Generational Curses

Generational curses are blamed for everything these days. So often when I ask for healing prayer, if I mention the “G” word (genetic), or for no particular reason, the person praying will launch into praying against “generational curses”, the concept based on the second commandment, which says that since “God punishes the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generations,” any problem a person has results from some sin, known or unknown, that their ancestor committed. The remedy, according to the teaching's adherents, consists of anything from personally repenting of that sin to undergoing five-hour rituals to undo their ancestors' Masonic involvement. One person told me that someone who prayed for her discerned witchcraft in her family all the way back to the eleven hundreds—for which she had to repent. People mean well (I think) but I’m amazed at the angry responses to my pointing out what the scripture truly says.

The second commandment and several other passages in the Bible really do say that:

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 fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, Exodus 20:5

So what’s the problem? God in his mercy and grace didn’t leave us there! Even as far back as Ezekiel’s time, God stopped passing the blame through the generations!

"Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father? Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. " Ezk 18:19-20

This entire chapter is clearly about individuals not bearing any guilt but their own. Ezekiel was looking forward to the day when Jesus would bear the curse of sin and death, including the generational curse, for us.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Galatians 3:13

Hallelujah! Jesus has already done it!!! We who follow Jesus are no longer under the Law! Each person is only responsible to repent for his or her own sins and Jesus’ death and resurrection have won us forgiveness! We don’t need any rituals to “break off” such curses; the New Testament never even suggests such a thing! Even in the Old Testament, God had Ezekiel rebuke the Israelites for saying such a thing.

The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:" `The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'?As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4 For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son--both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die. EZE 18:1-4

This is a very serious issue since the kinds of curses that people should be concerned about are the ones that come from trying to be justified by the Law (Mosaic).

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." GAL 3:10

But what about genetic diseases? I’m not a genetic scientist but I can be reasonably sure (and fervently hope) that if a person’s parent has a disease it’s not a sure thing that they will contract it also. If a person knows that a genetic tendency runs in their family they will do well to take precautions such as eating a healthy diet and exercising. I realize that this part is oversimplification but I do know that we who follow Jesus are not required by any curse to contract these things!!

Yes, sometimes curses do harass people for other reasons but that’s another matter. God no longer punishes the children for the sins of their fathers! We are FREE in Jesus!

Sola Scriptura

Childhood books urged me, “If you believe hard enough, whatever you wish for will come true!” Oh, how I wanted it to be so but there was always an adult around to assure me of what I had already sensed, that it just wasn’t. Later as a teen I discovered that “faith can move mountains” and began to pray in faith and received amazing answers. I learned though that faith and belief, unlike “wishing upon a star”, worked only on those things that God had promised in his word.

Sola scriptura, scripture alone, was Martin Luther’s insistence that all authority for a Christian’s life was based not on what some religious leader found advantageous, not on tradition but only on the Word of God—the Bible. Today, people tell me, “Well, I believe …”, fill in the blank with whatever they’ve been taught by “someone I respect”—therefore-it-must-be-true, without taking time to be like the Bereans who “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11) Paul wasn’t threatened, so why do Christian teachers feel threatened today? Or perhaps the person believes, "God wants me to be happy,”
making it convenient to divorce their husband or wife, regardless of what God has already said on the subject.

Just believing something, anything does not make it so. Exercising faith in God, based on his word already expressed in the Bible does!

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)

Let’s move those mountains of sickness, poverty, evil and unbelief! Anyone game?

Christians and “The Law” (of Moses)

Saturday, a store manager told me that an item I had always found there was no longer stocked but she encouraged me to “keep checking because everything old is new again.” I was amused since my first thought was, “That means me!” Many old things (and people!) are still good and don’t need to be replaced just because something newer, flashier or more technologically up to date comes along. My grandmother’s cheese grater still grates and my late twentieth century phones can still connect me to any other phone in the world—without all the fancy features and up-charges.

However, bringing some old things forward is not only inappropriate but can be harmful, as when Christians try to put other Christians “under the Law”. Of course, I’m referring to the Law of Moses, given to Moses by God for the Jews. Even a rabbi told me that Jewish people are the only ones who God expects to follow the Law. But for all who follow Jesus, the Law was fulfilled by his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead! (Romans 10:4) and we are “not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14) Yet, Christians often still insist on requiring each other (sometimes even themselves) to be “under the Law” in various forms. Some insist on the Ten Commandments, others on tithing and still others that God punishes sins “to the third and fourth generations”.

The apostle Paul severely chastised the Galatians for following teachings that put them under the Law. He called it, “deserting the one who called you” (Gal.1: 6) “turning to a different gospel, which is no gospel at all”. (Gal. 1:7-9) Paul quoted the Law itself in saying that anyone who relied on the Law was under a curse for not keeping the entire Law—all 613 parts! (Gal. 3:10) Strong words! But they’re not mine. They’re the Word of God. God is very serious about grace—it cost Jesus a lot.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1)

I’ll be writing more detail on this subject in weeks to come, and don’t worry, I’ll address as well the overdose of grace that leads to license.

God's Will for Your Life

We Christians are always wondering, ”What is God’s will for my life?” Many books and workshops are eagerly sought in this mysterious quest. We think, “I just know the answer is out there somewhere, if only I could find the right formula…” Some tell us to follow our dreams while others say, “Do what you’re good at” and still others say that you never quite know because God may change it minute by minute. But God isn’t capricious--constantly changing nor is he holding out on you, keeping some big secret from you. In fact, he so much wants you to know what he wants for your life that he had it written down for you even before you were born!

As I recently wrote to a young friend, God doesn’t have a different will for each person, his will for all of us is written in the Bible (with an emphasis on the New Testament). Of course, there are details that will vary such as timing and location, etc. I’m in no way dismissing the leading of the Holy Spirit! But the first place the Holy Spirit will lead you is to that which has already been said. Do you remember your mother ever saying, “Now what did I already tell you?”

One question that comes up among young people and increasingly among the not so young is, “Am I ‘called’ to missions?” The answer is simple—yes. Jesus said,” Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19) Every Christian is called by Jesus to take the good news of his kingdom to the nations though the nations or “people groups” may very well be in your city. Your role may be to help someone else travel, supporting them in (fervent!) prayer and finances until you can take a more active role.

What field should I work/major in? Which job should I aim for?” are two other questions that confront most of us at an increasingly earlier age. Your number one calling is to be a disciple of Jesus who makes other disciples (this certainly includes worshipping him) so your primary concern should be in taking a job that doesn’t so fill your time that there’s no time left for following Jesus in every way,and gathering with other believers (this does not necessarily mean committee meetings!). You already know from scripture without having to wonder (I hope!) that it should be work that honors God and doesn’t dishonor him. There is an old teaching that all work a Christian does honors God—sorry, there’s no way that being a stripper or a manufacturer of products that harm people will ever honor God.

These are just a couple of the questions many of us have about God’s will for our lives. I’ve only skimmed the surface, but my aim is to send you back to God’s Word to get the foundational knowledge of his will—you may be surprised at how many of the details fall into place once you do. More later…