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On our website: https://www.thebereancall.org/content/question-shouldnt-we-pay-more-attention-deliverance-ministries More about the Bible: https://www.thebereancall.org/topic/bible Question: Scriptures such as Exodus 34:7 and Numbers 14:18 seem to indicate there is such a thing as generational sin caused by the sins of our ancestors. Shouldn’t we pay more attention to those who have been involved in “deliverance” ministries? Response: No. We should pay more attention to the context of the scriptures being used to see whether or not someone’s teaching is true to God’s Word. In both Exodus 34:7 and Numbers 14:18 God is dealing with a people according to His covenant of law. His covenant included blessings and curses; obedience brought blessings and breaking the law brought curses. Even though the sins of God’s covenant people would reap destructive consequences throughout generations, nevertheless God’s justice, grace, and mercy were made manifest to the individual. The entire chapter of Ezekiel 18 addresses that fact: “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 [the righteous], and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him [the wicked]” (Ezekiel 18:20). As a basis for their insistence upon the need to “break off” iniquities of one’s father in order to free an individual, deliverance ministries lean heavily on Old Testament scriptures. Yet even those Old Testament scriptures look forward to Christ, the Servant who will bear these iniquities (Isaiah 53:11) and pardon all of them (Jeremiah 33:8). Deliverance ministries (and others who emphasize “generational sins,” “iniquities,” and “ancestral curses” affecting believers) are in danger of putting themselves under a “curse.” The New Testament clearly teaches that believers are not under the law; that “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us...” (Galatians 3:13). Therefore, those who impose the law upon believers deny the gospel and become subject to Paul’s condemnation in Galatians 1:9: “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Finally, “generational curses” are said by many of the deliverance teachers to be the implements of Satan and his demons to create problems for Christians. Supposedly, sins of our ancestors bring about curses for which demons are making us pay today. The primary problem with this teaching is that there is no example in Scripture of demons cursing anyone. God curses, not Satan. And even when Satan’s instruments such as Balak try to have God’s people cursed, it is of no effect (Numbers 23:23). So, while curses may be the demonically generated devices of fear and destruction in the sorcerer’s world of animists, shamans, witches, voodoo priests, and other pagans, as far as the church is concerned, they are simply part of Satan’s scam to deceive—especially experientially driven—and, consequently, spiritually gullible Christians. Our main website: www.thebereancall.org Store: store.thebereancall.org Download our app: www.thebereancall.org/app In-depth research on a variety of Bible topics: https://www.thebereancall.org/topics Sign up for our email updates: https://www.thebereancall.org/subscribe

More episodes: https://www.thebereancall.org/get-biblical-understanding More about the Bible: https://www.thebereancall.org/topic/bible Free eBook: https://davehunt.org Download our app: https://www.thebereancall.org/app This is number 237 in our series of “Get Biblical Understanding.” In this session we’re reading many but certainly not all of the biblical verses that have to do with a Deterrent. Webster’s dictionary of 1828 (which many of its definitions are taken from the Scriptures) records the act of deterring as discouraging or stopping by fear; to stop or prevent from proceeding, by danger, difficulty or other consideration which disheartens, or countervails the motive for an act. We are often deterred from our duty by trivial difficulties. MALACHI 2:3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. MATTHEW 25:24-27 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. MATTHEW 25:28-30 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. LUKE 10:13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. ACTS 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. ACTS 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

The message of this treasured epistle is just as clear and convicting today as it was to the early churches of Galatia: We are justified by grace through faith alone - not by works of the law. Join T. A. McMahon and radio guests (Greg Durel, Mike Gendron, and Jim McCarthy) as they discuss this powerful Pauline epistle and its relevance to your daily walk. View the full series: https://www.thebereancall.org/galatians More about the Bible: https://www.thebereancall.org/topic/bible Our website: https://www.reachingcatholics.org Our main website: www.thebereancall.org Store: store.thebereancall.org Download our app: www.thebereancall.org/app Sign up for our email updates: https://www.thebereancall.org/subscribe

On our website: https://www.thebereancall.org/content/ta-mcmahon-david-james-part-2 More topics on our website: https://www.thebereancall.org/topics Free eBooks: https://davehunt.org Download our app: https://www.thebereancall.org/app Follow us on Social Media: https://www.thebereancall.org/social Last week, we were zeroing in on some issues related to Jonathan Cahn’s book, as I mentioned, The Mystery of Shemitah. But we’re talking about some facts that – as you pointed out last week – that this book is not presented as fiction, or even part-fiction. This deals with, supposedly, God imposing the law of Shemitah – not the same way, but somehow it has an effect…it’s going to have an effect on the United States with regard to its economy. Now, Jonathan Cahn said in this book that the economic downturn of 2008 was the “worst crash in the history of America,” and I’m quoting. Dave, is that true?