[TruthTalk] Spiritual Death

[Judy Taylor]

DM writes: My viewpoint tends to be one that recognizes spiritual inheritance only as an authority issue, not as something passed on through the act of creating progeny.  Sin gives spirits in the air authority over us and over our children.  Therefore, they have an effect upon future generations, not because the children inherited some kind of spiritual sin or spiritual death from their parents, but because their parents authority over them has granted authority to evil spirits over their children.    jt: David sins follow family trees, the characteristics of spirituality follow families. That is the sin and iniquity we are conceived in (Ps 51) and when ppl participate in the same sin that their ancestors did we see the movement of sin through the generations.  This is called the old man or the carnal nature.  When the first Adam died, his body went back to the dust  and a kingdom transferred by its fallen nature to his seed.   It is similar to how the children are sanctified by believing parents, not by some kind of transference in the birthing process, but by way of spiritual authority issues.  The passages that shape my thinking on this are Exodus 20:5 & Ezek. 18. In a nutshell, I believe that we inherit the basis for physical sin from our parents, but I do not see our spirits as being inherited from our parents, and therefore, I have trouble seeing any kind of spiritual sin or spiritual death being inherited from our parents.    jt: Generational sin is a spiritual rather than a psychological issue and acting it out always follows unless the child dies in infancy.   I believe in a concept of curses being passed on to future generations, but not in the same sense of inheritance as we find for physical inheritance.  It is only through authority that parents give to evil spirits through their sin that allows curses to be passed on.  How else do we understand the Lord's teaching in Ezekiel 18?   jt: Ezekiel 18 is exhorting these ppl to repent and turn so that generational iniquity willl not be their ruin.  It has always been true that we are judged for our own transgression; Vs26,27 explain how when the wicked turn to righteousness or the righteous turn to wickedness each is judged/rewarded accordingly.   Ezekiel 18:1-3 (1) The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, (2) What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? (3) As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.   jt: These ppl were falsely accusing God.   Ezekiel 18:19-20 (19) Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. (20) The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.   jt: Exactly - no problem there.  We don't have to walk in the iniquity of our fathers but most of us do because of ignorance.  For Israel it was walking in God's Law, statutes, and commandments.  For us it is obeying the law of Christ. Either way involves removal of the other kingdom and renewing of the mind.                                                 judyt But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,                are changed into the same image from glory to glory,                even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)