Avoid Punishment?

I am not sure if I know anyone who likes to be punished? I know that I have not enjoyed it myself. But is it good? The world seems to be more and more lenient when it comes to punishment. Teachers not allowed to punish children. Parents in big trouble if they smack their children. Prisons more like motels. Prison sentences much shorter for very serious crimes. And the list goes on.... The world also appears to be becoming more and more lawless all of the time. Many people do not want to punish their children severely because they fear that it will come back onto them. But what does God say?

 PROVERBS 13 : 18 NKJV
18 Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction,
But he who regards a rebuke will be honored.

From the above proverb we can see that the ones who hate correction will be in poverty and shame. The lawless break the laws and then are angry with those who catch them out. They call good evil and evil good. They are not being honored by being given a prison sentence or a criminal record. Do we want our children to become lawless? Would we like it if they were imprisoned?

 PROVERBS 13 : 24 NKJV
24 He who spares his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.


If we spare the rod, or do not punish our children strongly for their misconduct, are we saying to them that their is no real consequence for their disobedience? How does all of this pertain to salvation? If people are taught to believe that their is no real consequence for their lawlessness, then do they believe that there is a place called Hell for them to go to for eternity? If someone seemingly keeps on getting away with their disobedience, then they can begin to believe that they always will. In regards to eternal judgement, we will all face the Judgement seat of Jesus Christ. So what we do will catch up with all of us in the end. God shows us His mercy by punishing us rather than destroying us. It is far better to have been punished that we may learn to obey than to just be destroyed as a consequence for what we have done. 

PROVERB 15 : 9 - 11 NKJV
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves him who follows righteousness.
10 Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way,
And he who hates correction will die.
11            Hell and Destruction are before the Lord;
         So how much more the hearts of the sons of men.

How then do we go when our Heavenly father punishes us? Are we angry with Him because something is not going well for us? Do we even understand that, if something is going horribly wrong in our lives, it is most probably God's punishment for our sin. If we find it difficult to get past feeling unhappy with God, then maybe we could ponder the thought that He is being merciful towards us by punishing us so that we may have an opportunity for repentance. It is a good time to ask Him what we have been doing wrong to have brought the punishment upon ourselves. God would rather that we embrace His correction and have the abundant life that He has for us through obedience. You see God has promised abundant life to those who are obedient to Him. Therefore if your life is not so abundantly good then it will be your sin which hinders you from obtaining it. How was your upbringing? Did your parents punish you properly? This may be a good thing for you to ask The Lord. If you are a parent then how do you discipline your children? It is really good to ask God to teach us how in all things, even if we think that we have got it right. Therefore I recommend also that you would ask God to teach you how to discipline your children.


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