“I asked my pastor and he said that the book of Proverbs is not doctrine but truisms and that I do not have to spank my child to love him.” (A young professional who had heard me speak once before, registered for the conference and drove 50 miles just to stand up and say this at the first question and answer time in the seminar, and then left.)
“But these Scriptures were written in a very violent time when little was known of the modern science and psychology of child raising. Surely you are not expecting us to apply them in this modern era?” (Young Evangelical Professional at seminar question and answer time.)
“I am very excited about my Easter Sermon. I have completely rid it of the violence usually associated with this story. Of course, when Christianity first emerged, it was a violent world. The Jews had blood sacrifices, the Romans had blood sacrifices, and the Greeks had blood sacrifices. Everything that was anything had a blood sacrifice. The early Christians thus took to emphasizing the crucifixion of Jesus to help make the message of Christianity culturally relevant. We live in a different age now and this initial emphasis, though good, is now so culturally irrelevant as to be counter productive. I am redoing my Easter sermon to rid it of all references to blood so as to make it relevant to the modern congregation.” (Methodist minister commenting to me on his Easter Sermon plans at a meeting of the Association of University Ministers.)
I HAVE FOUND MY INTRODUCTIONS TO THE FAMILY DISCIPLESHIP SEMINAR EVOLVING OVER THE YEARS. It began as a “How To” Workshop. In 1981, when Eleanor and I first began to give this seminar, I found my audience of young evangelical parents fully convinced of the biblical concepts of training and discipline (spanking). My introduction was merely a short history on how I came to use the methods being taught, my learning experience, and those from whom I learned them. The biblical principles involved and the biblical means of accomplishing them, I could assume, were already mastered by my young audience, since they were widely accepted, taught and disseminated in evangelical homes and churches. In short, young evangelical couples wanted to know how to spank and discipline their children. The seminar at this stage was simply a methods class.
Slowly, however I noticed a change, especially in the question and answer sessions. By the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, I found I could no longer assume an understanding of the basic biblical principles involved. When these were clearly taught, I found a willing audience in these young evangelical parents. There was no doubt in their minds concerning the authority of Scriptures. I could not, however, assume knowledge of Scripture in this area. As a result, I had to add an introductory session devoted completely to an overview of the Scripture relating to discipline and training and establishing these firmly as biblical truths. I was continually amazed to see the shocked look on these young couples faces as they studied the Word and will of God for the first time in this area. Their faces seemed to say, “This is in the Bible?” Yet, even though shocked at times, or surprised, they were more than willing to submit to the Word of God. Thus a new chapter was born in the life of this seminar.
The cultural relevance of the entire Word of God is at the heart of the battle for the minds and souls of young evangelicals today. I am sure that each of the first three comments seemed benign in terms of their effect on the evangelical community, even if you disagreed with them. Whether a woman teaches men in a meeting or supervises them in a Christian organization, or whether we believe that the sun actually stood still, or whether we follow the injunction concerning the use of the “rod” in disciplining children, doesn’t seem particularly earth-shaking an issue for the casual observer to want to divide over. The issue at hand in each, though, is not the issue that first shows itself on the surface.
The true issue is not the social role of women in the church, the laws of physics, or the psychology of spanking. The central issue in each illustration is the Authority of Scripture as the Word of God. In the last case, where the very heart of Christian doctrine is ripped from the message of the Gospel, the exact same logic is used in determining what to accept as relevant in Scripture. Where the first three stopped, my Methodist friend just kept right on going. It is the same argument, the same logic and the same use of Scripture. Who is to say his subjection of Scripture to culture is any less out of line than the others? I am sure none of the first three would agree with the Methodist minister, but by what authority? The very arguments used to assert their stand, are used to assert his. The very reasons they would give to me to justify their stand, he would repeat to them in justifying his. The earth- shaking issue that should cause divisions and stirrings within the Body of Christ is the issue of the Authority of Scripture as the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. If this is accepted, all other issues fall into place.
This is why it is so important for us to address the issue of the authority of the Word of God. Not only must we substantiate the Bible's overriding authority on the subject of disciplining children, but its authority over all we believe. It is one of the foundation stones of our Faith, and one of the uncompromising convictions of the Christian.
For more visit http://www.gciweb.org and click on “Family Discipleship Seminars Workbook.”
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