Generational Curse?

For some reason, the subject of generational curses comes across my path from time to time. This doctrine depresses the spirit and strangles faith, since we're helpless to change the actions of our ancestors! So here are some truths from Scripture that counter it.

The only generational curse in the Bible was caused by Adam. Because he represented us before God, his one bad action cut all of us off from God. Romans 5:15-19. But Adam was unique.

The Bible says the natural world was cursed because of Adam's sin, and so nature groans (Romans 8:18-22). This is why we can inherit genetic defects, why there are destructive viruses and bacteria, and so on. But our future resurrection is hope for the earth. 

The practical consequences of parental sins do fall on children. We are sinners raising sinners. For example, a parent's alcoholism hurts the family. Exodus 20:50. However, that same verse says that if someone loves and follows the Lord, then His steadfast love is with them. 

God never blames a child for an ancestor's sins. Read Ezekiel 18. Our ancestors did not represent us before God, for good or ill. The blind man's blindness was not because anyone sinned, John 9:1-4.

Sometimes Satan is doing things to us. Job 1-2. God maintains the world, and he can prevent things, but God doesn't Himself cause everything. God didn't cause Satan to be evil, or plague Job. Job incorrectly thought God was doing it, and was angry at him about something. 

Every curse is broken in Christ. God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places, through Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Every Christian is anointed by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21). He has already transferred us out of the devil's domain (Colossians 1:13). We are already blessed, even when earth's circumstances are bad.

Sometimes it's true that we do waver in unbelief, and that's why we don't get answers to our prayers. James 1:6-7. We get offended if someone brings this up, but James says that wavering in regards to God's power or reliability is unbelief. 

The bottom line is, the hardships we endure have a purpose -- they might be discipline, or maybe faith-training, or maybe a context for God to work in power --  but they are not a generational curse. God can lighten the hardships, or even take them away completely.

Jack