As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. - 1 Timothy 1:3-4
Paul shared with his spiritual son, Timothy, an urgent admonition so vital, that he shared it twice (1 Timothy 1:3-4). Paul urged Timothy to command certain teachers to (1) stop teaching false doctrines, (2) stop devoting themselves to myths, and (3) stop devoting themselves to endless genealogies. In combination, those three give rise to speculation rather than furthering the Kingdom of God.
It's easy to understand why The Word condemns the teaching of false doctrines and myths, but why the admonition against endless genealogies?
The Greek word for endless is aperantos meaning - boundless, interminable, un-finishable, something that can not be passed through. The implication is that you will never get to the end of it, and/or you will not be able to break through it. You're going to get stuck there.
Notice that the admonition is not against genealogies; but against ENDLESS genealogies. Endless genealogies can be barriers to breakthrough! People sometimes get stuck in their own genealogies.
When we are deeply wounded, it is critical that we carefully, purposefully, and wisely, acknowledge, examine, and forgive the wound, its impact, its damage, and its perpetrators. That healing process may and often does require wise, Godly counselors as guides. That healing process always requires The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, Who guides us into all truth, comforts us, and is the ultimate Physician's Assistant. That healing process leads us to victory over darkness. Without that process, we may walk and live inhibited and crippled by the unhealed parts of ourselves.
In the case of children, the abusers are many times close family members, or even worse, their parent(s). In many cases, the parent(s) purposefully subjected their child(ren) to abuse by themselves or another, and/or turned a blind eye to abuse inflicted on their child(ren) by another. The wounds from parents are uniquely damaging and resistant to acknowledgement and healing. In those cases, the counseling process rightfully involves the examination of family histories to determine roots of dysfunction.
We all identify with our bloodlines in positive and negative ways. Sanctifying that identity is a crucial step in transformation. Also, it is invaluable to reveal the tendencies, generational sins, and familial spirits associated with a family line. Those are the fodder for the renouncements and repentances that are required on our behalf. They are also clues and warnings for ourselves when we are in tight spots and may be tempted to fall into the old ways.
As interesting and alluring as family line study may be, we need to recognize the time to put a stake in the ground, and move on in our heart, mind, and spirit. We need to ask God to reveal if and when we are stuck in old stories, old pain, and have begun speculating on potential excuses for our own dysfunctional decisions. We need to ask God to help us put aside any unfruitful speculations and replace them with authentic forgiveness, confession, renouncing, repenting and healing. We need to remember His Promises, such as His Promise to always take care of us, even if our mother and father abandoned us (Psalm 27:10); to obey His command (Isaiah 43:18-19) to, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past."; and to walk in His encouragement for our future. "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs us; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in (your) wilderness and streams in your (wasteland)."
PRAYER
Abba Father. Help me to understand, renounce and forgive any wounds inflicted upon me by my family. Help me to move out of my earthly genealogy and move in to my Jesus genealogy. Help me to forget the former things, to not dwell (live) in my past, and to embrace the new thing you are doing in my life!
RESOURCES
Total Forgiveness, R.T. Kendall.
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