Passing down the faith: How to instruct your child in the Lord without punitive measures

Many parents want their children to have religion. However, most Christian parents think that the answer is to beat a religion into a child. However, there are better ways to instruct your child in the Lord, meaning without punishment, shaming, or other punitive parenting.

God's Law on teaching children the Christian faith 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.

The first stanza of this commandment clarifies for the second that religious instruction should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers to offenses or damages, 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, with this entitlement including any parent anger directed towards children. Forcing religion on any child is religious entitlement, and when it offends the child, it becomes religious child abuse. 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 - be willing to give a meaningful apologize for hurting your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent from parents, such as when a child cannot accept an ordinary set limit. However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, you should definitely give a full apology to your child, and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as losing your cool with your child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This stanza of the commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought with them into the parish at Ephesus their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translated to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, namely spanking or other forms of punishment of 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.

Children don't need religion beaten into them. 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, and refers in context to religious instruction of a specific kind. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for children to discover and explore. Whenever a child was caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were lavishly praised and encouraged for studying the Bible. Fathers then said "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in the form of question and answer. Children were curious about Scripture, with fathers giving pointers on the context. 

It is common for parents to rush the religious entitlement of their children. For example, grateful postures are commonly forced on children in Christian homes. However, a child will come there naturally when they become more astute in their religious ways. I myself tie my hands behind my back in public whenever I can. Nobody forced me. I came to that conclusion on their own. I tie my hands behind my back in order remind others that they are in the presence of the elect.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to wrath 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!