Both suffered and self-inflicted abuse and trauma, Twila. Biblically speaking, DNA damage is a built-in consequence of sin (separation from God).
"The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." (Number 14:18 NIV)
Interesting. I'd like to hear your point of view on a question.
I often hear from Christians that the, in my opinion, insanely harsh rules of the Old Testament, especially Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, cannot be ascribed to Christians because Jesus re-wrote the rules for the relationship between God and humans.
Yet here you are, quoting Numbers. Recognizing that you are not an authority, but also thinking (my opinion) that you're a pretty good Christian, I'd like to hear your take.
1. Is the Old Testament completely wiped out by Jesus's sacrifice and the New Testament?
2. Are the rules and the wisdom of the Old Testament still in force? Even the harsh and, to many people, insane ones?
3. Is the New Testament and the New Covenant what rules the universe now, but the Old Testament still valid for interpretation and understanding of the New Covenant?
The reason I ask is that it seems counter-intuitive to me that a God who claims to love us would inflict on a new soul disadvantages in punishment for what that soul's forbears did. I cannot think of a single standard by which that could be considered even just, much less loving or merciful. For that matter, most human legal systems contain specific prohibitions on visiting the "consequences" of the father's actions on the son. If mere humans can be so just and merciful, is not God even more so?
