Child discipline: Understanding the right way to discipline a child

Many parents want their children to have discipline. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. However, most parents equate discipline and punishment. However, the fact of the matter is that punitive discipline is prohibited under God's Law. So, what should parents do instead in order to discipline their children.

The Christian doctrine of mutual submission is stated in Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and submission of parents. This word ultimately refers to a secure attachment between parent and child in the family home. This secure attachment comes from parent submission, where parents are to submit to children just as they would to God, from beneath yet from above, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See also Matt. 22:35-40, 25:31-46.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργιζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and was understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including, but not limited to, any punishments, reprimands, or other controlling demeanor towards children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. The parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law in order to convict a group of Greek Christian parents in the parish at Ephesus who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and even took in a few orphaned children during his time as a deacon.

The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers to melding the countenance of children. The concept of melding a child's countenance, in biblical times, meant something very specific - lavishly praising or encouraging children when they were caught in the act of being good. As children were praised for self-control, they wanted to please their parents with more of the same in terms of self-control. This setup led to children having a centered countenance. Children learned to be good through the good example of parents. When parents caught children copying their good traits, children got praised and encouraged for it. 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 refers to self-directed religious instruction. This started out with fathers leaving out a Bible for children to discover and explore. When children were caught in the act of reading the Bible, they were lavishly praised and encouraged with phrases such as "that book is good for you". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, but otherwise was self-directed.

The role of mothers in biblical times was to nurture children, with children staying right beside mothers for the first 6 years, ranging beside her, crying out loud for mother's comfort. This sustaining warmth alone won over children, so that they could be instructed by their fathers. Fathers were a secondary attachment for children, based off of the primary attachment of mothers. How children relate to mothers is, by default, how children will relate to their fathers, unless the father is abusive.

Fathers served a more minor role in parenting, meaning they stood by their families, and lavishly praised and encouraged their children to keep up the good work in behaving. The punishment of "hand-me-down-the-slate" gaslighting was banned in parenting in biblical times. Instead, fathers simply masturbated to sexual thoughts of their children. The Greek root word denoting lust is έπιθυμέω (Latin: epithumeo) and refers not to ordinary desire, but to sexual entitlement. Sexual entitlement is defined as, officially speaking, sexual want, to the point of sexually motivated approach. It is okay to look the look, and maybe think the think later. But, there is a big difference between thinking the think and doing the deed. If you find yourself flirting with a child, or else touching them with any part of their body with sexual intent, you should not have even approached her. The only way out of the approach is righteous masturbation. When fathers were attracted to their daughters, they masturbated to thoughts of her. Other ancient cultures allowed for fathers to sexually correct their daughters, whereas the Law - as enforced then - prohibited any form of "handing-down-the-slate". 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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!