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God's Justice and Mercy in Childhood Sins and Salvation

God's justice and mercy are both essential attributes of His nature, consistently displayed in His dealings with humanity, including the matter of sin and salvation [7, 8]. Justice is defined as God's infinite righteousness, which governs His actions and His imposition of righteous laws upon His creatures [7]. Mercy, conversely, is God's compassion and willingness to forgive iniquity [1, 16]. These two attributes are not contradictory but are harmonized in the divine plan of salvation, as expressed in Psalm 85:10: "Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other" [3, 17].

The Bible teaches that all human beings are born with a sinful nature [9]. This inherent sinfulness, often referred to as original sin, means that individuals are inclined toward sin from birth. Psalms 58:3 states that "All human beings are born sinners" [9]. This condition is not merely about committing individual sinful acts, but about a corrupt nature that adheres to humanity [13]. Even young children are understood to possess this sinful nature, though the specific concept of "childhood sins" is typically understood within the broader framework of universal sinfulness rather than as a distinct category of transgression. Sin is broadly defined as disobedience to God's law [5] and includes "vanity" or all sorts of sinful acts [10]. The first sin, committed by Adam and Eve, was a profound act of disobedience and ingratitude toward God [11].

God's justice demands a response to sin. Romans 1:18 indicates that "God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin" [12]. This divine wrath is directed against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of people [12]. The concept of justice also includes God's legislative justice, which requires conformity to the moral law, and His distributive justice, which deals with accountable creatures according to their actions [7]. The Old Testament often speaks of God "visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation" [1, 2]. This passage from Exodus 34:7 and Numbers 14:18 highlights a consequence of sin that extends beyond the immediate perpetrator, demonstrating the seriousness of sin in God's eyes [1, 2]. However, this does not imply that children are condemned for the personal sins of their parents, but rather that the consequences of sin can affect subsequent generations.

Despite the demands of justice, God also demonstrates profound mercy. Forgiveness of sin is a central aspect of God's mercy and is considered a constituent part of justification [6]. God, in pardoning sin, absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, removing the guilt of sin and the liability to eternal wrath [6]. This forgiveness is freely offered to all through the gospel [6]. The mercy of God is the "spring and original of pardon," leading to full and free forgiveness [16]. This divine mercy is rooted in God's love and truth [15, 17].

Salvation, therefore, is presented as a demonstration of both God's justice and mercy. It is "in and by Christ" that believers have redemption, which includes deliverance from all sin—original and actual [18]. Christ's work is central to this, as He "fulfilled all" righteousness [5] and is the means by which God's people are made righteous [5]. The forgiveness of sins is a "peculiar prerogative of God" [6], offered to all who believe. While all are born sinners, those who "do justice" are considered just [4]. This doing of justice, however, is not a self-achieved righteousness but one made possible through Christ, who has claimed believers for Himself, and in whom they are ultimately claimed by God [14]. The greatness of sin makes pardon all the more necessary, and God's perfections of love, mercy, goodness, and truth are manifested in granting it [15].

Sources

  1. Exodus “keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.” -- Exodus 34:7”
  2. Numbers “Numbers 14:18 (DRC) — The Lord is patient and full of mercy, by taking away iniquity and wickedness, and leaving no man clear, who visitest the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”
  3. Psalms “Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. -- Psalms 85:10”
  4. I John “I John 3:7 (DRC) — Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doth justice is just, even as he is just.”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness — Is obedience to God's law -- De 6:25; Ro 10:5; Lu 1:6; Ps 1:2. God loves -- Ps 11:7. God looks for -- Isa 5:7. Christ Is the Son of. -- Mal 4:2. Loves. -- Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9. Was girt with. -- Isa 11:5. Put on, as breast-plate. -- Isa 59:17. Was sustained by. -- Isa 59:16. Preached. -- Ps 40:9. Fulfilled all. -- Mt 3:15. Is made to his people. -- 1Co 1:30. Is the end of the law for. -- Ro 10:4. Has brought in everlasting. -- Da 9:24. Shall judge with. -- Ps 72:2; Isa 11:4; Ac 17:31; Re 19:11. Shall reign in. -- Ps 45:6; Isa 32:1; Heb 1:8. Shall execute.”
  6. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Forgiveness of sin — One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God (Ps. 130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to all in the gospel. (See [219]JUSTIFICATION.)”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ps 7:9; 116:5; 119:137. Described as Very high. -- Ps 71:19. Abundant. -- Ps 48:10. Beyond computation. -- Ps 71:15. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:142. Enduring for ever. -- Ps 111:3. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 97:2. Christ acknowledged -- Joh 17:25. Christ committed his cause to -- 1Pe 2:23. Angels acknowledge -- Re 16:5. Exhibited in His testimonies. -- Ps 119:138,144. His commandments. -- De 4:8; Ps 119:172. His judgments. -- Ps 19:9; 119:7,62. His word. -- Ps 119:123. His ways. -- Ps 145:17. His acts. -- J”
  9. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
  10. Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 30:8: vanity--all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).”
  11. Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
  12. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
  13. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
  14. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 3:23: 3:23 Just as they may now claim everything as their own, so Christ has claimed them for himself (see Rom 14:7-9), and in Christ they are ultimately claimed by God (see 1 Cor 6:19-20; 7:23).”
  15. Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 25:11: God's perfections of love, mercy, goodness, and truth are manifested (his name, compare Psa 9:10) in pardoning sin, and the greatness of sin renders pardon more needed.”
  16. Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 8:12: For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,.... That is, sin; for all unrighteousness is sin, being contrary to the justice of God, and his righteous law: and the phrase is expressive of God's forgiveness of it, which is a very considerable article of the covenant of grace; mercy is the spring and original of pardon; it is what God delights in, and therefore he pardons freely; it is large and abundant, and hence he pardons fully; and this lays a foundation for hope in sensible sinners: and the way and means, in and by which God pardons, is the propitiatory sacri”
  17. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 85:10: Mercy and truth are met together,.... Or "grace and truth" (p), which are in Christ, and come by him; and so may be said to meet in him, the glorious Person, the Author of salvation, before mentioned, Joh 1:14, these may be considered as perfections in God, displayed in salvation by Christ: "mercy" is the original of it; it is owing to that that the dayspring from on high visited us, or glory dwelt in our land, or Christ was sent and came to work salvation for us; it was pity to the lost human race which moved God to send him, and him to come, who is the merciful as ”
  18. Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 1:14: In whom we have redemption,.... Which is an excellent and wonderful blessing of grace saints have in and by Christ; and lies in a deliverance from sin, all sin, original and actual, under which they are held captive, in a state of nature, and by which they are made subject to the punishment of death; but through the sacrifice of Christ it is taken, and put away, finished, and made an end of; and they are freed from the damning power of it, or any obligation to punishment for it; and in consequence of this are delivered from the enslaving governing power of it by h”
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