These children are the ones, the ones with no knowledge or insufficient knowledge to make a real choice between God's Way and the ways of sin... not yet.
Then consider these verses:
"And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation." Ex 34:6-7
These are saying that because of what the fathers did wrong the children will suffer. Perhaps the suffering is only physical in their flesh?
And then you have Jesus blasting out the religious folk calling them children of the devil.
Because they follow in their father's footsteps.
There are good wholesome God fearing loving families.
And for some reason there is always a black sheep in the family.
Is this the Parents fault? Is this anyone's fault?
I believe God uses the black sheep for his own purpose.
And sometimes it may not be for that sheep alone, but those in the family as well.
I had a brother. I had 2 actually. But the younger one was always into drugs, stealing cars, in jail, trouble with the law.
I remember when I was little, he had run away from home for a long time. I would sit looking out the window wondering where he was.
Praying he was alright and that God would bring him home safe one day.
Many many years later he was changed. But I had not kept up with him so I didn't know him. And one day he passed away.
My point being, If God hadn't used my brother as a black sheep and troublemaker,
would I have come to God daily in my prayers for him.
I believe that God drew me closer because of my brother.
Can someone who is unsaved lead another to salvation?
I believe they can.
My question then would be,
Would God credit that someone for leading another to him?
I believe a lot of the bad things that are happening in the world today is actually leading others to God to pray for those who are lost and destructive. If there were none lost, who would there be to pray for their salvation?
God's plans are way bigger than this little mind.
Hugs