Objection: You Can’t Say That God Never Puts Sickness on the Righteous.  He Killed David’s Child.

David’s child was conceived out of wedlock in an unrighteous manner.  The child was in no position to do anything righteous or unrighteous.  The blessing or curse on younger children depends on the parents.  Sin WAS the issue, as is made clear in the passage (2 Samuel 12:13-18).  (See Notes on 2 Samuel 12:13-18 for some additional thoughts.)  Therefore, this passage cannot be used to prove that sickness comes on the righteous for some unrelated, “sovereign” reason.

For proof that YOUR righteousness blesses your children, see God’s Blessing on your Kids.

The fact that an infant died because of his father’s unrighteousness does not constitute proof that God will afflict a righteous person with sickness.  David partook of the law of sowing and reaping.  He sowed death when he ordered Uriah the Hittite to be set up to be killed in battle. He then reaped death in his own family more than once (consider Absalom later on).

Even in the New Testament, Jesus threatened to kill the children of a woman who was messing with His church.  Whether or not you think this is fair, obviously God does.  However, if you aren’t going around seducing the local church members, you have no reason to fear such things happening to your family.  Also, that woman’s children had to be wicked as well, as God would not curse a child who was already serving Him because of a wicked parent.

Ezekiel 18:20:
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. 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.