However, the children whom God counts as holy on the basis of parental merit are those children who are not yet old enough to understand fully all that is required of those who serve God. They are unable to make the momentous decision for themselves that is required of those who become baptized disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. But it is a very important fact to keep in mind that even such young children must know what obedience means. They must be obedient to their parents. They must be children that are not unruly or practicers of what is bad. (Prov. 20:11) This would make it imperative that the parents, or the parent who is a believer, teach the children obedience, and also teach them the truth of the Bible at every opportunity.

Not only is the father required to bring up the children “in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah,” but the children also are given the direct command: “You children, be obedient to your parents in everything, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord,” and, “Children, be obedient to your parents in union with the Lord, for this is righteous: ‘Honor your father and your mother’; which is the first command with a promise: ‘That it may go well with you and you may endure a long time on the earth.”’​—Eph. 6:1-4; Col. 3:20.

Consequently, if a young child is rebellious and goes contrary to the commands and requests of his parents, if he, when away from his parents, does things he knows are against their will, or are wrong in God’s eyes, if he runs with associates that practice wrongdoing, then he certainly cannot claim to come under the benefits of family merit. He cancels out the merit that his Christian parent or parents might bring in the eyes of God, and he is unclean, just as those are with whom he practices wrongdoing.​—Ps. 50:16-20.

What does having the merit of a Christian parent or parents mean to the obedient child? It means that he has the favor of God. He has God’s protection and help, just as his Christian parent does. He does not have the judgment of God against him, as does the world. (2 Pet. 2:9; compare Psalm 37:25, 26.) When God executes judgment on the wicked he will spare such children as being clean, holy, just as the believing parent is holy.

ADOPTED CHILDREN

Some have asked, ‘What about young children who are adopted? Are they not part of the family unit into which they are adopted, and would not their status with God be governed by the status of their adoptive parents?’ Apparently so. If the foster parents are true Christians, they will teach the truth of God’s Word to the child. If the child is obedient to his foster parents and to the laws of God that he is able to understand, then, what the apostle Paul said at 1 Corinthians 7:14 would evidently apply in this circumstance.