I've been doing a lot of work on Ancestry.com recently, learning about my familly. This is an area where I've never really had any interest in the past, but it has proven to be a lot of fun.
There is one spot on the website where you can find famous people who are distantly related. I don't want to brag, but I'm in some pretty fancy circles. I have some presidents, actors, etc. who are distant cousins. I also have some bank robbers, desperados, and other assorted relatives that I'd rather not tell you about. I guess that is true for most of us. There is always a ghost in the closet.
It brings to mind this question. Are we responsible for the actions of our ancestors or are we only accountable for our own actions. This isn't just a family question. It is a question of theology. What does God have to say about our actions? It's very simple; we are answerable to God.
I know a lot of names of family members from the past, but I don't really know much about their lives. Were they people who expressed love? Did they have a faith life? Were they forgiving in their actions? Did they seek unity in everything they did?
I'm very sorry to say that RL and I have found slave owners, crooks, and all "sorts" in our family ancestry. I don't know if any of them ever had a personal relationship with Christ. But . . that doesn't mean that I can't have that relationship . . that salvation in Christ.
If someone reads in the future what I'm writing today, I want them to know that my life revolved around God's plans for me. My life was based on my trust in God.
That's what my descendents need to know.
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