Learning the best way to discipline a child can be a difficult task,
but it is extremely important. Some people claim that corporal punishment (corporal punishment) such as caning is the only method that the Bible supports. Other people insist that “time-standing” or other punishments that do not involve physical discipline are more effective. What does the Bible say? The Bible teaches that physical discipline is proper, beneficial, and necessary.
Don’t get this wrong – we are in no way advocating child abuse. A child should never be physically disciplined to the extent that it actually causes harm to the child’s body. According to the Bible, however, proper and moderate discipline for a child is a good thing and helps in the child’s well-being and right upbringing.
Many references in Scripture actually promote physical discipline. “Always chastise a child as necessary. Chastise her and she will not die. If you chastise her, you will keep her from the grave” (Proverbs 23:13-14; see also 13:24; 22:15; 20:30) . The Bible very strongly emphasizes the importance of discipline; This is something we all need to have in order to produce productive people, and it can be learned very easily when we are young. Children who are not disciplined are often rebellious, do not respect anyone’s authority over them, And as a result self-will faces difficulty in obeying God and following Him. God Himself disciplines us and guides us to the right path and encourages us to repent of our wrongdoings (Psalm 94:12; Proverbs 1:7; 6:23; 12:1; 13:1; 15:5; Isaiah 38 :16; Hebrews 12:9).
In order to apply discipline properly and according to biblical principles, parents must be familiar with the Scriptural counsels regarding discipline. The book of Proverbs offers a wealth of wisdom regarding child rearing, such as, “Reproof and instruction lead to knowledge, but a child abandoned is a shame to the mother” (Proverbs 29:15). This verse outlines the consequences of not disciplining a child – shame for the parent. There is no doubt that discipline should serve the child’s well-being as its goal and should not be used to justify child abuse and torture. Nor should it be used to vent one’s anger and frustration.
Discipline should be used to correct and educate people to walk in the right path. “When we are punished, we do not rejoice because it is painful at the time. But later, when we are disciplined, we have peace because we begin to live righteously” (Hebrews 12:11). God’s discipline is filled with love, and so should be between parents and children. Physical discipline should never be used to cause permanent physical harm or suffering. Corporal punishment should always be immediately followed by comforting the child with the reassurance that he is loved. This is the perfect time to teach a child that God disciplines us because He loves us and that as parents, we should do the same for our children.
Can other forms of discipline such as “standing-up-time” be used in lieu of physical discipline? Some parents find that their children do not respond appropriately to physical discipline. Some parents find that “staying-for-a-time,” early education, and/or depriving the child of an object is very effective in encouraging behavioral change. If this is indeed the case, then by all means, a parent would have used all such methods to produce the best results necessary for behavioral changes. While the Bible unequivocally advocates corporal discipline, the Bible’s greatest concern is with the goal of achieving the formation of righteous character in the way it expects to be used to achieve this goal.
To make the matter even more difficult, the truth is that governments are classifying all forms of physical discipline as child abuse. Many parents do not beat their children with sticks for fear that the government will find out about it and take their children away from them. What should parents do when a government makes it illegal to discipline children? According to Romans 13:1-7, parents should submit themselves to the government. A government should not contradict God’s Word, and corporal discipline, biblically speaking, would be the best way to raise children. But again, placing children in families where they receive at least some discipline within certain limits is much better than placing children in the “care” of the government.
In Ephesians 6:4, fathers are told not to provoke their children to anger. Its expectation is to raise them in the ways of God. Raising children in “the teaching and warning of the Lord” includes physical discipline filled with chastisement, correction, and yes, love.