lunes, 18 de junio de 2012

The Generational Curse -False doctrine


-A false doctrine

The church meeting has just finished and the guest preacher began to pray for the congregation and to rebuke out of them all ‘the generational curses’ that they carry in their lives; curse of alcoholism, curse of diseases, curses of witchcraft, prostitution, homosexuality, etc. Isn’t this a common practice in some churches in our time? But, is this a biblical or anti-biblical doctrine? In this writing you will find an answer to this.

How often we see pastors, lay preachers, and even Christian singers (like rappers who lack a bit of Bible knowledge) in our churches breaking generational curses on Christians attending services. I'm surprised to see how they break chains of generational curse on "believers" who have attended the service.

Generational Curses; is a doctrine that has become very popular over the past two decades (in a very strong current) for its nature of teaching as many preachers love to feel power in breaking generational courses chains that they even don’t know if they exist.

What is the generational curse?

The generational curse is a doctrine that consists in the ‘curse’ that God has placed on our ancestors because of their sins, and this curses has been passed to their children from generation to generation.

As an example let me mention that if your grandfather or great-great-grandfather was a witch or a thieve or a murderer, God placed a cursed on him and on the succeeding generations, they will be carrying on with the curse. According to this doctrine this means that if you are suffering some illness is the consequence of the curse you are carrying on. Do you understand?

Where does this doctrine come from?

Although this doctrine is based on Bible verses, these are verses that have been interpreted outside of the text carrying out a doctrinal misinterpretation. I make the clarification that many people believe in this doctrine because a quickly view in the text gives an impression of to be a right doctrine, but, it is not!

Less give a look at some of the biblical text from were these teachings area coming from and soon after I will explain the true meaning of them;

Exodus 20: (The second of the Ten Commandments)

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 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

Exodus 34;
6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Numbers 14;
“18 The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation

The first time we read this text has been in the laws of God, then Exodus and Numbers are only a repetition of the commandment of the law, so these words are repeated in later texts and if you have noticed they used the words "Iniquity and evil.”

And now let see to the correct meaning of writing:

-First, this law of God does not speak about ‘curse’ but about the ‘sin’ or ‘iniquity’ of the parents.

-Second, it says that God visits the ‘iniquity’ of the fathers and was also given a limit to reach up to the fourth generation.

Third, this is a word that has compliance in those who hate God; they are the rebels, unbelievers, the gentile nations of that time.

From where then we get the idea that today’s believers are under a curse? Does God curse your own children? No! God loves his children!

Now let me talk about the word used in these texts which has been used erroneously as ‘curse’.

Exodus 20:
“5 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”

- Note that clearly says ‘sin’ not ‘curse’. The word used in this text is ‘sin’, which in the Hebrew is
 עוון    עון    âvôn âvôn”  which carry on with the meaning of; evil, guilt iniquity and  sin. Therefore what it says is, ‘that God visits the iniquity’ not that is cursing. This means that for the mistake and bad decision of parents, children bear and suffer the consequences of their mistakes not the curses.

As you may see here, never has been mentioned in the text the word ‘curse’ but rather; evil, guilt and sin. Interesting! Isn’t it? This means that what follow to the next four generations was the consequences of their parents’ sins, but if they turned to God this action will end those consequences. In the other hand you should note that this punishment was meant to be fir those who hate God it clearly stays it as ‘those who hate me’.

To understand the use of the word "curse" is worth seeing an example and its application in the following text:

Proverbs 20:
“20 If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness”

Here the Hebrew word used in the original text is  ( קלל )     (qâlal  kaw-lal')    whose meaning includes, reject, hate, abhor, and therefore he who rejects his parents his blessings are closed turning out the lamp of life leaving him walking in obscure darkness. So children, honour your father and mother which is the first commandment with promise (Exodus 20, 12 & Ephesians 6:2).

