This research paper by Andrew T. Thompson, submitted to Dr. Richard Belcher for OT5200 – Genesis–Deuteronomy at Reformed Theological Seminary – Charlotte, explores the theological and ethical implications of Deuteronomy 24:16 — “Each will die for their own sin.”
Thompson traces the principle of individual versus generational guilt throughout Scripture, demonstrating how the law prohibits human retribution across generations while affirming divine sovereignty in matters of justice. He argues that, while guilt and righteousness can be imputed spiritually (as in Adam and Christ), temporal punishment for ancestral sin violates biblical ethics.
Applying this framework to modern contexts, the paper critiques economic reparations as a form of punitive, intergenerational justice inconsistent with both Old and New Covenant principles. Instead, Thompson advocates repentance, forgiveness, and voluntary restitution as the biblical response to historic injustice.
Course and semester: OT5200 Genesis–Deuteronomy — Fall 2022
