“Young man, this is serious. In the Scriptures we read that the Israelites would take incorrigible youths outside the city gates where they would be stoned to death.”

“But, Dad, I . . .”

Dad didn’t stop to listen to me. He continued and his voice became louder like when he preached in our living room to us.

“Do you know why they did that?”

“No, Dad.”

“Because there is nothing worse, nothing more hopeless, nothing God hates more than a hardened young heart. A lying heart. A deceitful heart.”

“Yes, Dad.”

“And because once a young person becomes incorrigible and begins to give himself over to the pleasures of the world and forgets the ways of his father and mother it is better he should die than spend a miserable life in depravity.”

“Yes, Dad, but I’m really sorry and . . .”

“Today our customs have changed and we the spiritual Hebrews no longer are living in a theocracy so we use other methods of discipline for incorrigible youth who grieve their parents.”

I tried to change the subject.

“Dad, what’s a theocracy?”

“You know perfectly well, and you know that you are going to have to pay a severe penalty for what you have done because there is a difference between naughtiness and real sin. This is real sin of the worst kind.” He stepped forward and took me by the back of my neck and led me around to the foot of the bed. “Take down your pants and bend over the bed and wait.”

“Dad, how many am I going to get?”

“You’ll soon know. Don’t stand up or move or cover up with your hands or I’ll just give you more. Understand?”

“Yes, Dad.”

I waited and my legs shook a little but I didn’t move or cover up. I heard Dad open the cupboard and I knew he was getting out his belt of braided black leather he had been given as a “thank-you” for heading the Evangelical Men’s Bible Fellowship Study at the annual Reformed PCCCCUSA conference at Berchtesgaden in Germany. It had “John 3:16” inscribed on its silver buckle.

I heard Dad step up behind me and I heard him take a practice swing with the belt. It whistled a little because of how the air fun-neled through the thick ropes of braided leather.

“I’m afraid adult sin must suffer adult punishment.” This sounded bad and it was. “Please believe me that I am grieved and that I will be suffering with you,” Dad said.

I thought that he wouldn’t be suffering as much as I would and I was right because when the first hit landed I knew I was in real trouble. It was so hard I saw white light.