Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Original sin: How to talk to your children about original sin

Original sin is one of the most misused of all Christian teachings. However, original sin, as a teaching, is the backbone of the Christian faith. Without original sin being the case, Christ would have died in vain. There are better ways to talk to your children about original sin than sin shaming. 

We as human beings are sinful creatures. God hates all mankind, as mankind has turned his back on Him. We as human beings are depraved and decadent sinners deserving of nothing but punishment. This does not mean children in particular are bad. WE as a species are bad. Human beings are glorified apes in terms of our nature, as there is nothing good about human nature.

Sin shaming is a form of religious child abuse where parents call children "sinners" in the perjorative tense, just for behaving normally as a child naturally does. Sin shaming is prohibited in the Bible. See Ephesians 6:4 KJV:
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This first stanza states that talk about original sin shouldn't come in the form of sin shaming. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. Offenses involve refusal to apologize for hurting a child's feelings. One thing that hurts a child's feelings is calling them a "sinner". This sort of sin shaming almost always comes from a parent losing their cool when children do not match up with religious expectations. The key here is to give a formal apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings with sin shaming, such as "I apologize for calling you a 'sinner'", and then commit never shaming your child for their sins ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan parenting customs, which were punitive in nature. Paul, contrary to popular legend was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway.

This second stanza states how to talk to your child about original sin. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction" in more modern versions of the Bible. The Apostle Paul here was referring to religious instruction. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible, with the Bible being open to the most comforting verses. Children then first learned to read on the Bible. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were lavishly praised and encouraged to keep on studying  Fathers then interjected something along the lines of "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers on the context. At some point, many children are going to ask about original sin. The topic usually comes up when children ask "why did Jesus have to die?". When children ask this, you should say "we are all sinners as human beings, and so we need a Savior to save us from our sins". Never call your child a "sinner". Point out how we ALL are sinners as human beings. 

Original sin is something that pertains more to adult believers than children. Children aren't out to get parents with their sinful nature. The sin nature of child-kind is instead primal in nature. The opposite of sin is perfection, and thus the sinful nature of children is simply imperfect. But, aren't we all sinners in the hands of an angry God? Why single out children at all for sin? Parents and other adults should instead focus on their own sins. 

Most children are spiritually curious. They usually dabble in a few religions before choosing their own church family. Much of the time, children actually figure out that they are sinners through their own research into the Bible. But, sometimes they pop the question as to why Christ had to die, in which case children need to be informed as to why we need a Savior - and original sin is the reason for Christ's Sacrifice. 

I myself am a depraved and decadent sinner who is deserving of absolutely nothing. I have no right to call out a child for their sins. I am a sinner, with the core of my decadent nature being in relation to children. I may not have an active sin habit in relation to children currently, but I do have that track record of sins against children. My main sin in my history in relation to children is passions, meaning I fixated on specific children. I have no right to call a child a sinner. Aren't we all sinners in relation to children as adults? 

The depraved and entitled parents who sin shame their children will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which ss the ever-burning Hell of fire and torrents, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

 

Crying: Why crying is not bad behavior in children

Many parents have been there. A child crying out of nowhere. Most American parents have had their child cry for seemingly no reason at all. However, there is always an antecedent to the cries of a child. Most of the time, the child is communicating a vulnerable need.

God's Law on a secure bond between parent and child is spelled out in Colossians 3:20 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers here to surrender of a specific type, namely surrender into the loving arms of parents, especially the loving arms of mothers. Ultimately, this word refers to a secure bond between parent and child. The context tells us how to form a secure bond with children. The idea is that children should rest in the Agape love of parents (see Matt. 22:35-40).The first thing to do in order to form a secure bond with children is to respond to the every cry of a child.

Christian parents in the Early Church knew more than parents today that children usually cry due to a vulnerable need that needs being met. Whenever a child cried in the Early Church, mothers scrambled to find the reason for the cry. Maybe the child was tired. Maybe the child was hungry. Maybe the child needed mom's milk. Maybe the child needed mom, period. Whatever the child needed, they got it.

Children were understood under customary law in the Early Church as having five basic categories of needs; food, water, shelter, transportation, and attachment - with the greatest of these needs being attachment! Sometimes the child needed a nap, in which case that need was lumped in with attachment needs, as mothers then co-snuggled with their children, forming a secure bond with their child.

