{"content":[{"text":"Some Parenting Helps in Using the Rod with Children in a \n Christocentric Way \n Geoffrey R. Kirkland \n Christ Fellowship Bible Church","bbox":{"left":0.069968,"top":0.061097,"width":0.86007,"height":0.087663}},{"text":"Parenting is hard work. Glorious is the call and wonderful is the blessing, but it still remains a busy duty. The God- \n given gift of children drives Godly parents to the cross frequently. And rightly so. For this is where God’s people ﬁnd \n grace to persevere and hope to remain faithful in God’s wonderful and clear instruction to bring up the children in \n the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6.4).","bbox":{"left":0.035294,"top":0.166647,"width":0.918495,"height":0.07043100000000002}},{"text":"Now the Bible makes clear that parents must use the “rod” with children to teach the young ones and warn them of \n sin (Prov 13.24; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15). Thus, spanking children must occur in a Christian home. For this is what God \n has instructed parents to do to instruct their children, to teach them the ways of God, to warn them of sinful ways, \n and to drive foolishness from them.","bbox":{"left":0.035294,"top":0.255031,"width":0.9241809999999999,"height":0.07043099999999997}},{"text":"But, how? What does it look like in the discipline room? Picture it: there a mom or a dad is with the small child in \n that room, rod in hand, child on the lap, and discipline must occur because the child has sinned against God. What \n should the parent do, then? What is to be said?","bbox":{"left":0.035294,"top":0.343415,"width":0.8970549999999999,"height":0.05275399999999997}},{"text":"This essay provides a handful of helpful tips for parents to consider as a template for the biblical process of discipline.","bbox":{"left":0.035294,"top":0.414255,"width":0.862193,"height":0.017259999999999998}},{"text":"1. Gather the facts. Ask the child: “what happened?” In this beginning step, you as the parent seek to hear \n the child portray what happened (if the child is old enough to do so). Seek to hear him describe the situation.","bbox":{"left":0.035294,"top":0.449107,"width":0.901128,"height":0.04049600000000003}},{"text":"2. Reach the heart. Since the goal of discipline is not merely behavioral management but seeking to get at \n the heart, parents should ask: “how did you respond?” “When ___ happened, why did you do that?” “When he said \n that, why did you say what you said?” Or, “Why did you do what you did?” “What were you wanting?” “What would \n have made you happy in that moment?” You see, the way your child answers reveals his heart (motives, purposes, \n thoughts, intentions, ruling and dominating desires). Don’t just say: “stop screaming!” Rather, “why did you react that \n way?” Reach the heart.","bbox":{"left":0.035294,"top":0.507187,"width":0.9154329999999999,"height":0.11120399999999997}},{"text":"3. Expose the sin. Then, when the heart is revealed and the real purposes are uncovered, you are to expose \n the sin biblically. The sin isn’t merely hitting his sister. Perhaps it’s selﬁshness in the heart that wants to play ‘god’ by \n being in control of his life and his possessions. Speak to the root issue. Unveil the sin. Expose it. Clearly, simply, \n tenderly, but ﬁrmly.","bbox":{"left":0.035294,"top":0.635975,"width":0.9220430000000001,"height":0.075851}},{"text":"4. Prove it biblically. When that sin is exposed, the parent ideally should open a Bible and show the child in \n the text of God’s Word where they sinned against God. The goal of this is to show them (time and time again) that \n the point is not that they’ve sinned against you. Rather, the sin is that they’ve sinned against God and have broken His \n Law and that’s why discipline must occur. Again, prove to the child they sinned ultimately and foremost against God!","bbox":{"left":0.035294,"top":0.72941,"width":0.9244609999999999,"height":0.07584999999999997}},{"text":"5. Give the discipline. After the sin is exposed and the Scripture has been read, the parent should ﬁrmly \n and yet tenderly give the discipline. The rod must be used. The goal is for the child to feel the pain as a consequence \n of this sin. It is to drive out foolishness in his heart and show your child that sin brings pain. For indeed, if they do not \n repent and trust in Christ alone, their sin will bring everlasting pain under the hand of God in hell. So discipline is \n seeking to drive your child to make the connection between sin and its consequence of pain. And that is to drive","bbox":{"left":0.035294,"top":0.822844,"width":0.9288369999999999,"height":0.09352700000000003}}],"images_bbox":[],"images_bbox_not_text_overlap":[]}