Generational guilt: Real, but treatable

The current race debate highlights the issue of generational guilt. Does it really exist? What should be done about it?

One side is sure it exists, and wants the government to get involved in redressing past sins. The other side thinks the whole notion is fundamentally unjust from the get-go.

Can a generation bear responsibility for the sins of a previous generation of its ancestors? From a biblical standpoint, the answer is, “Yes,” with some stipulations.

Clearly, generational guilt is a real thing in the Bible. God espouses the idea. In the Ten Commandments, he says, “I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me.” (Exodus 20:5)

It may be uncomfortable to modern readers, but this is a promise to punish sins for generations.

Additionally, Deuteronomy 23:3-8 specifies that, although it was permissible for gentiles to become full Israelites through a process of conversion, certain nationalities were excluded for generations, based on the sins of their forefathers. Generations of particular countries were banned forever.

More disturbing are the stories of Achan and Korah, rebels within Israel, who were put to death for their wickedness, along with their families, including children. Then there are the deadly plagues God sent to Israel in response to sins committed by their first two kings, Saul and David, destroying thousands of people who had nothing to do with it.

To repeat myself a bit: clearly, generational guilt is a thing. The Left side of our current race debate is not wrong about this.

The Right will answer thusly, “But doesn’t the Bible forbid punishing the sons for the sins of their fathers?” It does, in Deutoronomy 24:16.

So, how can these two ideas co-exist without contradiction? It’s because it is the Lord himself who promises to deal with generational or covenantal guilt as he sees fit. He hasn’t given that privilege to any human jurisdiction: no civil government has the authority to deal with generational guilt. Generational guilt is like the sin of covetousness, which, though sinful, doesn’t fall to anyone to punish it. God deals with it directly.

This is where both sides in the current debate are off track: They each deny that one of these pieces exists. The Right denies any guilt, while the Left denies God’s exclusive jurisdiction over it.

Real repentance is the only biblical solution. This begins with personally coming to Christ in faith. But, it cannot end with an “I’m so sorry” type of silent prayer. We must bear fruits of repentance, which means actively beginning to walk differently than our ancestors who did wrong. Admit past sin, but then take self-directed steps toward redressing and correcting it.

The first Black Panther movie contains an example. When the hero discovers his dead father was a murderer, though he himself had done no wrong, he took responsibility for doing what he could to aid the descendants of his father’s victim. This sort of personal, voluntary acceptance of accountability is our only way forward.

Gordan Runyan is the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tucumcari. Contact him at:

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