 And going back to the statement that ‘God punish the wickedness of the ancestors to the third and four generations’, let me tell you that God Himself in the Old Testament decided to create a new law to cut the ‘evil’ that was transmitted back in that time. God makes responsible to each one individually, for their sin and consequences. So, we will now see that the transferring of the consequences of the sin will not affect other but rather each one will carry his own consequences before God.

Deuteronomy 24;
“16 Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin”

-So God removes the visit of the evil consequences of the fathers upon the children, saying clearly that he no longer visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children but each will pay for their own sin. Do you understand? There are no consequences of sin in the descendants or later generations.

So God in order to correct the confusion of the people of Israel, because they have had adopted a common saying among them, God spoke again through the prophet Ezekiel saying;

Ezekiel 18:
“1 The Word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4 For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. 20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them”.

So, we can now understand God's plan and we can clearly say that "there is no generational curse" at all.  Nor in the children of God, Blessed be our God!

Doctrinal Errors:
What then are doing those preachers who preach the generational curses? Those who are constantly accusing our fellow Christians of loads of generational courses upon them, curse that they do not have at all?

I know (in the many samples I can give) a sister in Christ who suffered from severe anaemia and on one occasion one of those preachers accused her that her anaemia was the consequence of the ‘generational curse upon her’ and publicly he rebukes it ignoring that she was a new born Christian person washed with blood of Jesus.

Another believer who had disability in his legs was also accused of being paralysed as a result of ‘the generational curse’ ... and so on every issue and every disease on people becomes the point of result of the generational curse. God help us!

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then you do not have any ‘curse’ in your life for Jesus Christ came to give you eternal life and he has forgiving all your sins. Also, generational curse does not exist! Please my brother and sister in the name of Jesus feel free from these wrong teachings, and from these wrong preachers who are only placing loads on people, loads that they do not have.

The scripture says;

Galatians 3:
“13 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 pole (the cross)”

This means that with his blood Jesus has redeemed us and cleans us from all sins. Church you are therefore free from sin and condemnation, YOU ARE FREE! What then are seeking those preachers of the generational curse? Status, Position, power over people?.. May God enlighten your understanding!

Other ramifications of the false doctrine of generational curses:

Talking about harmful ramifications of this doctrine is a very serious situation, as some preachers of this doctrine in question, have taken the role as if they were psychologists or psychiatrists to treat these people who have been dragged into this false teaching. Some also ask them to go out confessing their past sins to others to download the weight so they can be free from those chains (almost as it happen in the famous G12 movement)
                        
I have personally known cases of these and I have personally had to rebuke these people who came over me to tell me their past. I had to sit them down and explain that "the blood of Christ" has forgiven all his past, and that "we are in Christ and are a new creation, that old things are passed away and all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17 ) therefore we do not longer walk in the past garbage. Other people have fallen into depression knowing that they are bearing the  "curses" of their ancestors. And so on the list of stories is unending.

Coming to the end;
Well, my dear in Jesus Christ I hope that this letter has been a blessing to your life as it was for a mexican sister whom after hearing one of my Spanish audio messages entitled ‘The Generational Curse’ wrote to me saying; Thanks pastor for removing from me a great burden that it had been imposed to me " that sister was free By the blood of Christ! Amen.

If this writing has also blessed you, please write me and tell me, and if you have questions or concerns raised let me know.

The gift from God:
This letter has not reached you by chance because God has a wonderful plan for your life. God wants you to accept the gift of salvation through Christ. Please surrender your life to Christ today by receiving Him as your personal saviour and enjoy the new life that God gives you free of any burden.

Pray like this;
Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and I have lived away from you. Please forgive me! Today I realize the need I have of you and so today I invite you to come into my life, come into my heart; I receive You as my only and sufficient Saviour. Thanks for coming to die for me on the cross of Calvary to pay the price for my sins. In your name, amen!

Now tell me about your decision and try to find a church to have fellowship. If this writing has been a blessing to your life, re-send to those who you love and hope in God it will bless them.
 
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