ANSWER: The answer to all of the questions is No! What “wrongful deeds” could an infant perform? Sin is a transgression of God’s Law (I John 3:4). Which of God’s laws can an infant transgress? Surely there are none! Without the mental capacity to know good and evil, an infant is incapable of sinning!

In Ezekiel 18:20, it is clearly shown that a person dies spiritually (is separated from God - Isaiah 59:1-2) because of their own sins. This means that the son will not die spiritually because of the father’s sin; nor will the father die spiritually because of the son’s sin. Since an infant cannot commit “wrongful deeds” of his own accord, and since the Bible plainly says that he does not inherit sin, it follows that an infant remains in a “safe” relationship with his loving God as long as he remains an infant! This, however, does not mean that the son will never physically experience the effect of his father’s sin. Often this is the case. For example, a father may spend all of his living on alcoholic beverages rather than buying food for his children. Or, a child may die as a result of a father’s ungodly sex life! The father is clearly guilty of the sin! Though the children are not guilty, they certainly often suffer, and sometimes die, as a result of their father’s sin. It is, therefore, the father of the children (not God) who causes the suffering. The suffering of the children is but a natural result of the father’s sin. This is the meaning of such phrases as “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children” found in Exodus 20:5 and 34:7. Clearly, when God, because of the sins of parents, executes divine judgment upon a nation or a people, the children, though not guilty of their parent’s sins, must naturally experience the consequences of that judgment! It was true of Sodom and Gomorrah! It was true of those who died in the great flood! It was true of the Jews carried into captivity, and, as well, of those who died in the 70AD destruction of Jerusalem!

Does this mean that God was wrong? Does it mean that in His judgment He improperly punished the infants of Sodom and Gomorrah and in the flood? Of course not! God cannot sin or do wrong! Some thoughts that would be good for consideration are these: What would the final destiny of these infants have been had they been brought to maturity in the traditions and teachings of their ungodly parents - heaven or hell? Obviously hell! If Ezekiel 18:20 is true (and it is) what will be the final destiny of these children - heaven or hell? Obviously heaven! Which course was the better of the two for the infants involved? Obviously God in His wisdom pursued the best course!