Let us begin by looking at a verse which many believe supports your thought that children are sometimes punished for the sins of their father. In Deuteronomy 5:9 we read, “You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” The Lord is speaking of the “sin of idolatry”, and He told the Israelites not to bow down or serve idols. At first sight, it may look as if God does indeed punish children for the sins of their fathers and that this punishment may extend to the third and fourth generation of children (grandchildren and great grandchildren). But the last “five words” of this verse makes it clear that these “children” are guilty for God says “of those who hate Me.” No doubt “the fathers hated God” but they then produced “children who hated God.” In this case the children were also guilty of “bowing down and serving idols” and thus God’s judgment upon them would be just.

Now let us read Ezekiel 18:20, “The soul who sins shall die. THE SON SHALL NOT BEAR THE GUILT OF THE FATHER, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” This verse makes it crystal-clear that children will not be punished for the sins of their father. In this case the child had a father who was guilty of sinning, but the child turned out differently. Instead of following the wickedness of his parent, he lives a righteous life. Many have pointed to different ones in the Bible who thought they were punished for the sins of their fathers but as we have seen, their punishment is always due to THEIR OWN SIN. “The SOUL WHO SINS shall die.”

The Apostle Paul taught the same truth in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death.” The sinner EARNS DEATH by the sins he/she commits. This is true of PHYSICAL DEATH but there is another “death” that one earns by their sins. We read of this death in Revelation 20:12-14 where all Christ-rejectors stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of time. “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and THE BOOKS WERE OPENED. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And THE DEAD WERE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And THEY WERE JUDGED, EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the SECOND DEATH.” All sinners who rejected Christ as their Savior will stand before Him as their Judge. He will “open the books which contain a record of every sin they ever committed, and they will be judged by those sins.” Their bodies will come forth from the grave and their spirit from Hades, and they will then be “cast into the lake of fire” where they will be SEPARATED from God forever (see 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). This is the SECOND DEATH! The “first death” was physical resulting in their “spirit being separated from their body” (see James 2:26). The “second death” results in their whole person (body, soul and spirit) being separated from God forever. My prayer is no one reading these words will be at that awful scene of judgment to receive the final “wages of sin which is eternal death in the lake of fire.” My prayer is for you to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Then your portion will be an eternity of bliss in heaven with Christ where there is “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).  (DO)  (644.1)