A common reason why children cry is due to separation anxiety. Children under age 6, in the Early Church, had a morbid fear of mothers "going away and never coming back". Children under age 6 were seemingly attached to mothers at the hip, following mothers from room to room, crying whenever mothers were out of sight. It is recommended that mothers stay home for the first 6 years of a child's life. Even something seemingly benign as going to work in the morning can realize the worst fear in a child - mom going away and never coming back.

Children never cry to "undermine parents". Children instead cry in order to communicate a vulnerable need that needs being met, in the only way that they know how. The idea is to respond to the every cry of your child. The purpose of a child crying is to break down the mother to meet the exact need of the child, with mothers scrambling to figure out why the child was crying, in the form of trial and error. The first place mothers looked for needs then was skin-on-skin mammary closeness, and also breastfeeding if the child was milk-dependent. If the child kept crying past that point, the mother scrambled to figure out what the child was crying about. The child did not stop crying until all of their needs were met. 

The depraved and entitled parents who punish their children for crying will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them descend into the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment! Repent! 

Monday, June 8, 2026

Child discipline: How to discipline your child without punitive measures

Many parents want their children to have discipline. This is a common goal amongst American parents. Most American parents want their children to have discipline. However, most American parents equate discipline with punishment. But, there are better ways to discipline your child than punitive measures.

God's Law on child discipline is spelled out in Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This first stanza of this commandment clarifies for the second that discipline should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing them altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just like hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to losing your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this stanza of this commandment was ultimately received as a prohibition of any offenses or damages as perceived by the child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

This second stanza of this commandment spells out what discipline is acceptable, with the first stanza ruling out anything punitive with a child. The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers here to nurturing of a specific type, namely the teaching type. Christian parents in the Early Church looked for preferred behaviors in children, such as discipline and self-control. When those good traits showed in children, they were praised and encouraged for more of the same. Christian parents in the Early Church set a good example for their children to follow. However, they backed up their example with praise and encouragement, not punishment or force. Children also need religious instruction, as religion is a human need for children and adults alike. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin:: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction" in more modern versions of the Bible. The Apostle Paul here was ultimately referring to religious instruction. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for children to discover and explore, and left the Bible open to a comforting verse. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were praised and encouraged for more of the same. Fathers then interjected something along the lines of "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers on the context. This second stanza of this commandment ultimately refers to the Hebraic tradition of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement of this type predates the coming of Christ by thousands of years, and is practiced even today in Jewish homes around the world. 

Sometimes, in parenting, you need to set limits. However, children accepting limits is a whole other story. Whenever a child cannot accept a set limit, you need to apologize to them for hurting their feelings with your limits. Usually, an informal apology will do. However, if you ever lose your cool with your child, you need to give a formal apology to your child, and then commit never to losing your cool with your child ever again.

Any parent anger directed towards a child was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. As a norm, parenting in the Early Church was not motivated by anger, but instead was motivated by worry or concern. Anger at a child then was likened to a viper lashing out at its prey - maybe the child got a warning, but that was about it. Whenever this sort of entitlement was spotted in a parent, they were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

 

Friday, June 5, 2026

Child abuse definitions: Why the Bible calls for stronger laws against child abuse

Many parents believe that the ancients in the Bible had no concept of child abuse. This is a common belief amongst American parents. Most American parents support the present-day definitions of child abuse under state and federal law. However, God's Law is above the law of the land. The Bible has its own definition of child abuse - whatever the child victim perceives as abuse.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defines as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, parental entitlement consists of a parent being sorely disappointed when they don't get the well-behaved child that they feel that they deserve. Parents are deserving of absolutely nothing in relation to children just for existing. Even any parent anger directed towards a child is parental entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. Whenever this sense of entitlement in parents was perceived by the child as offensive or damaging, it was deemed child abuse. See also Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. Child abuse in the Bible, as a legal concept, consists of entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. The key to not abusing your child is to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology to your child whenever you hurt their feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to losing your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment was ultimately received as opposing any offenses or damages as perceived by a child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

The Greek root word translated "they be discouraged" is αθυμέω (Latin: athumeo) and refers to long-term damages, namely childhood trauma. The ancients in the Bible had a concept of childhood trauma. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, shame fell onto the parents, not the child. An atheist then was seen as an abused child, not a "lost soul" to "win over". 

