Criminal behavior begins early in life. It is usually a manifestation of a child that has been given its way without any restraint. Many children know how to manipulate guilt ridden parents to get their way. They will use tears turned on and off in an instant. They should get an Academy Award, all the while the parents should receive an award for being a dupe. A child that is never given any restraint is a danger to society and social order. Proverbs 20:11 reads, "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." The key is to watch the child’s actions. It will tell you much about the child. Parents do not know their children’s weaknesses and tendencies. This will prove to be a detriment to the child.
Application
To properly understand the Bible, we need to use what is known as applied theology.
Leviticus 20:9 says, "For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him." The death penalty is to be given to those who have set themselves against the authority of their parents. In our day, this seems harsh and cruel. However, think of the future crimes that could be avoided, if this criminal class were dealt with early. People never stop and consider the victim. The victim always deserves justice. If a young adult will curse or strike his parents, there is no telling what else they might do. God hates rebellion against His authority and thus, the death penalty for this crime.
Paul wrote who deserves to be punished by the law in 1 Timothy 1:9, "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers." Notice that he says the law is designed for the lawless who commit such violent acts against others and especially one’s own parents. Had this individual been dealt with early in life, it could have spared the parent’s life. Instead, they have become victims at the hands of their own child.
Deuteronomy 21:18-21 gives us a specific example with regard to the case of law of Leviticus 20:9, "If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 19Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 20And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. 21And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear,and fear." Here is a potential criminal who could only get worse stopped early in life before he does something even more heinous. This is a case where the parents disinherit their son. Most parents would not do this. They do not want to see God’s order furthered, but they put their desires above God’s law. Every criminal act that this son commits can be put also on the parent because they refused to obey God concerning their son.
The high priest Eli gives us an example not to emulate in 1 Samuel 3:11-13, "And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. 12In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. 13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not." Eli is representative of modern parents of our day who refuse to restrain their children and because of this they grow up to be irresponsible with the parents constantly bailing their children out of one mess after another. The preacher’s boys were not instructed properly as 1 Samuel 2:12 points out, "Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD." How could the High Priest’s sons be unaware of God? Could it be that the father failed in bringing them up properly by not disciplining them properly? God disinherits these two sons of Eli in 1 Samuel 4:10-11, "And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 11And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain." At least now these two sons could do no more harm.
The book of Proverbs has much child rearing advice. One such verse is Proverbs 13:24, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." The Amplified Bible renders this verse as, "He who spares his rod (of discipline) hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently and punishes him early." Punishment teaches a child restraint and boundaries. This verse proves how many parents actually say they love their children but in actuality hate them by not using the rod of discipline as necessary. The earlier the punishment is inflicted, the quicker the child learns to obey and his behavior improves.
Conclusion
Proverbs 19:18 has this advice, "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." Discipline your son before he gets to the point of cursing and striking his parents. If you do not do it when they are young, you may live to regret it, as well as a lot of other people. Children will wail and cry and exaggerate so that the parent will stop the punishment. Determine the proper and punishment and follow through.
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