A friend of mine was called to the elementary school where his son was attending. The teacher was seeking help with his son’s misbehavior. When he arrived in the classroom, he pulled his son aside and reprimanded him for what had happened. At the end of his conversation, he told him, “If your behavior does not change and I have to return, I will spank you.” The teacher overheard his threat and said, “If you do, I will call the police.”<\/p>\n
Raising children today is a challenge for godly parents. Not only are we faced with the same daunting responsibility of every generation to “not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord<\/em>” (Ephesians 6:4), but today, one of the main tools in corrective discipline is being taken away. The Devil has convinced many of the “experts” in our culture that spanking or corporal punishment is ineffective, teaches a child to be violent himself, and must be stopped.<\/p>\n “There’s no reason to get physical with a child when other discipline tactics are more effective,” says Benjamin Siegel, M.D., chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health.<\/p>\n “The committee’s position is that spanking often involves abuse, which endangers a child’s safety and can cause psychological damage, leading to aggressive behavior, substance problems, and acts of delinquency during adolescence” (“The Great Spanking Debate,” Parents Magazine, Jan. 2012).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Several alternatives are offered, such as “Positive Reinforcement,” “Ignoring the Behavior,” “Time-Outs,” and “Logical Consequences.” These tools can also be used effectively in the proper raising of a child, but why ban spanking? The deeper problem is a lack of respect for the word of God. Satan is always trying to undermine the truth of the Bible with a lie.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, he finds many willing vocal accomplices among the worldly elite in academia.<\/p>\n The truth is, God has told parents for generations:<\/p>\n “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly<\/em>” (Proverbs 13:24).<\/p>\n “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him<\/em>” (Proverbs 22:15).<\/p>\n “You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell<\/em>” (Proverbs 23:14).<\/p>\n “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother<\/em>” (Proverbs 29:15).<\/p>\n “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul<\/em>” (Proverbs 29:17).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n God even teaches us by example when He says through Solomon, “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction: for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights<\/em>” (Proverbs 3:11-12). These instructions of the Lord have been true since Adam and Eve and will be true as long as fathers and mothers raise children on this earth.<\/p>\n The fads of human philosophy change with the wind, and those who follow them will reap the whirlwind. Unfortunately, the character of children raised with these fads will be malformed, but the parents will not see this until it is too late. The parents will feel sorrow and guilt as a smile forms on the face of the Devil. Only the timeless truth of God gives stability, provides an atmosphere for well-rounded growth, and produces the kind of character that fills a parent’s heart with joy and brings a smile to God’s face.<\/p>\n The fact is, a child is not capable of being in charge. They do not have the knowledge or the developed decision-making skills to rule the home. God gave that responsibility to the parents. If the parents are not willing to take on this responsibility, they should not bring children into the world. It’s not fair to the child or the world.<\/p>\n Use the “rod” as part of the whole process of discipline. Curb inappropriate behavior with negative consequences. Promote appropriate behavior with positive reinforcement. Define rules and consequences clearly to promote the child’s security. When violated, enforce the consequences quickly, especially for younger children, and consistently (one of the most difficult challenges). Mom and Dad must be unified in communicating the rules, consequences, and enforcement. Use the “rod” sparingly, primarily when parental authority is being challenged. Meet immaturity and childishness with a stern warning or, at times, encouragement.<\/p>\n The opposition of the world to spanking in our time will be seen by future generations (if the Lord allows this world to continue) as a mistake. The support and practice of the timeless truths of God will always bear good fruit. Trust God, and He will direct your path in one of the most precious relationships, raising your child.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Jeff Archer via\u00a0Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 A friend of mine was called to the elementary school where his son was attending. The teacher was seeking help with his son’s misbehavior. When he arrived in the classroom, he pulled his son aside and reprimanded him for what had happened. At the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1028],"tags":[665,106,29,107,108],"class_list":["post-92853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","category-parenting","tag-child-rearing","tag-discipline","tag-parenting","tag-raising-children","tag-spanking"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9169,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-i-spank-my-child-for-telling-me-off\/","url_meta":{"origin":92853,"position":0},"title":"Do I spank my child for telling me off?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 31, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Just recently my child swore at me. Do I spank him? Answer: That your child should be punished for being disrespectful is obvious. Whether you choose to use spanking as the means is up to you. But leaving him unpunished will just encourage further disobedience in the future. \"Because\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31038,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-i-spank-my-10-month-old\/","url_meta":{"origin":92853,"position":1},"title":"Can I spank my 10-month-old?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 25, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Can I spank my 10-month-old? Answer: Discipline starts as soon as a child starts to reach for things he should not touch. A firm but calm \"No\" followed by a flick on the back of the hand is usually enough to discourage a child. The key is consistency. You\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8962,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-find-someone-to-spank-my-teenage-son\/","url_meta":{"origin":92853,"position":2},"title":"How do I find someone to spank my teenage son?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I have a question. I\u2019m a single mother of a 16-year-old boy and I don\u2019t want to spank him, though he needs it and nothing else seems to work. Any recommendations or ideas of who I could reach out to who might be willing to mentor him? Because\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10035,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-a-parent-spank-a-teenage-athlete\/","url_meta":{"origin":92853,"position":3},"title":"How can a parent spank a teenage athlete?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 29, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have read some of the responses to Christian parents questions on spanking their children and teenagers. Many of my friends have trouble with their teenagers and often think of using it. The thing is what would a parent do with a teenager who is athletic, a soccer player,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4846,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-i-spank-my-stepsons\/","url_meta":{"origin":92853,"position":4},"title":"Should I spank my stepsons?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 25, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have just married a wonderful woman with two teenage boys who are out of control. They have not been spanked in years and I think it is time to re-institute that form of discipline into their life; at least until their behavior improves. My wife agrees to abide\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22288,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-not-certain-if-i-could-spank-a-child-im-watching\/","url_meta":{"origin":92853,"position":5},"title":"I’m not certain if I could spank a child I’m watching","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 22, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm a young Christian lady (27 years old) who watches an 11-year-old boy on a regular basis. His parents will go on a two-month trip and have asked me to move into their home and take care of him while they are gone. I will be happy to do\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92853\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The World’s Philosophy<\/h2>\n
God’s Truth<\/h2>\n
Guidelines<\/h2>\n