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Showing posts from August 24, 2025

John Calvin on Punishment to the 3rd and 4th Generations

  Calvin on visiting the iniquities of fathers to the children unto the 3rd and 4th generation: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/calvin/deuteronomy/5.htm "To visit iniquities," is equivalent to inquiring into them, or taking cognizance of them, in order that punishment should be inflicted in proportion to the crime; for as long as God spares men and suspends His judgment, He seems to connive at them, or to pay no attention to them. Therefore, when men shall think that their sin is buried, He declares that He will bear it in memory. But it may be asked, how it is consistent for God to exact punishment from the children or grandchildren on account of the sins of their fathers? for nothing is more unreasonable than that the innocent and guilty should be involved in the same punishment; and the declaration of the Prophet is well known, "The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; but the soul that sinneth, it sha...