KYOWVA Bulletin Inserts

"WILL THE SINS OF ANOTHER

SEND ONE TO HELL"

By Dr. Hoyt W. Allen, Jr.

Every so often a person will be heard saying that the sins of a parent will condemn the children to hell or vice versa. Such comments normally will come from well meaning persons using an isolated Scripture to back up their theology. Let us look at some of those possible Scriptures.

a) Ps 51:5 “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (KJV). Some would use this verse to prove that all babies coming into the world are sinners. This is certainly not so, as Jesus spoke of little children being sinless as is found in Matt 18:3-4 “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven”. (KJV) Jesus was telling the “grown ups” that they needed to take on the attributes of little ones, such as being filled with love and forgiveness, and being very non-prejudiced.

b) Ezek 28:15 “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee”. (KJV) Thus, this Scripture teaches that all are born guiltless and then comes a day of accepting Satan’s call. (See Ezek.18:20)

c) Ex. 20:5 “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me”;.(KJV) This “carry over” of the parents’ sins is the consequences of social sins, not spiritual’s, or judging them to hell. Such as a youth having to hear that his/her daddy was a drunk or a womanizer or having a disease passed on to him/her through the parents’ blood due to the parent living sinfully (venereal diseases).

d) II Kings 14:6 “But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin” (KJV). (See also Deut 24:16; II Chr 25:4)

Several Scriptures teach that salvation is personal (John 3:16). In other words every one must have their own faith and repent of their own sins, as well as confess Christ personally, and be baptized for themselves and live a faithful Christian life (See Acts 16:31; 17:30; 8:37; 2:38; 14:22).