The book of Proverbs unmistakably calls for the physical discipline of children, that is, spanking, or corporal punishment, as a necessary part of wise and effective parenting. For instance:
He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
Proverbs 13:24
This verse alone refutes the incorrect thinking of some who conclude, “I love my child too much to spank him.” (Different regions have different policies on corporal punishment. While this booklet explains the biblical model of child discipline, parents should be aware of the legal requirements of the country or state in which they reside.)
Parents who truly love their children will do what is necessary to protect them from the pain and destruction caused by the rebelliousness of sin. Clearheaded parents are willing, from the perspective of “future-minded love,” to inflict temporal pain upon their children in order to save them not only from the destruction caused by a sinful lifestyle, but, more importantly, from the pain of eternal damnation and separation from God.
One problem facing us today is that some parents, in the past and even in the present, have used spanking improperly and, therefore, their actions may rightly be
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