The Fallacy of Generational Curses

The generational curses have become a perennial issue in our own time.  A lot of hype and hysteria surround the ‘breaking’ of generational curses. The generational curses can be traced to the utterances of Yahweh in some books of the Old Testament. For example, in Exodus 20:5 the Lord says “I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me.”

 There are also passages in the OT that appear to suggest that God actually punished the children because of the sins of the parent(s). For example, the death of the child of Bathsheba after the adultery and murder committed by King David ( 2 Sam 12: 15-19).

However, in the prophesy of Ezekiel, the Lord announced a new order. No longer will the children be punished for the offences of their forbears. “The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be his own” (Ezek 18:20).

Jesus authoritatively confirmed this new order when the disciples asked him whether a man was born blind because of the sins of his parents. Jesus replied: neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him (Jn 9: 1-3). St Paul says that Jesus became a curse for all of us sinners and nailed the curses to the wood of the cross (Gal 3: 10-14).

The notion of generational curses does not exist in the New Testament. It is futile to have recourse to some passages in the OT even in the NT to justify it. Revelation of God and divine truths are taught in stages beginning from the OT to NT. For example, God commanded the sacrifice of animals for the forgiveness of sins and the circumcision of the flesh in the OT. But these practices (that were once recommended) are abolished in the NT. The idea of generational curses is not an inviolable or immovable code in the bible. It will be futile to quote some passages of the OT to justify animal sacrifice or circumcision of the flesh in our own time.

It is true that the children may suffer the negative consequences of the bad choices of their parents. For example the children may suffer for a long time the consequences of the bad choices made by an alcoholic and abusive father. But consequences are not coterminous with curses. It is almost a truism to say that life is full of twists and turns. It is callously lame to blame one’s parents for all the challenges of life.

Life can be very tough even for the children of ‘virtuous’ parents. "In the world you will have trouble. But be of good cheers I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33).
 In the face of challenges of life let us turn to Jesus. He will furnish us with the strength we need to carry our cross everyday and follow Him. Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28).