What is a generational curse and are they real today?
A term that is often heard in Christian circles is the term generational curse. I'm not sure people who aren't Christian use that terminology or at least I've never heard of it if they do. Many people may be wondering what exactly a generational curse is. Some even go further to ask if generational curses are real today? The answer to this question is yes, but maybe not in a way you may have thought.
What is a generational curse?
To begin with, I want to redefine the term because what people often describe as generational curses are indeed generational consequences. What I mean is that what is passed down is not a "curse" in the sense that God is cursing the family line. What is handed down is the consequence of sinful actions and behavior. Thus, a generational curse is actually a function of the sowing and harvesting passed down from one generation to the next. Consider Galatians 6: 8:
“Don't be fooled: God cannot be laughed at. A man reap what he sows. Whoever sows to please his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life “.
The generational curse is a transmission of sinful behavior that is replicated in the next generation. A parent conveys not only physical attributes but also spiritual and emotional attributes. These attributes can be viewed as a curse and in some respects they are. However, they are not a curse from God in the sense that He put them on you, they are the result of sin and sinful behavior.
What is the true origin of generational sin?
To understand the origin of generational sin you have to go back to the beginning.
"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and thus death came to all people, because all have sinned" (Romans 5:12).
The generational curse of sin began with Adam in the garden, not Moses. Because of Adam's sin, we are all born under the curse of sin. This curse causes us all to be born with a sinful nature which is the true catalyst for any sinful behavior we exhibit. As David said, "Surely I was a sinner at birth, a sinner from the time my mother conceived me" (Psalm 51: 5).
If left to itself, sin will run its course. If it is never confronted, it will end in eternal separation from God himself. This is the ultimate generational curse. However, when most people talk about generational curses, they don't think about original sin. So, let's consider all the above information and formulate a comprehensive answer to the question: Are generational curses real today?
Where do we see generational curses in the Bible?
A lot of attention and reflection on the question of whether generational curses are real today comes from Exodus 34: 7.
“Yet it does not leave the guilty unpunished; punishes children and their children for parental sin in the third and fourth generation. "
When you read this in isolation, it is understandable when you think about whether generational curses are real today to conclude yes, based on this scripture verse. However, I want to look at what God said just before this:
“And he passed before Moses, proclaiming: 'The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and kind God, slow to anger, rich in love and faithfulness, keeping love for thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet it does not leave the guilty unpunished; punishes children and their children for the sin of their parents in the third and fourth generation "(Exodus 34: 6-7).
How do you reconcile these two different images of God? On the one hand, you have a God who is compassionate, kind, slow to anger, who forgives wickedness, rebellion, and sin. On the other hand, you have a God who seems to punish children for their parents' sins. How do these two images of God marry?
The answer brings us back to the principle mentioned in Galatians. To those who repent, God forgives. To those who refuse, they set in motion the sowing and harvesting of sinful behavior. This is what is passed down from one generation to the next.
Are generational curses still real today?
As you can see, there are actually two answers to this question and it is based on how you define the term. To be clear, the generational curse of original sin is still alive and real today. Every person is born under this curse. What is alive and real even today are the generational consequences that derive from sinful choices handed down from generation to generation.
However, this does not mean that if your father was an alcoholic, an adulterer, or involved in sinful behavior, this is who you will become. What this means is that this behavior shown by your father or your parents will have consequences in your life. For better or for worse, they can affect how you view life and the decisions and choices you make.
Aren't generational curses unfair and unfair?
Another way to look at this question is if God is righteous, why should He curse generations? To be clear it is important to remember that God does not curse generations. God is allowing the consequence of unrepentant sin to take its course, which I imagine can be argued is a curse in itself. Ultimately, according to God's design, each person is responsible for their own sinful behavior and will be judged accordingly. Consider Jeremiah 31: 29-30:
"In those days people will no longer say, 'The parents ate sour grapes and the children's teeth got attached.' Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats unripe grapes, their teeth will grow up ”.
Even though you may face the effects of your parents' unrepentant sinful behavior, you are still responsible for your own choices and decisions. They may have influenced and shaped many of the actions you take, but they are still actions you must choose to take.
How do you break the generational curses?
I don't think you can stop at the question: are generational curses real today? The most pressing question on my mind is how can you break them? We are all born under the generational curse of Adam's sin and are all bearing the generational consequences of our parents' unrepentant sin. How do you break all this? Romans gives us the answer.
"For if, through the fault of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the abundant provision of God's grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through one man , Jesus Christ! Consequently, just as one transgression led to condemnation for all people, so also a righteous act led to justification and life for all people ”(Romans 5: 17-18).
The remedy for breaking Adam's curse of sin and the consequence of your parents' sin is found in Jesus Christ. Every person born again in Jesus Christ has been made brand new and you are no longer under the curse of any sin. Consider this verse:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [ie grafted, united to Him through faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [born again and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the former moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings new life] ”(2 Corinthians 5:17, AMP).
Regardless of what happened before, once you are in Christ everything is brand new. This decision to repent and choose Jesus as your savior ends any generational curse or consequence you feel prone to. If salvation breaks the last generational curse of original sin, it will also break the consequence of any sin of your fathers. The challenge for you is to keep coming out of what God has done in you. If you are in Christ you are no longer a prisoner of your past, you have been freed.
Honestly, sometimes the scars of your past life remain, but you don't have to fall victim to them because Jesus has put you on a new path. As Jesus stated in John 8:36, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
Convey mercy
You and I were born under a curse and a consequence. The curse of original sin and the consequence of our parents' behavior. The good news is that just as sinful behaviors can be transmitted, so can divine behaviors be transmitted. Once you are in Christ, you can begin a new family legacy of people walking with God from one generation to the next.
Because you belong to him, you can transform your family line from a generational curse to a generational blessing. You are new in Christ, you are free in Christ, so walk in that newness and freedom. Regardless of what happened before, thanks to Christ you have the victory. I implore you to live in that victory and change the course of your family's future for generations to come.