Religious beliefs can't always be explained in scientific terms and aberration.
For clarity, Science is defined by a popular source as knowledge ascertained by observation, critically tested, systematically, and brought under the general principal or law. In other words, science is just a certain knowledge that has proven to be right about something.
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Religion is something that has to do with supernatural and beyond the physical. Many aspects of religion is hinged on abstract concepts, the most important of it all is faith (Heb. 11:6, Habakuk 2:4).
These two things called religion and science though sometimes meet at a point, but in the raw concept, they are not interoperable.
I very much acknowledge the fact that most times people especially We Africans attribute most things to spirituality but some subjects can only be explained in religion context. Just as We rightly note, there are many diseases and challenges that are explainable by the things within us; such as our mistakes, genes and biological concepts, psychological or psychosocial defects and others.
The subject of inter-generational or generational problems or inherited challenges is approached from the perspective of religion, and as such find it's footings on the scriptures. I will limit references in my points because of lengnth of write-up.
Let's get it straight here and disapprove or approved it.
1. In the book of Genesis after God created man and woman, they failed God by disobedience (Gen. 3:1-6). Remember every disobedience attracts punishment except God's mercy intervenes. This act of disobedience made God to pronounce judgement (curse) on man, woman, snake and land (Gen. 3:14-19). It is important we remember that these curses are not only generational but inter-generational. This I believe is the single reason why every Christian must be baptized in order to wipe out the original sin from him or her. I think there would be no need for baptism if this curse was not given to our father as fore as the first man which is now bequeathed to us his Children (inter-generational curse).
2. In Gen. 12:1-3, God called Abraham and promised him many descendants. He told him that he will bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him, and that he will bless all Nations through him. In Gen. 17:1-9 God made a covenant of blessings to Abraham. In verse seven (7), He specifically told him that this covenant is an everlasting covenant extending to all future generations. And in verse nine (9), He told him that this convenant of blessings will only abide if they keep their own part of the covenant, which is obeying his commands and instructions. This is specifically seen as inter-generational blessings. But if they don't obey, the reverse would be the case which would be inter-generational curses.
These blessings were seen in the life of Abraham's descendants starting from Isaac, Jacob, Easu, the twelve Children of Jacob (Israel) who are the Jews today and by extension to us.
3. Exodus 34:7 reads thus; "I keep my promise for thousands of generations and forgive evil and sin; but I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents.” This is the word of God. I have no comment on it.
4. If we must bring GENE into this subject let's hear what God has to say on sowing: Gal. 6:7 "Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant" And Jesus tells us that a bad tree bears bad fruits (Matt.7:17). So by extension, a bad man can only deposit bad sperm which will produce a bad child, except by God's mercy intervention. That is also why You can live a life that can expose your descendants to cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure etc. It's scientific.
After God repented of using flood to destroy the earth, Noah offered a sacrifice to God that pleased Him and this was what He said; Gen. 8:33a "As long as the world exists, there will be a time for planting and a time for harvest". So when we plant bad seed we will have time to harvest bad crops.
5. When Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled against Moses (Numb. 16:1-35), God did not only punish them, rather He commanded the earth to open and it swallowed them, their families, their friends and their properties. God ended their generation and all generation that would have come from them. So this is to tell us that curse is not just generational but also friend-inherited-generational. A curse that is upon a man can even affect his friends and well-wishers as in this case of these people. If you always move along with a thief, on the day of his arrest or killing, you may also benefit from his punishment, in part or in full before you could explain or convince the executioners.
6. The story of Kings, and Chronicles of Kings has many stories of how God destroyed many Kings and not only promised but fulfilled wiping out their generation because of the sins of the parents. Because of time, I will only refer us to one place; 1Kings 21:20-24 which read thus, "When Ahab saw Elijah, he said, “Have you caught up with me, my enemy?”
“Yes, I have,” Elijah answered. “You have devoted yourself completely to doing what is wrong in the Lord's sight. 21 So the Lord says to you, ‘I will bring disaster on you. I will do away with you and get rid of every male in your family, young and old alike. 22 Your family will become like the family of King Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the family of King Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have stirred up my anger by leading Israel into sin.’ 23 And concerning Jezebel, the Lord says that dogs will eat her body in the city of Jezreel. 24 Any of your relatives who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and any who die in the open country will be eaten by vultures".