The ancients in the Bible even had a concept of child sexual abuse. The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers here to any sexual relations outside of a Christian marriage between one adult man and one adult woman, with the marriage having to be equal in nature. Intergenerational marriages were unlawful under Christian law then, as the bride had to be the same age as the groom, or else up to 4 years older. Most child sexual abuse then took place in the form of father-child incest, with daughters being the usual targets. All sexual relations with a child was deemed child sexual abuse then. Fathers dealt with their sexual side towards their daughters or sons by masturbating to thoughts of sex with their child. Child sexual abuse was rare then, meaning close to non-existent. Whenever a child was sexually abused by their parents, it was seen a huge moral outrage, with the offense being seen as deserving of death, even in the New Testament where the death penalty was shunned by the Early Christians.

Child abuse in the Early Church was prosecuted by way of internal church investigation. This investigation usually started with a child confiding into a clergyperson about their home life. From there, the parents were summoned to appear before a council of 3 elders. Whenever the parents were defensive about their parenting, as opposed to answering to the court, they were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God for their entitlement alone.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation - were written by anti-spanking Jews, with no Jew worth mentioning ever endorsing anything punitive towards a child. All of the biblical writers also wrote parenting manuals that advocated attachment parenting. Even King Solomon wrote an attachment parenting manual, with the rod of correction in the book of Proverbs referring ultimately to the 40 minus 1 lashes, meaning a sentence for a crime. It just so happens that these attachment parenting manuals were not translated into English until the 1960s.

The Bible is America's book. America is a Christian nation founded on Judeo-Christian values. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context for wisdom as to how to live and treat each other with respect. Even our legal codes are based largely on Christian teaching. However, the "reasonable chastisement" defense is based off of dated Christian teaching. It is about time we abolish the pro-spanking defenses under state and federal law, and follow the Bible as to how not to abuse a child. The Bible says, in sum, that child abuse is whatever the child victim perceives as abuse. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torrents, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Religious child abuse: Why not to abuse your child in the name of religion

Many parents have heard it. The concept of religious child abuse. Religious child abuse is said to have a vague and subjective understanding to it. However, religious child abuse has a very specific meaning to it - religious entitlement, leading to offense in children. 

The Greek root word denoting religious entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and refers here to a form of parental entitlement. Religious entitlement consists of, officially speaking, wanting children to believe just like you do, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, religious entitlement is when you force your religious beliefs onto a child. Whenever this entitlement is perceived by the child as offensive or damaging, it was deemed religious child abuse. The Early Christians did give their children a religious education, but not by forcing their beliefs onto their children. See also Ephesians 6:4 KJV:
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

This first stanza spells out that religious instruction should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. Religious child abuse comes in the form of religious entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. In order to not abuse your child in the name of religion, you need to avoid offense in children. Whenever a child's feelings are hurt by religion being forced on them, it is an offense, thus child abuse. One way to understand religious child abuse is a child refusing to go to church - maybe the reason for church refusal is that the child is forced to attend church. Whenever you force a child to do something, expect them to go the opposite direction. Religious entitlement ultimately comes in the form of anger whenever children fall short of parental religious expectations. The idea is to formally apologize whenever you lose your cool with your child for any reason, including for religious reasons, such as "I apologize for pushing my beliefs onto you", and then commit never to losing your cool with your child at all, including for religious reasons, as any parent anger directed towards a child is parental entitlement, and when the anger is based off of religion, religious entitlement. In the Early Church, children under age 6 stayed at home with mom, with the man of the house attending church on his family's behalf, allowing the child to perhaps choose their own religious beliefs later in childhood, and form a secure bond with mom in the mean time. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive measures on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment ultimately was received as offense stemming from religion being forced on them. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking ,and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

Religious instruction was a concept in the Early Church. However, religious instruction in the Early Church was largely self-directed by the child, as religion is a human need for children and adults alike. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction" in more modern versions of the Bible. The Apostle Paul here was discussing religious instruction, of a certain type. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for his child to teach themselves how to read on. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were lavishly praised and encouraged to keep on studying the Bible. Fathers then interjected "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers on the context.

Religious trauma was a concept in biblical times. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, shame fell onto the parents, not the child. The parents then were seen as being too hard on children, and once their abuse came to light, they were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God.

Religious entitlement is when you force your religious beliefs onto your children. When this entitlement lead to offense, it was deemed religious child abuse. Most parents simply want their children to have values. But, if you ever are angry at your child for not believing exactly as you do, you are a religious abuser of children. The idea is to commit to never getting angry with your child ever again, as parent anger directed towards children is entitlement, and when this anger is religiously motivated, religious entitlement. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Defiance: Why punishing your child for defiance is child abuse

Many parents have been there. A child acting defiant toward parents. Most parents think that a defiant child is "undermining parental authority". However, when your child is acting defiant, they aren't out to get you - they simply can't accept a set limit. Punishing your child for defiance is a form of child abuse.

