FAMILY LIFE -- Discipline and Respect




by J. A. Davidson



DISCIPLINE“The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame” Prov. 29:15. Happy is the child who learns early in life that sin brings trouble. A child controlled by his parents will learn to control himself. “The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly” Prov. 20:30. A child who is calmly and firmly curbed will learn to curb himself or herself. Authority in the home will lead to submission to authority at school, authority of government and authority of God. The curbing of the hot temper and headstrong obstinacy of childhood will guide little feet into paths of morality and righteousness in youth and develop character and nobility in formative teenage years. Wilful disobedience cannot be overlooked. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” Prov. 22:6. This means that he will not depart from the training. When he is away from home; when he or she is away from restraint, when they are away from their parents eye, they will not depart from the training.
    Corporal punishment brings pain. The pulling of a tooth brings pain but may be necessary to bring ultimate relief. The amputation of a limb is extreme and brings pain but may be kindness in itself. Modernists say that we must rule by love, not force. Educationalists say that we should instruct by reason, not discipline. If these theories are right then it is wrong to have policemen, courts, traffic rules or penalties against murder. “For God so loved the world...” Jn. 3:16.  Is it right for God to punish sin? Has God the right to send rebels to hell who reject His love expressed in the giving of His Son? Real love as parents for their children will punish rebellion. Bible instruction for their eternal well-being will show them that sin needs to be punished. When sin goes unpunished, men and women, boys and girls go further into sin. Of course, such discipline is carried out in love and is never an excuse for cruelty and tyranny. Often, in administering the commensurate punishment, the pain felt by the parent is greater than that felt by the child.
    We have been to countries where school authorities banned the reading of the Scriptures in schools and all references to the Creator were prohibited. The result was lawlessness and uncontrolled rebellion among pupils and students. These same authorities in recent years, have welcomed us back to teach Bible truths and standards that the youth of those lands may have some standards of morality and a basic knowledge of right and wrong. Our burden is for godly young couples, married in the Lord, with a little family that they are trying to bring up in a God-fearing home, praying fervently for help and salvation in early life.
    Pseudo-psychologists, unprincipled politicians and ungodly teachers who are deficient of the fear of God and any knowledge of the Bible are attacking such home life. The philosophy which says that we should never force our will on a child as this will hinder self-respect is unscriptural nonsense.

RESPECT
“Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee” Ex. 20:12.  This is the first and primary commandment which has to do with one’s duty to mankind. This is also the first commandment with promise of blessing, Eph. 6:2. This is not tyrannical despotism, but a happy family atmosphere of respect. Parents should merit this respect by attitude and example, which is well pleasing to the Lord. If this respect is present in a godly home, the child will not strike father or mother or call them by their Christian names. If they are taught to respect the giving of thanks and prayer, and learn to sit reverently when the Bible is being read in the home, they will know to do this at the meetings. Children at the Gospel Meeting should not think that it is a trivial thing when the Bible is read. When the Gospel is being preached their formative impressions should not have taught them that they are better employed scribbling than listening. When old enough to listen at nursery school, they are old enough to listen to the story of the cross. Spurgeon said that if a man has not preached the Gospel in such a way that the youngest child in the audience can understand, that mean has not preached the Gospel. When children can read at day school, then at meeting they should be encouraged to read the Bible, not some cartoon type of distraction. It is good to have a home where it is accepted that all the family go to the meetings without question. The respect, love, privileges, comforts and reverence of a Christian home should mean that even unsaved teenagers would go willingly to hear the Gospel.

Excerpted from “Family Life” by J. A. Davidson (N. Ireland), paper no. 5, published in Assembly Testimony magazine no. 377, May-June 2015.

Website:  www.assemblytestimony.org

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