The Child's Innocence: Sins Of The Father

The idea that the 'sins of the father' should not be 'visited upon the child' is a concept that appears in the Bible. For example, Deuteronomy 5:9-10 says, I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands [of generations, see 7:9], to those who love Me and keep My commandments. However, Deuteronomy 24:16 contradicts this, stating, Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.

Deuteronomy 24:16 says that fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers

Deuteronomy 24:16 says that 'fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin'. This is in contrast to Deuteronomy 5:9-10, which says, 'I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands [of generations, see 7:9], to those who love Me and keep My commandments'.

The idea that the sins of the father should not be visited upon the child is also found in Ezekiel 18:20, which says, 'The father [will not] bear the punishment for the son's iniquity'. Similarly, Jeremiah 31:29-34 states that under the New Covenant, the sins of the fathers will no longer be visited upon their children.

However, there are also texts that describe God's punishment as owing to both the sins of the fathers and the sins of the children. For example, Exodus 20:5-6 says, 'I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands [of generations], to those who love Me and keep My commandments'.

There are two kinds of effects of fathers' sins in the lives of children: one is rebellion against God; the other is the calamities of judgment that God brings on the children. God has the right to punish fathers in the calamities that come upon their children, as Jeremiah 16:10-11 says, 'It is because your forefathers have forsaken Me'.

Jeremiah 31:29-34 says that under the New Covenant, the sins of the fathers will no longer be visited upon their children

The idea that the sins of the father are visited upon the child is a biblical principle. For example, Isaac seems to learn deception from his father, Abraham. Isaac passes off his wife as his sister, just as Abraham did with Sarah. However, there are also biblical passages that contradict this idea. For example, Deuteronomy 24:16 says, "Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin".

Jeremiah 31:29-34 is one such passage that contradicts the idea that the sins of the father are visited upon the child. In this text, God assures His people that under the New Covenant, the sins of the fathers will no longer be visited upon their children. This is part of the "new covenant" that Jeremiah speaks of.

However, it is important to note that there are also texts that describe God's punishment as owing to both the sins of the fathers and the sins of the children. For example, Jeremiah 16:10-11 says, "For what reason has the LORD declared all this great calamity against us?"... "It is because your forefathers have forsaken Me". This suggests that God has the right to punish fathers in the calamities that come upon their children, but he chooses to do so in a way that justly correlates with the children's own guilt.

Overall, while there are passages in the Bible that suggest the sins of the father are visited upon the child, there are also passages that contradict this idea, such as Jeremiah 31:29-34, which states that under the New Covenant, the sins of the fathers will no longer be visited upon their children.

Rebellion against God is one of the two kinds of effects of fathers' sins in the lives of children

The Bible says that God has the right to punish fathers in the calamities that come upon their children, as Jeremiah 16:10-11 says: "For what reason has the LORD declared all this great calamity against us?"... "It is because your forefathers have forsaken Me". However, God chooses to do this in a way that justly correlates with the children's own guilt.

Even in the early texts that describe the visitation of the fathers' sins on the children, the children are described as those who are opposed to God and therefore deserving of punishment, and those who continue the heritage of blessing as covenant keepers. For example, Exodus 20:5-6 says: "I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands [of generations], to those who love Me and keep My commandments".

However, Deuteronomy 24:16 says: "Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin". And Ezekiel 18:20 says: "The father [will not] bear the punishment for the son's iniquity".

In the New Covenant, God assures His people that the sins of the fathers will no longer be visited upon their children.

God has the right to punish fathers in the calamities that come upon their children, as Jeremiah 16:10-11 says

The Bible contains conflicting perspectives on whether God punishes children for the sins of their fathers.

Deuteronomy 5:9-10 says:

> I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands [of generations, see 7:9], to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

However, Deuteronomy 24:16 contradicts this, stating:

> Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.

Jeremiah 16:10-11 says:

> For what reason has the LORD declared all this great calamity against us?... It is because your forefathers have forsaken Me.

This suggests that God has the right to punish fathers in the calamities that come upon their children. However, it is important to note that God chooses to do this in a way that justly correlates with the children's own guilt.

Other Bible passages that describe the visitation of the fathers' sins on the children, such as Exodus 20:5-6, also describe the children as those who are opposed to God and therefore deserving of punishment.

Ezekiel 18:20 says:

> The father [will not] bear the punishment for the son's iniquity.

Jeremiah 31:29-34 assures God's people that under the New Covenant, the sins of the fathers will no longer be visited upon their children.

Ezekiel 18:20 says that the father will not bear the punishment for the son's iniquity

The idea that the sins of the father should not be visited upon the child is also found in Deuteronomy 24:16: "Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin". However, Deuteronomy 5:9-10 says, "I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands [of generations, see 7:9], to those who love Me and keep My commandments". Exodus 20:5-6 says something similar: "I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands [of generations], to those who love Me and keep My commandments".

There are two kinds of effects of fathers' sins in the lives of children: one is rebellion against God; the other is the calamities of judgment that God brings on the children. God has the right to punish fathers in the calamities that come upon their children, as Jeremiah 16:10-11 says ("For what reason has the LORD declared all this great calamity against us?"... "It is because your forefathers have forsaken Me"), but he chooses to do this in a way that justly correlates with the children's own guilt. In Jeremiah 31:29-34, God assures His people that under the New Covenant the sins of the fathers will no longer be visited upon their children.

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