Exodus 34: 6-7

From Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology Pg 209 Chpt 12 Communicable Attributes of God

Scripture Memory Passage

Exodus 34: 6-7 : The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Note: The last section of this passage speaks of God "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children. Some might want to stop short of this part in memorizing the passage, but we should remember that this, too, is Scripture and is written for our edification. This statement shows the horrible nature of sin in the way it has effects beyond the individual sinner, also harming those around the sinner and harming future generations as well. We see this tragic ways in ordinary life, where the children of alcoholics often become alcoholics and the children of abusive parents often become abusive parents.

Christians who are forgiven by Christ should not think of these phrases as applying to them, however, for they are in the other category of people mentioned just before this section on "the guilty": they are among the "thousands" to whom God continually shows "steadfast love", and is continually "forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin" (v.7). When someone comes to Christ the chain of sin is broken. Here it is important to remember Peter's words: 1 Peter 1: 18- 19 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.