I read an article today which brought a passage to mind:
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV)
The context in which this entered my mind was discipline.
It was a basic discussion on spanking.
I believe the bible to be the infallible, inerrant, word of God.
I believe everything within it to be true, and not only true but true in both its simplest forms and also "deeper", broader, beyond the obvious forms.
Such as when Jesus tells us "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!25And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?c 26If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,d yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, seek Hise kingdom, and these things will be added to you." (Luke 12:22-31 ESV)
To me this means......... don't be anxious!! Quite obvious and simple.
Yet it is also so much more complex, and it speaks volumes of our dependence on God and on His providence. It so speaks of His love,of His involvement in our everyday life and so much more......it is just packed with so much, that volumes upon volumes could be written examining it and yet not fully decipher it all. However, the obvious still stands.....don't be anxious!
So, back to discipline.
God's word clearly speaks about spanking.
It simply says it is ok to spank your child; that not only will the rod not kill him, but that it will save him from hell.
That is pretty strong language.
It is also all true, but so is the first passage I quoted.
To be an imitator of God.
When is the last time you were spanked by your Father in heaven?
When did you feel the physical consequences that He designed for your discipline?
Does God spank us?
Well, if you are part of some sort of a weird sect, you may imagine God constantly planing some physical harm to you as a form of sanctification.
This I certainly don't see any backing for in scripture.
God's correction of His people is certainly quite evident.
Even physical punishments for their stubbornness.
This however, was not the first consequence for straying off the path.
You see the example He sets forth is that of a patient and Father.
You see Christ and His treatment of His disciples. Straight forward, yet gentle. Constantly training, constantly correcting, constantly loving.
God the Father likewise gives correction, warnings, training, more warnings.....then after an exhausting cycle of grace....His people get what they asked for....discipline, in a physical form. An army arises, a nation conquers, a drought, a famine....all by the loving hand of an awesome God. To bring His flock back to the fold.
So gentle, so patient, so loving.
Only the worst of offenses and the long term stubbornness brings forth His still gentle wrath.
To be an imitator of God.
What a concept! If only by His grace I could be guilty of this.
To teach my children with His patience, to train them with His gentleness, to correct them for His glory, and after the manner of His grace.
The thought brings me to my knees.
Spanking is not the argument, it also isn't the answer.
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 ESV)
As I continue in this journey that God has laid before me, I pray my children can see this thought played out in my life.
When you see me, look beyond. I am just a copy, but hopefully plagiarism at its best....
Imitator of Christ. I pray that's what they see.
So gentle, so patient, so loving.
Only the worst of offenses and the long term stubbornness brings forth His still gentle wrath.
To be an imitator of God.
What a concept! If only by His grace I could be guilty of this.
To teach my children with His patience, to train them with His gentleness, to correct them for His glory, and after the manner of His grace.
The thought brings me to my knees.
Spanking is not the argument, it also isn't the answer.
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 ESV)
As I continue in this journey that God has laid before me, I pray my children can see this thought played out in my life.
When you see me, look beyond. I am just a copy, but hopefully plagiarism at its best....
Imitator of Christ. I pray that's what they see.
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1 comments:
Terrific analogy! Copying our Father is the purest form of plagiarism. The only way to become a good artist in the old days was to take the works of the Masters and copy them for practice. So why not copy from the true MASTER.
Pito
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