By Elias Ayala (M.A.T. & Mdiv)
Within certain Christian circles, it has been suggested that “curses” can be and are passed through generations. For example, a family with a history of some sinful behavior or life pattern can incur the curse of God, and this curse is passed on to the children who come afterward. Certain sinful patterns may include alcoholism, lust, anger, etc. It is believed that such sinful patterns as God’s curse upon such behavior is passed on to the children, thus the children are in a sense punished for the sins of their parents.
This concept of generational curses is unbiblical. The Bible does not teach that “curses” are passed on to future generations, but rather, consequences can in fact be passed on. In this sense, the Bible says that children are punished for the sins of their fathers (to the third and fourth generation) Exodus 20:5. Take for example a man who lives a lifestyle of heavy drug usage. While such a lifestyle is detrimental to the man, and may result in God’s judgment or “curse” upon the individual for living such a sinful lifestyle; the man’s guilt is not passed on to his son or daughter in the sense that the children are somehow being held responsible for the sins of the father.
That being said, the consequences of the man’s sin can pass unto his children. For example, heavy drug usage by either a man or a woman may in turn lead to birth defects or disease which are detrimental to the child. Or, a man who is a slave to alcoholism may cause his children the pain of neglect or abuse thus in a way causing the children to experience this sort of pain as a direct result of the bad choices of the father. While such a scenario is unfortunate, it is not an example of a “generational curse” upon the children of those who have gone before them. The scriptures clearly teach:
“The soul who sins will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteous of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.” (Ezekiel 18:20).
While the scriptures do not teach the concept of “generational curses” as understood by some within various Christian circles, there is a sense in which the curse of sin is passed on from generation to generation. For in Adam, “All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In Adam, all of humanity inherits the sin nature. The apostle Paul says quite clearly:
“Just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one righteous act was justification that brings life to all men.” (Romans 5:18).
