And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Colossians 3:21
If, after being punished, your children walk away thinking they hate you, you may not be correctly administering the punishment. If your children run out the back door when you come in the front, you may not be conducting yourself properly in the home or toward them.
Having been in law enforcement for a few years, I came to realize that there are precepts or general principles to the judicial administration of the law.
Enforcing the law without discretion is oppression.
In biblical terms, it is: The letter of the law killeth, the spirit of the law giveth life.
I am not against corporal punishment; it has a necessary place, but in and of itself, without love and understanding that children are children, they make mistakes. With proper parental nurturing, correction, training, and understanding, corporal punishment is a lot less necessary and much more effective.
Having raised children and ruled your house correctly is one of the qualifications for the offices of Bishop and Deacon.
1 Timothy 3:4-5 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
To raise children correctly, you need to be living correctly yourself in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Raising children is a God-given duty of parents. It is a delicate matter. Too much or too little discipline ruins a child. The Old Testament admonitions seem harsh, but when applied within the restraints of the New Testament guides you have struck the right balance.
Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Colossians 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame
Training and disciplining should start at birth. Any mother knows you have to teach a babe not to bite when sucking. If you do not have your toddler under control, you will have a miserable life; the terrible twos are the product of the failure to train your child.
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