Doesn't the notion of passing the sins of the Fathers onto the children?

Question

seem unjust, cruel and mean?

Well, I'm a resonable person, so I'll admit I thought it refered to retribution, thanks for enlightening me, however sins of our fathers don't have to be perpetuated

Answer 1

Yes, but it is in practise by people at this very moment. White people have to carry the burden of all those who were slave owners in the US, Catholics have to carry the burden of the Crusaders, other Christians have to answer for the deeds of the radicals and fundamentalists, just a few examples.
Yes, indeed it is unjust, cruel and mean, but all we can do is educate the next generation not to repeat this behaviour, hopefully things will get better. Peace.

Answer 2

If you have ever taken a class in human relationships, you would find that very often the "sins" of the parents are passed on to their children. For example, a child raised in an abusive home is more likely to be an abuser when (s)he grows up. Often because it is all the child knows, and they only skills the child has for handling conflict.

When the Bible talks about the "sins of the Fathers being visited on their children to the third and fourth generation", it is NOT taking about God punishing you for something your grandfather did. Rather it is talking about the fact that "sins" and "habits" are too often handed down from generation to generation.

Also the consequences of the parents actions will often affect the children. If the parents are druggies, odds are the children will pay for it by being raised in poverty and abuse.

Is the passing of the father's sins on to the children cruel and mean? Yes. That is why the Bible tells the fathers to stop sinning. Then there will be no sinning to pass on to the children.

It is NOT God who is doing the passing, it is the fathers.

Answer 3

We don't pass on sins.

Eze 18:2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

Eze 18:19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, [and] hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

Eze 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

The son does not bear the "Sin" of the father.

Eze 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Eze 18:22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

Answer 4

The point of the verse is that if a child follows in the willfully sinful ways of his parents, then the punishment on both the parent and child are greater. If the child breaks the cycle, then the child is free from the sins of the parent.

Interestingly, the bible states with regard to sin, that only to the 4th generation, is a parent's guilt visited upon their descendents who follow their path....yet, in the case of following God's commandments, parents and children receive merit even thousands of generations removed.

Thus we see the great love that God has for us...that fulfilling one of His commandments outweighs 500 sins. How devastatingly sad it is that Christianity has chosen to cast off the responsibility of fulfilling the commandments.

Answer 5

Hi,
This is a common misconception due to misunderstanding what is written; no person, let me repeat that: NO PERSON is
held accountable for another person's sin;
The way that a sin passes from generation to generation is the repeat of that same sin.
Have you never read the Book of Deut. in
that the sin of the father does not fall to
the son?
You are accountable for your own sin,
period. And yes, it would be unjust, cruel and mean, but its not the case.

Answer 6

Exodus 20:5 says this: You shall not bow all the way down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the toddlers for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth technology of people who hate me, for this reason i do unlike Biblical God. Why do young ones would desire to go through?

Answer 7

The idea that sin is about wrong doing is a misconception taught by some Greek philosphers who got tangled up in some Judaic nonsense about sin. The Romans took this nonsense and even managed to retrofit Christianity to this tiresome myth.
Oh dear, I thought Jesus had got rid of this guilt trip about sin. A guilt trip incidentally that is repsonsible for most of today's pre-occupation with the effects of sin rather than it's cause.
To paraphrase a book called 'DNA of Sin' the root of sin is unbelief. A plant draws its sustenance through its roots and if the whole water supply lacks the one ingredient that hinders extreme ph levels for example the food chain eventually suffers. One could then trace distribution of poisoning, its exponential spread and its evolving signatures indicating unstable morphing but this is the science of damage control of the irreparable.
What each generation in Israel did was pass down to his children and his neighbour the belief in an impotent God who cannot keep a promise, very broadly speaking. They nourished themselves and their children with ideas about God that lacked the essential ingredient - the spirtual equivalent to ph control say - which deprived them of the strength to control themselves and resist temptation. Sounds familiar? Unbelief came into the world as soon as man could articulate it but in the articulation there is a paradox that suggests 'the something' not to believe in is in fact an indication of his consciousness of difference say between good and evil, right and wrong. When Adam called God a liar saying 'Did He really say'? he established an attitude of unbelief that separated him from the main ingredient of his sustenance - the Holy Spirit.
This book is difficult to paraphrase but unbelief comes before sin, as thoughts come before the actions they pre-meditate, and sinful acts is not what is passed down generations. What is passed down is the teaching and instruction of unbelief. The Pharisees were good at teaching lies about God as are University lecturers today but Jesus put an axe to the root of their thinking that went deep into the humus of unbelief. He did this by healing the sick, by treating the effect of unbelief, and then telling the ones whom He healed to go straight to the Pharisee as a testimony against their unbelief. "Don't tell anyone about this, go straight to the Temple... " He would say after healing the blind.
God has no interest in making sure the effects of sin are carried forward through generations but He is not going to compromise on the cause of sin. Wouldn't you do the same in His shoes if your conditional provision of eternal life was ignored by your creation?
The condition is belief.
Before death can occur it has to be predicated by the condition of unbelief.
Likewise, before life can occur it has to be predicated by the condition of belief.

Answer 8

No because God makes a way to break out of the curse of generations. By prayer and faith in the Blood of Jesus. The he can command cancellation to family curses.

Answer 9

no more than getting blue eyes from your father. what He is refering to is that our actions affect those around us and those who come after us. just as eons of generations have been born into sin because of adam and eve, our ancesters.

Answer 10

It is to make sure that the guilt is passed on and that you keep on going to church to try (in vain) to buy your way into forgiveness and heaven.