Text: "As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come." (Proverbs 26:2)

The book of Proverbs exhibits the consequences of both our actions and our inaction. This "cause and effect" is nowhere seen more clearly than in the discipline of our children, or in the lack of it.

Discipline is of paramount importance: it brings order to the family and is influential in the salvation of our children. So it is the Holy Spirit testifies "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (early)." (Prov. 13:24)

Men may spare the rod, but God does not, "... for whom the loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receives."(Hebrews 12:6) The lack of chastisement is indicative one is a bastard and not a son (Heb. 12:8). Therefore when parents teach their children the Bible without the proper application of discipline, they are themselves responsible for spawning rebellion in the hearts of their children.

"Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shall deliver his soul from Hell." (Prov. 23:13,14) "Withhold it not" despite please of pity and misplaced affections; yet discipline without affection is tyranny and will also produce rebellion. Apply discipline firmly, but do it because you love them. Therefore, apply it with corresponding instruction and with prayer.

It is an inescapable reality that discipline delivers the "soul from Hell." If a child is not taught the doctrine of punishment but can break the law of his parents with impunity, he will come to believe he can break the law of God and get away with it. Children must first be taught to respect the authority of their parents, for until they learn this, they will not respect the authority of their schoolteacher, the police officer, the President of the nation, or even the Lord who made heaven and earth. Therefore, "withhold not correction from the child."

Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old." (Prov. 23:22)

God has designed discipline to impart wisdom. "The rod and reproof give wisdom...." (Prov. 29:15) He has ordained parents to e the dispensers of it because it is their own nature that they have passed on to their children, Reproof is often not enough to correct the best of their character: often the rod must be applied.

"...But a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." (Prov 29:15b) The neglect of corporal punishment produces shame. A child need not be taught evil—he need only be "left." If we fail to train them in the way they should go, and simply leave them to their own spirit, our children will be miserable in time as well as in eternity. Parents who are not respected by their children are shamed by them for when reverence for their authority is lost, the child rules.

Reproof that lacks the will to use the rod is futile, and the child knows it. So Eli, because he did not " restrain his sons", that is, because he was not willing to become physical with them when reproof failed to dissuade them from their wickedness, was first rebuked by God—"Wherefore...honorest thy sons above Me? And then he was cursed by God – "I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever." (I Samuel 2:29; 3:14)

"Train up a child in the way he should go...." (Prov. 22:6) Children must not be allowed to go in the way they would: they must be "trained" or "initiated", "catechized" in the way they should go. Prejudice their hearts with godly instruction. It is certain that parents who do not want to influence their children with their religion do not have any great regard for it themselves.

Let children have the first "dip" because

The twig is bent,

The tree inclined:

And so their heart,

And soul and mind.

We train our pets to use the litterbox and to use the out-of-doors: we train our tomato plants to grow in the direction we would have them grow: "Yet often the sorest neglect of our lives is the general disregard for the souls of our children."

Train them, because the opposite of good character is not the absence of character, but rather bad character; and the opposite of sound principles is not no principles but bad principles. "And when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Why is it that often children carried to church are not interested in the things of the Lord when they come of age? The answer is not as we often hear because they were made to go church when they were young; it is often because of hypocritical religion –religion that talks in a pious vein but that does not hate evil enough to collar it.

"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." (Prov. 22:15) All sin is folly, and in the heart of a child it involves deceit and rebellion. The child is not inclined to drive it away. Therefore, the parent must be prepared to do more than to talk with the child about it. For this reason, our Heavenly Father has designed the "rod of correction" –not for our pleasure, but for the child’s good.

"Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul." (Prov. 29:17) God says, "Correct thy son." To try other means is to set up our will in opposition to the will of God. Here are two positive results of Scriptural discipline: rest and delight.

Children must be taught to be in subjection to their parents. "My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother." (Prov. 6:20) Until they learn to show respect at home they cannot show respect for others —- not even for God.

Discipline is the order of God’s government. Therefore it is required of pastors that they rule well their home and have their children in subjection with all gravity, "for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?" (I Timothy 3:4,5)

"Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt deliver his soul from Hell." (Prov. 23:13,14)

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Letters-- "The Angelus is a ‘light shining in a dark place.’ It is always a source of encouragement and comfort. The need for spiritual discernment in so great..." --Norm Barlow, Ga.

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"...Brother, I am in your debt for some good articles in the Angelus, some of which I’d like to quote in future copies of our little publication. Your article on Women Preachers is much appreciated. Sad, though, that the ones who need it will not hear it! God bless you.’ --Wylie Fulton, No. Carolina

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"...It is wonderful that the Gospel is preached by you even in your Newspapers there at Augusta. I really thank you for sending me the copies of these articles. I hope you don’t mind, but I make copies of most of these and give them as tracts.

"One story if I may --One I got just over a year ago on "Pretenders". I read the entire article aloud in a Sunday morning service after feeling real pressure to read it. I found out two days later that the Lord had saved a teenage pretender that morning!"----- Gordon Crompton, No. Carolina

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"Just a note to let you know I really enjoy the Angelus... I’m a chaplain at a large medical center and also do lots of jail ministry ... Enclosed is an order for your "Anthropology" ‘Tulip’ tape series. How very few of God’s people believe in the sovereignty of God and want to do it themselves! ..." Rev. Payson Gregory, Chaplain, California

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"...As soon as I got The Angelus I was captured once again. Good work, brother! I too have questioned honest and faithful to God while supporting a socialist government. May God help us to change the mess ...." --Pastor Michael Tier