God's Law on child abuse is spelled out in Colossians 3:21 KJV:
Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child, including for defiance. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your child altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just like hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. One way that a child's feelings are hurt are when they cannot accept a set limit. This displeasure toward set limits many times comes in the form of defiance. Defiance, most of the time, comes in response to the word "no". Defiance usually comes in the form of forceful tears, protesting a limit that the child cannot accept. The key to avoiding offense here is to give a meaningful apology right when your child is defying your limits, thus helping them accept set limits. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, for hurting your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you" , and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translated "power to the parent", including the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishing children. However, this commandment ultimately was received as prohibiting all forms of offenses as perceived by a child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

Defiance in children is normal, and is developmentally appropriate behavior in children. Most children have their moments where they defy their parents. The key to dealing with defiance is to apologize for the antecedent behind the defiance, namely the child not being able to accept a set limit. The purpose of a meaningful apology for hurting your child's feelings is to help them accept a set limit. Usually, children forgive their parents when they apologize. If the child does not accept your apology, that is a sign of trauma in your child.

Defiance in children, in the broader Greco-Roman world, was seen as deserving of punishment. Most children then were punished by way of an open-handed spanking to a bare bottom. The Early Christians, contrary to popular belief, were not well-integrated into broader Greco-Roman society, and instead shunned the outside world. One issue where they shunned the broader Greco-Roman world was on parenting. The Christians then were hated for being "too soft" on their children.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!


Tuesday, June 2, 2026

"Biblical spanking": Why the rod verses in Proverbs are repealed verses

Many parents use the Bible as an excuse for spanking or punishing children. Most American parents cite 6 verses in Proverbs that mention the rod of correction as their "proof" that there is such a thing as a "biblical spanking". However, the Bible does not endorse any punishment of a child whatsoever.

One of the most popular rod verses used by pro-spanking parents is found in Proverbs 13:24 KJV:

He who spareth his rod hateth his son: but he who loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

The Hebrew word translated "son" is ben and refers here to a mature adult son. The Hebrew word translated "rod" is shebet and refers here to the rod of correction, namely a switch. The rod of correction here refers to the 40 minus 1 lashes, administered to the bare back, in the context of a courtroom, as a sentence for a crime. It was unlawful then to strike a fellow adult Jew outside the context of a courtroom, and it was never lawful to strike a minor child even as a sentence for a crime. The whole reason for this passage is that, otherwise, fathers would refuse to whip his son. The court deputized the father of the errant young adult to whip said descendant. The 40 minus 1 lashes was a final warning before a criminal offender was put to death.

The harsh punishments of the Old Testament are repealed verses. Christ abolished all capital and corporal punishment with His Work on the cross. Christ repealed the rod verses in Proverbs by enduring the 40 minus 1 lashes from the Roman authorities unjustly. The Early Christians shunned all Roman whippings and executions, and did not whip or execute parishioners who committed moral offenses. 

There is no such thing as a "biblical spanking" anywhere in the Bible. The rod verses in Proverbs are repealed verses, as they are nowhere found legitimately in the New Testament, with Heb. 12:5-6 referring to trials and tribulations. However, the Bible does weigh in on the spanking issue, and then some. See Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to simply stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your children altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in other adults, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt their feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards children is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment was ultimately received as a prohibition on all offenses as perceived by a child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

In the Early Church, throughout its history, deacons had to deal with entire parishes who were infiltrated with pro-spanking interlopers. These interlopers were usually Greek Christians, and they too cited the book of Proverbs for their "proof" that spanking is biblical. Paul would have none of it in the parishes that he oversaw, and gave a commandment to the parishes at Colossae and Ephesus in order to convict a group of Greek Christian parents who brought the punitive parenting into the church.

Not only was spanking banned in the Early Church, but so was any anger directed towards a child. Most Christian parents in the Early Church were not motivated by anger, but were instead motivated by worry or concern. Any anger at a child was seen then as akin to a viper lashing out at its prey - maybe the child was warned beforehand, but that was about it.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Original sin: How to talk to your children about original sin

Original sin is one of the most misused of all Christian teachings. However, original sin, as a teaching, is the backbone of the Christian f...