God's Discipline

Discipline is a Biblical concept that originated in the book of Genesis when Adam and Eve rebelled against God in their decision to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We read in the third chapter of Genesis the story of Adam and Eve disobeying God's instructions and then suffering the consequences of their actions. Adam and Eve are God's children, and this story tells us a few very important truths about discipline and how it should work in our families:

1) There are always consequences to our decisions, and those consequences are not always restricted to us personally. We don't live in a bubble, so our lives touch others as well as the world around us. In this case, the consequences can be seen in Adam's and Eve's shame and God's judgment against them, the serpent and the world in which they live.

2) Discipline is a necessary part of life. We all need it and must be aware of it. Without discipline, we have a very difficult time understanding the difference between right and wrong and the importance of the difference.

3) God's discipline is swift. A great deal of time did not pass between the rebellion and God's discipline. The poor decision(s) of Adam and Eve were still fresh in their minds when God pronounced his judgment on them.

4) God's discipline is perfect. It fits the sin perfectly. God's judgment isn't too much or too little. As imperfect humans, we have a tendency to miss the mark in choosing the right discipline to fit the sin. It's important, however, to discipline our children with the same measure as their sin.

5) God continues to show compassion and love in the midst of the discipline. Discipline should not ever be confused with a lack of love or a ceasing of compassion. This is evidenced in Genesis 3:21 - The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.