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Imputation of Righteousness from Parent to Child Theologically

The concept of "imputation of righteousness from parent to child" is not explicitly articulated in biblical theology as a direct transfer of spiritual standing. Instead, biblical texts and theological traditions emphasize parental responsibility in instruction and upbringing, and the individual nature of righteousness before God.

Righteousness, in a biblical sense, is understood as obedience to God's law [3]. It is described as the righteousness of faith, revealed in the gospel, and ultimately found in Christ, who is considered the end of the law for righteousness [2, 3, 9]. The Old Testament prophets predicted this righteousness [2], and the New Testament clarifies that it is a righteousness to which human obedience to the law contributes nothing, being attested by the Law and the Prophets [12]. Christ is called "the Righteous One" and is seen as the source of righteousness for believers [11, 2].

The idea of imputation in Christian theology generally refers to an action, word, or thing being "reckoned to a person" [4]. This concept is primarily applied in three ways:

  1. Adam's sin imputed to descendants: Adam's sin is reckoned to all his descendants, meaning they are dealt with as guilty [4].
  2. Christ's righteousness imputed to believers: The righteousness of Christ is attributed to those who believe in him, considered their own [4].
  3. Sins imputed to Christ: Our sins are imputed to Christ, meaning he took on our "law-place" to answer the demands of justice [4].

While these forms of imputation are central to understanding sin and salvation, the Bible does not present a mechanism for a parent's personal righteousness to be directly imputed to their child in the same way. Instead, the Scriptures highlight the individual's accountability and the parents' role in guiding their children toward God.

Parents are given the duty to raise their children for God, to instruct them in God's word, and to bring them to Christ [1, 5]. Children are exhorted to obey their parents "in the Lord, for this is righteous" [7]. Good children are described as those who know the Scriptures, observe God's law, and obey their parents, which is pleasing to God [6, 14].

However, the Bible also contains passages that emphasize individual responsibility for sin and righteousness. Ezekiel 18:20 states, "The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him" [13]. This verse directly addresses the idea that a child does not inherit the moral standing (either positive or negative) of their parent. While Exodus 34:7 mentions "charging iniquity of fathers on children, and on children's children, on a third generation, and on a fourth," this is typically understood in terms of the consequences of sin affecting future generations rather than a direct imputation of guilt or righteousness [10]. Job 21:19 also states, "You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it," suggesting that individuals should bear their own iniquity [8].

