A Catechism on Obedience and Child Discipline
(with scripture texts)

By Pastor Errol Hale

1.   Q.   HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO GOD THAT children ARE      OBEDIENT TO OUR PARENTS?

Exodus 20:12  "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you."

Ephesians 6:1  "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."

Colossians 3:20  "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord."

      a.   IT IS COMMANDED!

2.    Q.  WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY ABOUT PARENTS      DISCIPLINING THEIR CHILDREN?  

       q. HOW IS IT TO BE DONE?

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

Proverbs 19:18    "Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction."

Proverbs 22:15    "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him."

Proverbs 23:13    "Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die."

Proverbs 23:14    "You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell."

Proverbs 29:15    "The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother."

Proverbs 29:17    "Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul."

a.   IF PARENTs DO NOT DISCIPLINE THEIR CHILDREN, THEY DO NOT LOVE THEM.  CHILDREN SHOULD NOT RESIST DISCIPLINE, BUT SEE IT AS AN ACT OF LOVE.

a.   discipline involves pain.  not necessarily physical pain, although that is in order sometimes.  bad behavior must have consequences attached so the child will learn not to continue the bad behavior.

3.   q.   what behavior is "bad," and how serious is it?

Exodus 21:15       "And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death."

Exodus 21:17       "And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death."

A.   any action or words against the parent are serious enough in god's eyes that the punishment is death under the law.  The word "curse" literally means "to esteem lightly."  Therefore, a flippant or disrespectful attitude is equally as serious.

4.   Q.   how serious is the sin of rebellion against parents?

Deuteronomy 21:18-21  "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city.  And they shall say to the elders of his city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.  Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear."

Matthew 15:4        "For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'"

Mark 7:10              "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'"

a.   the old testament law required death as the penalty.  we do not live under the old testament law.   so, while we do not use the Old Testament penalty of death, the sin is no less serious now than then.

5.   q.   how bad is it to be rebellious toward parents?

Romans 1:30       "backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,"

A.   god lumps children who are disobedient together with those who hate god, and who invent evil things!

2 Timothy 3:2        "For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,"

A.   the worst people in the last days before Jesus comes again are disobedient to parents.

6.   q.   who is wise?  and who is a fool?

Proverbs 15:5       "A fool despises his father's instruction, But he who receives correction is prudent."

Proverbs 15:20    "A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother."

a.   a wise person is respectful and obedient to parents.  the person who is disobedient and disrespectful is a fool -- and that is a very bad thing to be!

e:\booklets\catechism on obedience.pub  v. 1.0  3/2002