What the Bible says about corporal punishment

We live in a society where people fain their concern about children. Whether it is the UN treaty on the rights of children or the oft repeated mantra that “it’s for the children” when teaching contracts are up for renegotiation. The truth is that what is best for children is never in view. We have become such a soft and emotionally hypersensitive society that we cannot recognize extortion when we see it.

Somehow we think that just because a person went to college for some degree that they are an expert on child development. Case in point, years ago a friend of mine took his almost 18-year-old to a mental health facility in Anchorage. When the child returned home, and to his utter disgust, he was presented with prescriptions from the practitioner. But unlike most prescriptions, these had nothing to do with medications. My friend became rather animated as he related that his child no longer “had” to make their bed, do the dishes, take out the trash, etc.

Utter nonsense. And what’s worse, that child would no longer have a home upon becoming 18 because as an adult, that parent could not wait to show them the door so that they could experience what life was really all about.

While I cannot make a blanket statement that all these child development “experts” are not parents, you will never get me to believe that they all are. As such, it is a foolish thing to give credence to those who have never had time in the saddle. And pet poodles don’t count. For those who have been parents, their own children ought to be examined to see the results of their labors before their advice is accepted — a college degree is no guarantee for good parenting.

The truth is that as a society, we have declared war against our children, and that day was the day when we set our hearts against God-given corporal punishment.

For all of you out there who are so concerned about hate crimes, God wants you to know that those who withhold corporal punishment hate children. In Proverbs 13, God says, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth betimes.”

While the United States Congress will never address this in hate crimes legislation, the day will come when every parent will stand before the judge of all the earth, Jesus Christ, and give account for how they raised their children. Jesus Christ, called “The Word” in John 1, will avenge all who violate his word by hating their children. All those turn out hellions on society must pay for the gravity of their crime.

Additionally, all those who played a part in deceiving these parents into believing that corporal punishment is wrong will have their day in court. The Bible says that to whom much is given, much shall be required. Those who act under the color of authority will be recompensed double for their pernicious ways.

You know, while so many other groups are so worried about hate crimes because “it hurts my feelings,” this hate crime is destroying America’s future. The future of every country is in their children, and children who are raised without consequences for evil will destroy themselves. They will destroy the people around them, the society in which they live, and eventually will wind up in hell.

God says in Proverbs 23, “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.”

While a good, old-fashioned spanking does not impart salvation to the child through the seat of their pants, what it does do is teach them right from wrong by giving them negative consequences for sinful behavior. When they come to realize that their bad behavior deserves to be punished, they will be faced with the choice of continuing the behavior despite the punishment, or curtailing it because the cost of the punishment is too painful.

Likewise, the day will come when the child will be faced with the reality of their sinful ways in light of a Holy God who must deal justly with their sin. It is at this point that the superiority of corporal punishment will be seen.

It is here that they will see the cost of their punishment as being too high, turn in repentance to God for their sin, and then to Jesus Christ who alone can save them from their sin.

Scoff all you want, but child-haters create God-haters who think they may do as they please, but the day will come when they will find out otherwise.

Ron Hamman is pastor for Independent Baptist Church of Wasilla. Contact him at 357-4229.