Theological traditions, particularly Reformed theology, emphasize that while God's blessing is free and undeserved, and he is not constrained to bestow it equally on all, any good a person has comes from God's undeserved goodness [15]. This perspective reinforces the idea that righteousness is a gift from God, not something inherited from a parent.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Parents — Receive their children from God -- Ge 33:5; 1Sa 1:27; Ps 127:3. Their duty to their children is To love them. -- Tit 2:4. To bring them to Christ. -- Mt 19:13,14. To train them up for God. -- Pr 22:6; Eph 6:4. To instruct them in God's word. -- De 4:9; 11:19; Isa 38:19. To tell them of God's judgments. -- Joe 1:3. To tell them of the miraculous works of God. -- Ex 10:2; Ps 78:4. To command them to obey God. -- De 32:46; 1Ch 28:9. To bless them. -- Ge 48:15; Heb 11:20. To pity them. -- Ps 103:13. To provide for them. -- Job 42:15; 2Co 12:14; 1Ti 5:8. To rule”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness Imputed — Predicted -- Isa 56:1; Eze 16:14. Revealed in the gospel -- Ro 1:17. Is of the Lord -- Isa 54:17. Described as The righteousness of faith. -- Ro 4:13; 9:30; 10:6. The righteousness of God, without the law. -- Ro 3:21. The righteousness of God by faith in Christ. -- Ro 3:22. Christ being made righteousness to us. -- 1Co 1:30. Our being made the righteousness of God, in Christ. -- 2Co 5:21. Christ is the end of the law for -- Ro 10:4. Christ called THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS -- Jer 23:6. Christ brings in an everlasting righteousness -- Da 9:2”
  3. 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.”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Imputation — Is used to designate any action or word or thing as reckoned to a person. Thus in doctrinal language (1) the sin of Adam is imputed to all his descendants, i.e., it is reckoned as theirs, and they are dealt with therefore as guilty; (2) the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them that believe in him, or so attributed to them as to be considered their own; and (3) our sins are imputed to Christ, i.e., he assumed our "law-place," undertook to answer the demands of justice for our sins. In all these cases the nature of imputation is the same (Rom. 5:12-1”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children — Christ was an example to -- Lu 2:51; Joh 19:26,27. Are a gift from God -- Ge 33:5; Ps 127:3. Are capable of glorifying God -- Ps 8:2; 148:12,13; Mt 21:15,16. Should be Brought to Christ. -- Mr 10:13-16. Brought early to the house of God. -- 1Sa 1:24. Instructed in the ways of God. -- De 31:12,13; Pr 22:6. Judiciously trained. -- Pr 22:15; 29:17; Eph 6:4. Should Obey God. -- De 30:2. Fear God. -- Pr 24:21. Remember God. -- Ec 12:1. Attend to parental teaching. -- Pr 1:8,9. Honour parents. -- Ex 20:12; Heb 12:9. Fear parents. -- Le 19:3. Obey parents. -- Pr ”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children, Good — The Lord is with -- 1Sa 3:19. Know the Scriptures -- 2Ti 3:15. Observe the law of God -- Pr 28:7. Their obedience to parents is well pleasing to God -- Col 3:20. Partake of the promises of God -- Ac 2:39. Shall be blessed -- Pr 3:1-4; Eph 6:2,3. Show love to parents -- Ge 46:29. Obey parents -- Ge 28:7; 47:30. Attend to parental teaching -- Pr 13:1. Take care of parents -- Ge 45:9,11; 47:12. Make their parents' hearts glad -- Pr 10:1; 29:17. Honour the aged -- Job 32:6,7. Adduced as a motive for submission to God -- Heb 12:9. Spirit of, a requisite f”
  7. Ephesians “Ephesians 6:1 (YLT) — The children! obey your parents in the Lord, for this is righteous;”
  8. Job “You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it. -- Job 21:19”
  9. Romans “For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. -- Romans 4:13”
  10. Exodus “Exodus 34:7 (YLT) — keeping kindness for thousands, taking away iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on children, and on children's children, on a third <FI>generation<Fi> , and on a fourth.'”
  11. Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 22:14: 22:14 the Righteous One: See also 3:14; 7:52; 1 Jn 2:1. Righteousness was one of the Messiah’s characteristics (see Isa 32:1; 53:11).”
  12. Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 3:21: GOD'S JUSTIFYING RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, ALIKE ADAPTED TO OUR NECESSITIES AND WORTHY OF HIMSELF. (Rom 3:21-26) But now the righteousness of God--(See on Rom 1:17). without the law--that is, a righteousness to which our obedience to the law contributes nothing whatever (Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16). is manifested, being witnessed--attested. by the law and the prophets--the Old Testament Scriptures. Thus this justifying righteousness, though new, as only now fully disclosed, is an old righteousness, predicted and foreshadowed in the Ol”
  13. Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 18:20: son shall not bear . . . iniquity of . . . father-- (Deu 24:16; Kg2 14:6). righteousness . . . wickedness--that is, the reward for righteousness . . . the punishment of wickedness. "Righteousness" is not used as if any were absolutely righteous; but, of such as have it imputed to them for Christ's sake, though not under the Old Testament themselves understanding the ground on which they were regarded as righteous, but sincerely seeking after it in the way of God's appointment, so far as they then understood this way.”
  14. 2 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Timothy 3:15: from a child--literally, "from an infant." The tender age of the first dawn of reason is that wherein the most lasting impressions of faith may be made. holy scriptures--The Old Testament taught by his Jewish mother. An undesigned coincidence with Ti2 1:5; Act 16:1-3. able--in themselves: though through men's own fault they often do not in fact make men savingly alive. wise unto salvation--that is, wise unto the attainment of salvation. Contrast "folly" (Ti2 3:9). Wise also in extending it to others. through faith--as the instrument of this ”
  15. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 1, section 20.25: of some wicked man. When the Lord casts away that man and his posterity, we certainly have no right to remonstrate with him. If his blessing is free and undeserved, we have no right to constrain him, because he does not bestow it equally on all. His grace is free; and each of us ought to reflect, that anything good which we have, does not naturally belong to us, but, on the contrary, comes from another quarter, and has proceeded from the undeserved goodness of God. If, therefore, he cast off any one, must not that man’s seed also be accursed”
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