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.
Jer 31:29-30 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
Deut 24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
The above verses clearly teach that sin or iniquity is not passed on from father to son, or from one generation to another generation. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father. There is no passing on of any curse.
Rom 2:5-6 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 14:10-12 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God
Each person has an individual responsibility before God. Everyone will have to give account for his own deeds. We will not be able to blame our ancestors for any sin caused by a so-called generational curse.
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Jas 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
When Adam fell, all mankind fell and became by nature the children of wrath. We are naturally evil, not naturally good. This fallen nature came from Adam, not from our parents or ancestors. No one is in bondage to his ancestors’ sins. He is in bondage to his own sins and must repent of his own sins.
The results or effects of sin are not handed down to descendants genetically. Children may follow or be influenced by the bad examples of their parents or grandparents. Similarly, they may follow or be influenced by the bad examples of friends, co-workers, artistes they like or what they see in various media. This is learned behaviour and not a genetic tendency that proponents of generational curse teach.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
1John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
A believer in Christ has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. He has no condemnation. When one accepts Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, he is set free from all curse. He is a new creature, old things are passed away and all things are become new.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
On the cross of Calvary the Lord Jesus triumphed over the principalities and powers, including all demonic forces. When He redeemed us by His precious blood, we were set free from all curse. Believers are complete in Him. Satan has no legal claim upon the one who has accepted Christ.
There is not a single shred of biblical evidence to support the idea that anyone, anywhere, ever sins or otherwise has hardship or negative things in their life because of a generational curse. The concept of generational curses is not found in the Bible. It is a doctrine of demons, a heresy that must be rejected.
Believers in Christ Jesus may freely copy but under no circumstances must it be sold.
Email contact: tarrandookie53@gmail.com
