“You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.” Deuteronomy 5:9 (NIV)
Deuteronomy 5:9 is one of those verses in the bible that I struggle with. I have no problem with the first half, but it is that part about “punishing the children for the sin of the parents” that I don’t like. It just doesn’t seem fair for the children to be punished because of their parents’ sin.
After pondering this, I see how this plays out in real life. If a father is a faithful follower of Christ who loves their mother, keeps providing for the family, and loves the children, the children are blessed. If the father is an addict, can’t keep a job, beats his wife or baby momma, the children suffer.
I recently saw this closer to home. A young couple that is close to me felt called to foster a child. They chose a young teenage girl who was in a group home. The girl had suffered from the sins of her parents. I am not sure what all those sins were, but I suspect they are things about which we don’t often talk. The couple cared for this child for a year. Things were not easy. Outbursts, yelling, and acting out were robbing their home of peace. Still, they choose to try and adopt her. They offered unconditional love to this troubled young girl. Unfortunately, just before the adoption could be finalized, the girl had a blow-up that forced her departure from their loving home. The young couple was heartbroken. Having offered unconditional love, and yet that love was rejected.
The teenage girl quickly moved through another household and is now back in a group home.
Do I blame God for this situation? No, I can only blame the sins of the parents. Sin creates messy situations, destroys families, does unthinkable harm to children, wrecks futures, and ultimately leads to death.
The interesting aspect is a verse in the Bible that says, “but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Deuteronomy 5:10 (NIV)
We now understand this beautiful promise of God even better through his son. The blood of Christ is the only thing that can erase the stain of sin. It removes our sin and the sins of our parents. We are not lost in the mess of this generation or lost in the mess of previous generations. We are living in the love of God with an eternal future.
Let’s not forget the mess and damage that sin has caused in our world. Jesus’s sacrifice sets us free. Thank you, Jesus!
Jim Nolt-CBC Ex. Board
