Physical Punishment

Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them. Physical discipline may well save them from death. [Proverbs 23.13-14]

Question: If the Bible's instruction for the discipline of children is physical punishment, why in the world would we think physical punishment on us is any less an attempt to discipline us?

Answer: Because we are too proud to acknowledge that our discipline is designed to bring us to repentance - that it "may well save us from death"...

The doctrines of suffering that the church has adopted over the years are false doctrine. Yes, there are situations in the Bible that are difficult to understand (Paul's thorn in the flesh for one) but it seems foolish  and counter intuitive to establish a doctrine that makes God out to be some random inflict-er of punishment, when the Bible is overwhelmingly clear otherwise!

And, if I am thinking correctly, didn't Paul even admit his thorn in the flesh was given so that he might not be proud (the number one thing God hates)? Does that not say there is a problem?? Read 2 Corinthians 12.7.

Physical punishment is the justified response to one thing: sin.

The proper response to physical punishment - pain (although there are other less desirable options) is repentance.

Father, I have pain and I confess my sin: I have been proud, I have been stubborn, I have been self-absorbed, delusional about being "self-sufficient", and I have been useless to Your Kingdom. I plead Jesus before You my Father. Your Word says He was wounded for my transgressions - bruised for my iniquities. And it says that by His stripes (punishment) I am healed. Forgive me for unbelief.