Examining The Doctrine Of Generational Curses

EXAMINING THE DOCTRINE OF GENERATIONAL CURSES

(by brother Tarran Dookie)

WHAT IS MEANT BY A GENERATIONAL CURSE?

A generational curse is said to be a curse that is passed on from one generation to another generation, from a person’s parent, grandparent or other ancestor. A generational curse is also called an ancestral curse. The curse is passed on by demonic or Satanic forces.

Generational curse proponents say that the curse may manifest itself in evil or immoral behaviour, failures in life, poverty, depression and suicidal tendencies, sickness and disease, and other negative consequences. A person may be led to believe that all these negative things are not his fault but are a result of a generational curse.

The person with the supposed generational curse is told that he needs deliverance. Accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour is not enough. Demons may have gained access into the person’s life because of ancestral sins. He needs special deliverance that may involve special prayers. Most importantly, he must confess the sins of his ancestors.

EXAMINING BIBLE VERSES USED IN SUPPORT OF GENERATIONAL CURSES

Exod 20:5-6 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Num 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

Deut 5:9-10 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

If Exod 20:5 means inevitable guilt and punishment for the descendants of sinners, up to the third and fourth generation, then Exod 20:6 would mean inevitable mercy for thousands of the descendants of any faithful believer. Neither position is correct. Neither guilt nor righteousness is passed on. Each person shall give account for his own deeds.

What does Exod 20:5-6 and the other passages above teach? The term curse is not there. Nothing is said about Satan or demons. It was God who would punish the disobedient. God is warning of judgment and punishment upon those who practise idolatry. The impact and influence may be felt upon their offspring to the third and fourth generations (that is, up to his great-grandchildren). The punishment only falls upon those who hate God, who choose to perpetuate the sins of their ancestors.

Jer 32:18 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name.

Jer 32:19 Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Jer 32:18 is not saying that children will be punished for the actions of their fathers, since Jer 32:19 states that God gives every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Lev 26:39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

Those who continue in the same iniquities as their fathers will receive just punishment.

Lam 5:7 Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.

In the said chapter Lam 5:16 says ‘The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!’ It shows that the children also participated in the same sins of their fathers. Therefore, their punishment is not as a consequence of their fathers’ sins but due to their own sins.

Generational curse proponents teach that according to Neh 1:5-6, Jer 14:20, and Dan 9:16 a person needs to repent of the sins of their predecessors. In these passages the sins of the fathers are acknowledged but also the sins of the present generation that participated in the sins of their forefathers are confessed. Their prayer is that they will not continue in the same sin.

THE BIBLE REJECTS THE DOCTRINE OF GENERATIONAL CURSES

Ezek 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.