Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 9/18/2006

Question
So it's a new gospel, basically. Why would you call it a demon that made your father smoke? Don't you ascribe natural causes to anything in this world? Everyone smoked in the 40s. Nicotine is an addictive substance. Why drag demons and generational curses into it?

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Followup To

Question -
Do you know where this doctrine of generational curses came from? I know which Old Testament verses are used to support it (and which are ignored because they condemn it) but when did it start being taught as a Christian doctrine?

Answer -
Andrew,

Thanks for your questions. It is true that in many churches there is an extreme view of the "generational cures" teaching. By that I mean that some teach that every problem and issue a person (saved or lost) faces, stems from a sin/curse that is passed down through ones mother and or father. In other words, you have a problem with anger that problems was handed down from one of your parents.
This is a hyper teaching of a Biblical truth. Let me explain. The following are passages that support the teaching of generational curses. You wrote that you knew the Scriptures that support this teaching, but please indulge me by reading the following.

Exodus 34:6
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,  
34:7
Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

Deuteronomy 11:26
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;  
11:27
A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:  
11:28
And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

Andrew, my understanding of generational curses are that they are judgments that are passed on to individuals because of sins perpetuated in a family in a number of generations.  Generational curses are similar to original sin because they can be passed down on a generational basis.  They differ in that generational curses do not impose eternal judgment.  They bring judgment or bondage during an individual's life, reducing the quality of life, until that individual addresses the sin issues that put the curses into place.

I am not saying that a person must pay for the sins of his father. I am saying that the sins that a father commits are more likely to be handed down to his son. For instance, my father smokes, his father smoked, and as far as I know my great grandfather smoked. A demon came to my father when he was a young man, tempted him with tobacco, and now he is in bondage to it. When I was a young man that same temptation was brought into my life. The same demonic spirit knew that because my father (and his father, and his father) yielded to this sin and that I was raised in my father’s home, I would be more likely to yield to it also. And I did. However, when I came into a personal relationship with Jesus, repented of my sins, and followed Christ, that power was broken over my life. However, that same demonic force came back still, and I yielded again to tobacco. I struggled for a couple of months after my conversion, but I finally broke the power of that stronghold and was set free in Jesus Name, and by living a sanctified life. This is what people need more than anything Andrew, to be Saved-Sanctified-and Holy Ghost Filled! Breaking generational curses comes through Christ and salvation. Breaking generational curses comes through the Cross. I know this was not your question, but I did want to be clear about what we are talking about.

It is my understanding that the "hyper" generational curses teaching has been around for many years, but came to prevalence in the early 80's. Many charismatic churches believe this hyper view.

Please let me know if this helps,
Elder Greg Madden  

Answer
Andrew,

I would not say that it a "new gospel", but that the
teaching has become more prevalent in the past few decades.

I did not say that a demon "made" my father smoke, but that it was a demonic force that brought that temptation into his (and my own) life. And yes smoking is a curse. It may be true that there was a time that smoking was widely accepted, but not by all. Pentecostals have preached against it for many years.

Why would I say it's a curse? Because it is! Not just because it harms the body. But because, just as you said, it is an addictive substance. The opposite of a curse is a blessing. And bondage to sin is never a blessing!

Addiction = Bondage = Curse

Andrew, as I stated in my first response, it is true that there is a "hyper" teaching concerning generational curses. I have heard these folks blame everything an demons. That is un-Biblical, and is not what I believe. The Bible teaches us that sin is the root cause of mans problems. And Scriptures teach us that the answer to all mans problems (whatever they are) is found in the Cross of Christ.

I hope this make myself clear. Please let me know if you have any further

Elder Greg Madden