The Scriptures are the source of everything we believe and the rule of everything we are to do. We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. We believe that it is a living Word that is “powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12). But notwithstanding that confession of faith, more often than not our experience becomes more credible than our doctrine, this creates tension in our hearts. This tension forces us to either dig deeper into the layers of truth in scripture or it elevates our experience above scripture which in turn devalues the importance and power of scripture in our lives.
One example of experiential faith, is the prominence of the generational curses as an acceptable reality inside the church i.e. Christians that are subjected to generational curses and must do their utmost to be freed from said generational curses.
In a heated debate I had with one such believer he categorically stated that he does not care what I have to say of what scripture says regarding generational curses, he has seen reality of it in the lives of Christians and that my understanding of scripture is incorrect.
This illustrates the problem that lies at the heart of this controversy. Furthermore denying what scripture clearly teaches is catastrophic, but also dismissing and ignoring the experience of such believers that battle with these problems are also problematic.
Faith is always the answer to the tension between doctrine and experience. II Timothy 3:16-17 is perhaps the most direct statement concerning the doctrine of Scripture: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Here faith must operate to resolve the frequent tension. Faith is not a subjective exercise of positive thinking that tries to convince that something is true contrary to the fact. On the contrary, faith is based on objective truth, and it has value only in proportion to the worth of the object of that faith. The object of faith must always be God and His Word. This is why faith must always supersede and subdue experience.
Experience is entirely subjective and can never be the final and sole judge of anything. This certainly applies to our approach to the Scripture. Doctrine says that all the Scripture is inspired and profitable. Faith believes it to be true. If experience concludes it to be without purpose, irrelevant, outdated, or in some other way without profit, experience is wrong. Faith ought to stop us short every time we are tempted to skip through or over any part of God’s holy Word.
It is only in the light of biblical truth that an erroneous believe system can and must be confronted. Biblical truth must be explored to explain the perceived experience of generational curses.
Experiences need to be evaluated in the light of biblical truth and we must guard against evaluating biblical truth in the light of experience.
The curse motif of the fall.
The first appearance of a curse is directly after the fall, because of the sin of God’s created people the land was cursed (Gen 3:17). After Cain killed his brother, God expanded the curse to him and per implication everyone who walks in the way of Cain. (Gen 4:11)
From the fall of Adam two distinct people groups are identified. This distinction is a thread that runs through the whole bible. We have righteous Abel, identifying a righteous line (Heb 11:4; Mat 23:35) because of his faith, and we have Cain, who was with the evil one and whose deeds were evil. (1Jn 3:12)- the offspring of the Devil (Gen 3:17). Resulting in the way of Cain. (Jud 1.11).
From the beginning the line of Cain has always persecuted the line of Abel, the unrighteous persecuted the righteous, the people of the evil one persecuted the people of God. God, when dealing with Satan after the fall, distinguishes between the offspring of the woman and the offspring of the Devil. Hostility is established from the beginning.
After God has called Abram, he changed his name to Abraham and gave him a promise that in Abraham all peoples of the earth will be blessed. Included in this blessing to Abraham is also a stipulation that those people that dishonors him will be cursed.
The first-time generational curses are mentioned in the Bible in respect to God’s covenant people is with God’s covenant with Israel. It is included in the ten commandments and formed an integral part of this covenant. The covenant stipulates the collective blessings and collective punishment. Blessings if Israel obey and serve God and punishment if they don’t. This covenantal stipulation is applicable from Israel as a nation and to individuals and their families.
Exo 20:4-5 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
De 11:26-28 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known. See also Ex 34:7, Num 14:18, Deut 5:9,
Ingrained in the covenant with Israel is the reality of curses, Deut 27:15 – 26; Deut 28:16 – 19.
Deu_27:26 “Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”.
Gal 3:10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”
Where the initial curses were upon the sins of individuals – where the concept of a sin was doing evil deeds. The sins of commission. In the Law it was made applicable to sins of omission. The curse was applicable to instances where the Law was not obediently kept.
It is important to not that God is the one that is in control in dispensing blessings or curses. God blesses and God punishes. Blessings can be directly and indirectly and curses can be directly or indirectly. God can bless or punish directly – He dispenses the punishment Himself, or He can use other agents to dispense the punishment announced by Him. Time and time again God punished Israel for their disobedience by sending a rival nation to persecute. God used different means to punish, but it always was God in control.
When God curses individuals there are two elements involved. Firstly, there is the sins of the fathers that will be visited on the following generations without mentioning that the latter generations repeat the same sinful behavior. Ex 20:5. Secondly, there is also the scriptures that specifies that the sins of the fathers are repeated by the following generations incurring a “double” curse – because of the father’s sin and their own sin. The curse is upon them because they do the same things their fathers did, the curse is not the punishment to do that what their fathers did.
This distinction is important as the people endorsing the generational curse theology uses these associating sins as prove of a generational curse. The reasoning for these associating sins are discussed in part 2 of generational curses.