7. The story of what happened at the sentencing of Jesus to death is an interesting one and opens up how Parents implicate themselves and their Children. Matthew 27:24-25; "When Pilate saw that it was no use to go on, but that a riot might break out, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am not responsible for the death of this man! This is your doing!” 25 The whole crowd answered, “Let the responsibility for his death fall on us and on our children!”
We know that if not for the words of Jesus on the Cross and the mercies of God, this curse would have been upon the generation of the Jews till today.
8. In Ezekiel 18:1-20 the punishment of sins on the Descendants became so serious that the People of Israel turned it into a proverb. But God decided to rebuke that curse. God promised specifically in verses 20 and 21 that the sin of a man will bring punishment upon him alone and not to his Children anymore. I may not say much about this condemnation because only Ezekiel captured it, though that's not enough reason, but we don't need to be told how real these patterns are in our society today. We know that We serve a very dynamic God who treats us according to our dispensation. There are many times that God vowed to do somethings but later changed His mind because of either His servant's plea or something else. Perhaps, this retrieving of inter-generational curses was only for Ezekiel's time because We are post-Prophet Ezekiel and it is still very real. And don't compare us to other continents because we are not certain that patterns of such expressions of wickedness of evil spirits are not present in their lands and families. We can only speak of ours that we know.
9. Now let's come down to the realities in our lands, specifically Igbo lands. There are communities that gathered in the time past and did abominable things like spilling out blood and in some of such occasions, the victims made pronouncement against such lands and the people there. Till today, such curses still manifest in some of such communities. We know of many communities in such bondage. Some of these things were done over 50 years ago. That generation is gone but the curse is still there. Many families are seen in some strange manifestations of illness, hardship, crisis and strong patterns that are too uncommon to be ignored.
Science can't explain many of such realities, though they manifest physically. Even in medicine, it is believed that some health challenges are beyond ordinary. I am in medical line and I was thought that in a course called medical sociology. Have we not heard severally of people going through every possible diagnosis and laboratory test but nothing related to the sickness he or she has is found. This is where Science retrace and religion takes it's position so that God who is super-natural can attend to issues beyond natural realm. If everything can be explained by Science then God has little or no position in humanity. Science is just part of what God made us to know. Nobody can know all of God (Deut. 29:29)
10. Collosians 2:10 Christ is the head of all spiritual authorities and rulers. This tell us that these demons and evil orchestrations are realities but if you are with Christ, you can overcome them. Eph. 1:21&22, 2:2-3; All these powers exist but they are under the feet of Jesus. So obtain freedom through Him.
11. Exodus. 23:25-26. It is the will of God that His People should not get sick or be barren but many are still sick and some barren. These are rewards not gifts. This tell us more why Paul admonishes Timothy to work out His salvation with fear and trembling. Not everything is a gift, some are rewards for strict obedience. You have to work out your salvation with hardwork (James 2:26). Nobody can build your muscles for You. If You relax and wait for God without good works, You will be surprised to be consumed by them. Some have said it's not my portion it's not my portion until they died. Wake up. His grace is sufficient to enable You serve Him in truth and Spirit of You believe. And only then will You posses what He has promised (Josh. 1:8, Obadiah 1:17).
12. John 1:12-13. It is only those that received Him truly that He gave the power to become His Sons.
13. James 1:2-4, Rom. 5:3-5. Troubles come that our faith maybe tested and proven to be reliable and genuine. The generational curses or problems maybe your own crucible of test for you to validate the faith you claim to have.
By your actions and prayers destroy their gods (Ex.23:24)
14. In my last words I will say that We all have known that we cannot stop what God wants to do but You can obtain God's favour through your works. If it is the will of God to destroys people and we plead like Moses and Aaron in Numbers 16 but God refused, We can only be saved by our work like Noah. Lot, Abraham's Cousin was saved from the destruction at Sodom because of Abraham. What am saying in essence is that even if You are born in a Family, Village or Country that has a curse as a result of the forefathers commitments, You can be exempted from it by your works (Rom. 10:9-10, John 14:23-24, 1Cor. 5:17). This is because God Himself has refuted this curse in Ezekiel Chapter 18. That is why We see one or two Persons from such ill-fated Family or place soaring higher above their limitations. Therefore work out your salvation with fear and trembling (as Paul tells Timothy and Us) and be freed from such catastrophes.
We are more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37)
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