Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

THE GENERATIONS

February 17, 2010

We inherit from our parents, ancestors our DNA; we learn by example much good, and some not so good. At least in part, we are those who've gone before us.

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...what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the Lord commanded: "Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents, each of you will die for your own sin."
- 2 Kings 14:6 TNIV

Hang in there with me; there's some good news. There is a strain of thought biblically and theologically that we are responsible for the sins of people who precede us--original sin, and generational sin. And it's hard to ignore such passages and thought. But the Bible itself challenges such thought. The people of God are told by Moses, "Let's hold each of us responsible for our own fault." (Deuteronomy 24:16) That may be encouraging, but it still falls short of "gospel" good news.

Truth is, each of us, have more than enough sin that we cannot overcome on our own. But thanks be to God in Christ Jesus, in Christ such sin is covered, and forgiven. (1 John 1:9). The generations need not be a millstone around our necks, but a summons to faithfulness.
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson