The Things You Thought Were True
Part 1
“Generational Curses—Is It True?”
Define: A generational curse is believed to be a curse that is passed on from one generation to another generation, from a person’s parent, grandparent or some other ancestor.
A generational curse is also called an ancestral curse. The curse itself is said to be passed on by demonic or Satanic forces.
Generational curse proponents say that the curse may manifest itself in evil or immoral behavior,
failures in life,
poverty,
depression and suicidal tendencies,
sickness and disease,
and other negative consequences.
It reminds me of an old song called “Born under a bad sign.”
A person may be led to believe that all these negative things are not his fault but are the result of a generational curse.
The person with the supposed generational curse is told that he needs deliverance. Accepting Jesus Christ as Savior is not enough.
It is taught that 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.
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Let’s take a look at some BIBLE VERSES USED IN SUPPORT OF GENERATIONAL CURSES:
Exod 20:5-6 “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who 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 “You shall not bow down to them (idols), nor serve them: for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, And showing mercy to thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.”
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Okay, let’s unpack this.
First, think this through: If Exodus 20:5 means inevitable guilt and punishment will be visited on to the descendants of sinners, up to the third and fourth generation, then Exodus 20:6 “…but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments…” would mean inevitable mercy for thousands of the descendants of any faithful believer.
Experience alone tells us that neither position is correct. We’ve all witnessed the children and grandchildren of righteous people that get into all kinds of trouble, and experience all kinds of negative things in life. The Bible tells us that even the Prophet Samuel’s children did not walk with God!
So—neither guilt nor righteousness are passed on. What the Bible actually teaches is that each person shall give account for his own deeds.
So then, what do Exod 20:5-6 and the other passages above teach?
First we note that the term CURSE is not there. Check it out. Not once is the word “curse” used.
And we also note that nothing is said about Satan or demons. It was God Himself who would punish the disobedient.
So what’s going on in these passages is that God is clearly warning of judgment and punishment upon those who practice idolatry. That’s the context!
It’s saying that the impact and influence may be felt upon the offspring of idolaters to the third and fourth generations (that is, up to his great-grandchildren).
But the punishment only falls upon those who choose to engage in the sins of their ancestors.
So there are generational consequences, not generational curses. The consequences are that the idolatrous behavior is learned and practiced by future generations, which we find abundantly testified to throughout Scripture where the children and grandchildren of idolaters continue the practice.
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Let’s look at another passage.
Jeremiah the Prophet writes:
Jer 32:18-19 “You show lovingkindness to thousands, and recompense 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.”
Now read verse 19 carefully:
19 “Great in counsel (God is), and mighty in work: for your 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 (own) 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 to every one according to his own ways, and according to the fruit of his own doings.
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The Prophet Jeremiah made personal responsibility for one’s own sin very clear:
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 eats the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.’”
The Living Bible paraphrase puts it this way:
“The people shall no longer quote this proverb—“Children pay for their fathers’ sins.” 30 For everyone shall die for his own sins—the person eating sour grapes is the one whose teeth are set on edge.”
Moses indisputably lays down this truth in Deuteronomy:
‘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.”
This clearly teaches that sin or iniquity is not passed on from father to son, or from one generation to another generation. The son shall not bear or answer for the iniquity of the father. There is no passing on of any curse. In never says that!
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The New Testament teaches the same thing:
Rom 2:5-6 “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”
And again in Rom 14:10-12 “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves 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.
Listen again to Paul out of Ephesians:
Eph 2:3 “All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”
We did what we did and do what we do regarding sin because of our own flesh and Adamic nature, not because of what my great granddaddy did!
When Adam fell, all mankind fell and became by nature the children of wrath. We are naturally bent toward sin. Our 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.
James confirms this:
Jas 1:14-15 “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his OWN lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.”
The results or effects of sin are not handed down to descendants genetically or spiritually. Children may follow or be influenced by the bad examples of their parents or grandparents, and they do. So that there are indeed generational consequences, but NOT generational curses!
Children or adults may follow or be influenced by the bad examples of friends, co-workers, artists they like or what they see in social media. This is learned behavior and not the genetic or spiritual coercion the proponents of generational curses teach.
Listen to the great news we find in 2 Cor. 5:17,
2Cor 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Does Paul say, “He is a new creation (except for the old, carryover generational curses he’s going to have to deal with)?”
Not one time in all the NT do we find the teaching that Christians, once born again, need then to deal with generational curses in order to be truly free. We find the opposite message!
A believer in Christ has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. He has no condemnation. When one accepts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, he is set free from all curses. He is a new creature, old things are passed away and all things are become new!
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My Bible tells me that Jesus utterly destroyed Satan at His death and resurrection:
Col 2:15 “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
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 curses. 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 false doctrine that teaches people they are bound to do the wrong they’re doing because of what their ancestors did!
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One last passage says it all:
Gal 3:13 “13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),”
The Message puts it like this: “Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse.’”
Question: If Jesus has redeemed me from the curse and became a curse for me, how then am I cursed by a generational curse or any other curse?
Answer: I’m not!
“He whom the Son sets free is free indeed!”—John 8:36
Next time: Did fallen angels impregnate women creating half human, half devil hybrids?