21, 6:15, John 1:12-13 – those who believe.)
We are called to repent of our sins, which babies are simply unable to sin as yet, let alone acknowledge and turn from it. We all WILL sin given the opportunity, but God knows the difference between someone who doesn’t know better or hasn’t yet developed self-control and someone who does know better and is simply indulging themselves. The age at which the Israelite men were counted in the census allowed to go to war (when you would expect they need to understand the concept of death in battle, whereas death is also the wages of SIN) was twenty. (Num. 1:18-20, 45, 26:2-4) Their “value” also increased at that age and they were expected to give offerings, showing they were considered responsible adults. (Lev. 27:1-3, Exo. 30:14, 38:26) And very tellingly, only those from the age of twenty and up were held responsible for the sin of unbelief in the desert when Israel refused to go into the promised land after hearing about the giants in the report of the spies. (Num. 13:25-33, 32:11-13) (Of course, some people remain like children their whole lives due to circumstances of their birth, brain injuries, etc.)
Generally, the parents promise to teach their children about God and the Bible at their infants’ baptism. This is good and should be done by all Christian parents. It’s a duty that should not simply be passed on to someone else through Christian school or Sunday School. Those means should only be supplementing what the child learns continually at home – in a balanced, loving way. (Deu. 6:7 – not that we are under the law, but that it shows us right and wrong as a guardian, as Paul said – Gal. 3:14, Acts 15:21; Col. 3:21)
Did you know that in the distant past, people actually died fighting for the right of the common people to read the Bible – especially in their own language that they could understand (not Latin)? Yet most people today are not even interesting in doing so, and because of that, they put their trust in the hands of others to explain it all to them – leaving themselves open to the twisting of the Scriptures to fit particular agendas, etc. Many of the seminaries where these “qualified” individuals (pastors) are receiving their educations have been co-opted into and infiltrated by various unbiblical viewpoints. Food for thought. (This is not to say there is no such thing as a pastor who teaches biblically sound doctrine any more by any means.)
related:
The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die. “If a man is righteous and does what is just and right— if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, does not lend at interest or take any profit, withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man, walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord GOD. “If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things (though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife, oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself. “Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise: he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live. As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity. “Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. “But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die. “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die. Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
For each will have to bear his own load. Galatians 6:5
He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. Romans 2:6-11
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:12-16
