Some people believe that to chastise means “to punish.” Does it mean that? How does the Bible deal with it? The Word says that we have the responsibility to correct our children, to let them know this is wrong and that is right.
Now, as I have said before, God’s family plan began in Genesis, and He laid down guidelines for rearing children in Old Covenant days that are eternal, or universal, truths. Some of them are found in Proverbs. Let’s look at one in particular.
He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
(Prov. 13: 24)
That is from the King James Version, so we need to recognize that it is archaic English. So what does betimes mean? It simply means “early.”
That means to chasten your son before he gets bigger than you. When he gets to be six foot five and weighs close to three hundred pounds, it will be a little difficult for you to turn him over your knee and use a rod on him.
That verse means to train children in the way they should go while they are young, and your children will not depart from the ways of the Lord.
You may think you are demonstrating love when you do not correct your child, when you let him get away with things.
You may say, “I don’t believe in spanking. I don’t believe in this, that, or the other.”
Where did you learn that? From some dumb book in some school written by some guy who never had any children of his own. But he has a Ph.D. and a master’s degree, so he must know, right?
Honey, you cannot know anything about raising children until you live in the cage with some little monsters. Even taking someone else’s child in your home for a little while is not like raising your own children.
You are not going to learn things in anybody’s library. There are no books written on some things. Some of it you have to make up as you go along. You have to be real creative as a parent.
Children can come up with some stuff that makes you wonder where they got it. They can come up with some “off the wall” things. So you had better know how to deal with them from the Word.
In that verse in Proverbs, God was saying that if you really love your child, you will chasten him early while he is young.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith One Publishing
Apostle Frederick K.C. Price is the founder of Crenshaw Christian Center (CCC) in Los Angeles, California. He began CCC in 1973 and shepherded it into a ministry of world renown, with services held in the 10,000-seat FaithDome.
In 1978, Apostle Price received instruction from God to begin a television broadcast and, as a result, Ever Increasing Faith Ministries (EIFM) began broadcasting in five major television markets. Thus, the television broadcast soon after became global.
EIFM can be viewed on many television stations in all 50 states and in many foreign countries. Apostle Price is also heard on numerous radio programs and 19 Internet broadcast stations. Additionally, he can be seen on most social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and others. In 1990, Apostle Price founded the Fellowship of Inner-City Word of Faith Ministries (FICWFM), which later became the Fellowship of International Christian Word of Faith Ministries before disbanding in 2017. And in 2001, he established an East Coast church, Crenshaw Christian Center East.
A visionary and prolific author, Apostle Price is the author of some 50 books on faith, healing, prosperity, and the Holy Spirit. How Faith Works is a classic on the operation of faith and its life-changing principles.
Although he had already operated in the fivefold ministry gift of apostle, in 2008 Apostle Price was publicly affirmed as an apostle of faith. Under the mantle of the teaching gift, Apostle Price established several schools for ministry and formal education at CCC. Among them are Frederick K.C. Price III Christian Schools (preschool to 12th grade); the Ministry Training Institute in 1985; a CCC Correspondence School; the Frederick K.C. Price School of the Bible; and in 2008, the Apostle Price Ministry Training Center. Over the years, Apostle Price has received many prestigious awards, most notably the Horatio Alger Award and the Kelly Miller Smith Interfaith Award.
A year after his affirmation and after more than 35 years of service, Apostle Price stepped aside as pastor to formally install his son, Frederick K. Price Jr., as his successor. For years he served as the presiding prelate of both CCC West and CCC East and as the chairman of CCC’s board of directors. Having retired from his position as pastor and all other official duties, he restricts much of his travel.
A devout husband, Apostle Price has been married to Dr. Betty Price for 67 years. They are the proud parents of four children, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.