There are numerous examples in scripture of punishment inflicted due to a generational curse. Listed below are a few.
Jos 7:10-26 Achan and his family paid the price for his sin.
2 Sam 12:15-23 David’s son dies because of the sin with Bathsheba and Uriah
1 Kings 21.1-29 Ahab’s son punished for his father’s sin in the death of Naboth.
It is important to note the following in the stated examples. Achan acknowledged his sin but no indication of repentance was made. He and his family died. David repented (Ps 51) he did not die but his son did. Ahab repented and he did not die because of that sin but his son bore the punishment. We conclude that true repentance is honored by God with accompanied mercy, but the punishment is still applicable as stated in the generational curse.
It is important to note that the original curse and the covenental curse are not two seperate curses that is applicable to different time periods and peoples. It is the development of the same curse applicable to different peoples. The covenental curse is also a generational curse.
To summarize: Covenantal curses are was part of God’s covenantal relationship with Israel and grace was given in certain circumstances.
God changed the details of the covenantal curse, removing the generational punishment aspect. The children will no longer receive punishment for the father’s sin. In Eze 18:1 – 32 God through the prophet Ezekiel changes the covenantal conditions.
Eze 18:20 – 22 “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live.
The notion of repentance and grace is expanded upon, in stating the change Ezekiel confirms that it was a part of the covenant. But with this part of the covenant has come to an end. The word clearly states, no more will the sins of the father be visited upon the sons. Everyone will stand or fall because of their own iniquity. The generational curses were removed from God’s covenant people. Collective punishment as stipulated by the law of the covenant has been terminated. The individual curses and punishment were not lifted and still formed an integral part of the Law.
No indication is given that with the suspension of the generational curse for God’s covenant people, it is also applicable to the people outside the covenant. Therefore, we conclude that generational curses are still applicable to non covenantal peoples. God is speaking to His people and His people alone.
The new Covenant and the curse motif of the atonement.
Throughout biblical history the curse motif has been introduced, expanded and made applicable to different people and people groups. It is a repeated theme. But generational curses does not occur at all in the New Testament.
The Lord has promised a new covenant.
Jer 31:31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, Jer 31:33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Mat 26:28 “for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”
Heb 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Heb 9:15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance,
The new covenant was promised by God, was realized by Jesus Christ and is applicable to all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Again the reality of this biblical truth is not under dispute, it is the application of this truth that is, and in the clear light of scripure we will see that the theology of generational curses as it is made applicable to Christians is flawed.
That Jesus introduces the new covenant and that he is the mediator of the new covenant is not under dispute. The effect and the extend of the atonement are under dispute in it’s applicability to generational curses. But scripture is very clear on the issue of the atonement and its applicability to the curse in all it’s forms and variances.
The enormousness of the mediatory work is not be the scope of this work (in itself it will be an immense undertaking), we will focus on it’s application to generational curses.
Paul deals with the issue of the curse when he addresses the Galatians for their wayward faith in relying on the works of the law as neccesary to complete salvation and acceptance by God. They were convinced by Judiasers that believing in the work and person of Jesus Christ was insufficient for salvation and rigtheousness.
Paul argues the atonement.
Gal 1:3-5 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen
Paul introduces with his introduction one of those scriptures that are rich with the truth and importance. This passage by itself will be sufficient to denounce the theology of generational curses. Paul however uses it only as an introduction but it lays the foundation upon which he builds to disprove the incorrect doctrine of the Judaizers.
Great truths are mentioned namely, grace, peace, atonement, deliverance, the will of God, the glory of God. All the truths portraying the extend of the salvation in Christ Jesus. All the truths individually and collectively exulting the completeness of God’s salvation.
We will look briefly at only one, “who gave himself for our sins to deliver us”. At the most basic level the curse is the result of the fall, without sin there is no curse, Remove the sin and the curse is removed. It does not get any simpler and more powerful than that.
Paul drives home the truth with another simple and powerful truth, Gal 3:10;13 “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”
Paul refers to Deut 21:22-23 “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance. (Emphasis mine)
Rom 8:31-33 “ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”
Paul uses the fortiori argument. He argues from the greater by giving His Son to the lesser – all other things. If God gave the ultimate, and He did it freely, then God will most certainly not withhold any lesser blessing. God gave His son for His elect and then God justified the elect.
God introduced the curse motif and God suspended the curse motif as it relates to the elect.
The erroneous perception of generational curses occurs when Old Testament truths are blended with New Testament truths. The New Testament truth of punishment for individuals and collectively for congregations are taken as a continuation of the punishments because of the curse, but as scripture clearly states, the curse has been suspended. The punishment of believers for sin is a clear New Testament teaching and there is no link between this truth and Old Testament curse related punishment.
A consequence of generational curse teaching is that it denies Christ’s sufficiency and Covenant of Grace for the atonement of sin. It also seems to relinquish people from taking responsibility for their wrongdoings, sins and inadequacies and blaming someone else.