Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13,14 ESV

The teaching of generational curses is not a new teaching, nor is it exclusive to the charismatic movement. Various beliefs have been perpetuated regarding this belief, ranging from word curses to hereditary spirits or demons attached to one’s family. Some teach that individuals are born with demons, and the only way to be free is to decree, declare, renounce hereditary sins, and even subject oneself to deliverance ministry.

For those who hold to this belief, it is stated that Jesus defeated the power of sin and Satan, but He did not remove the presence of Satan. The logic follows from those who teach this that though the power of a curse is broken, it does not mean the presence of the curse is broken. Individuals are left with the responsibility to break these curses once and for all, in hopes of being free. The reality is there is no freedom or peace in this train of thought. This leaves those who prescribe to such beliefs on a hamster wheel of works and burdens to be the curse breaker while using the name of Jesus to wield perceived personal power.

When we take into consideration the teachings and practices surrounding generational curses, there are some things I would offer for consideration. There is a heavy appeal to personal experiences, elevating them as truth in a person’s life. Leaders affirming this practice have made the statement that a man with an experience is not at the mercy of a man with an argument. The issue with this statement is an unfounded conclusion when Scripture in context is the source of the argument. Scripture is not at the mercy of our experiences. For one who holds to this way of thinking, how are the experiences of other religions, the occult, and the secular world reconciled when also dealing with generational curses and claiming success?

Another area of great concern is what is best termed a “Messiah complex”. The belief taught when dealing with breaking generational curses in the life of a professing believer is a focus on self. The individual declares to be a bloodline breaker and to be the one who will set their family free. This seems to diminish the finished work of Christ on the cross and to inadvertently place oneself as the savior. When I came out of the hyper charismatic/ NAR movement, one of the verses I found so helpful to me regarding this matter was Galatians 3:13. As believers in Christ, we have been freed from the regulations and restrictions of the law because Jesus fulfilled the law. He has freed us from the penalty of sin and given us eternal life. Jesus Christ alone is the Savior, and His work on our behalf is sufficient.

Scripture also does not support this practice or teaching. Numerous passages were used as prooftexts in a recent teaching I listened to on this topic. Deuteronomy 28 was stated to contain the symptoms of a curse in one’s life, and Exodus 34:7, along with Deuteronomy 30:19 and Ezekiel 18:2, was concluded to support the existence of generational curses. When taking time to read these passages in Scripture, it became clear that both Exodus and Deuteronomy pertained to the Mosaic law while Ezekiel 18 entirely disproved the existence of generational sin that must be broken in order for one to be free. We are each accountable for our actions and sins, and the concern is that this teaching encourages a lack of accountability and blame shifting. This is reminiscent of the garden post fall. If I could be so bold as to say, this type of teaching is a doctrine of demons. When individuals are told that they must break curses and do certain things in order to be free, a works-based gospel is perpetuated. It essentially places the law back onto individuals, and it only leads to burdensome bondages.

The teaching of generational curses is legalistic, and law based. It places burdens back onto professing believers, causing them to trust more in their own doing and actions than in what Christ has already done for us. What He did was sufficient. Do we still face consequences because of the curse of sin? Yes, we do. Creation has been subjected to futility and awaits the return of Christ while our bodies also groan, awaiting the redemption of our bodies and our adoption as sons (Romans 8:18-25). We all will physically die, and this is part of the curse of sin (Romans 5:1-5). The hope we have as believers in Christ is the glorious promise of eternal life with God. We are not called to conduct ourselves like pagans who concern themselves with these types of practices. We are to rest in the peace of God and to trust Him who is faithful, and we can be assured that God has supplied all that is needed pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

Listen to this episode from The Lovesick Scribe podcast as I tackle a teaching concerning generational curses: The Lovesick Scribe Podcast: The Curse of Generational Curse Teaching on Apple Podcasts