Ephesians 5:18-6:4
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth," Ephesians 6:1-3. In our study here in Ephesians we have seen each role of the family addressed specifically. In verse 22, Wives, submit; verse25, Husbands, love; here in chapter 6:1, children, obey. When we are filled with the Spirit we will do these things. When we are not filled with the Spirit, we will struggle in these areas. Simply knowing this means we can take a quick inventory of our lives and see how often we are or aren't filled with the Spirit. Our relationship with our own families is a good barometer. Each role in the family has a direct command from the Scriptures to do. In verse 4 we are told what not to do. Here in verse 1 the children are commanded to obey.
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right," Ephesians 6:1. "Children in this verse is the Greek word "teknon" and means a child, (as produced): - a child, male or female, son or daughter. Notice what this child is to do, obey. "Obey" means to hear under (as a subordinate), i.e. to listen attentively; by implication to heed to conform to a command or authority: --hearken, be obedient to, obey. Here in Ephesians 6:1, it is spoken of children obeying their parents.
Children are to do this "in the Lord" which is the same as unto the Lord. Submission is to be prompted by one's relationship to Christ. Children's obedience to their parents is to be regarded as part of their obedience to the Lord. It is the will of God that wives submit, husbands love, and that children obey. This is not to be done with a pouched out lip or in bitterness. Children are to lovingly obey.
"For this is right", and this means spoken of a person's character and conduct. Doing right because it is right to do right, regardless if the person that is over you is a Christian or not. Do right because the Lord said to do right, we are accountable to Him. Children are to hear the instruction of their parents and their response is to obey this instruction as unto the Lord. Let's turn to Proverbs and see what Scripture has to say. Proverbs 1:8; 2:1; 3:1; 4:1; 4:10; 5:1; 7:1; 8:32; 13:1; 15:5. We could go on and on. Seems to be simple doesn't it? Here are the instructions, obey. Why doesn't it work this way? Well, wives why don't you want to submit to your own husbands? Husbands why don't you love your wives? This rebellion is a result of the fall; then place all the influences that we are bombarded with every day with this rebellion and we see this rebellion multiplied. This world system is screaming, don't obey! This is truly a spiritual battle. When a child is filled with the Spirit, that child will obey, and will bring honour and glory to the Lord.
Christ is our example. "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me," John 5:30. "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work," John 4:34. "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me," John 6:38. In Christ being our example, look at what the Father said about His Son. "And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," Mark 1:9. Christ came to do the Fathers will and was obedient in everything. He is our example in submitting, loving, and obeying. Christ's obedience was beneficial to others. Amen.
A wise person receives instruction. Turn to Proverbs 1:7. Notice that fools despise wisdom and instruction. It is profitable to receive and obey instruction at any age. "Despise" is to contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have the lowest opinion of. W.D. 1828 edition. The meaning here is to cast off or tread down. You cast off wisdom and instruction. We have a popular saying today, in one ear and out of the other. The Bible says the one who does this is a fool. "Fool", in Scripture, is often used for a wicked or depraved person; one who acts contrary to sound wisdom in his moral deportment; one who follows his own inclinations, who prefers trifling and temporary pleasures to the service of God and eternal happiness. W.D. 1828 edition.
Fools despise wisdom and instruction against their own wellbeing. Instruction is given to help us, not hurt us. Think about the 10 commandments; when we obey them they are profitable to us. They protect us.
Children, when you obey your parents you are being like Christ. You and I are not Christ, and He wasn't born with a sin nature, but He hath given us of His Spirit so that we can be like Him in all these areas. When we are verse 18, filled with the Spirit, we will be like Christ. When we are rebellious, we are acting like the devil and our fallen nature is made manifest.
"Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise," Ephesians 6:2. Honoring your parents is a result of you obeying your parents. When you are instructed by your parents you quickly and without complaining, obey. This brings honor to your parents. "Honour" is to revere; to respect; to treat with deference and submission, and perform relative duties to. W.D. 1828 edition. This is the first commandment with promise. Turn to Exodus 20:1-17, and look specially at verse 12; "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." This commandment conveys a specific pledge of blessing and prosperity to those who obey it. All through Scripture we see the instruction of obeying our parents and the rewards of doing so. We also see those who don't obey and the consequences of not obeying.
We are to honor our parents with our speech (Exodus 21:17). "Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness," Proverbs 20:20. "There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother," Proverbs 30:11. We are to respect our parents in every way. "Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God," Leviticus 19:3. We are even supposed to honour our parents with our facial expressions. "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it," Proverbs 30:17.
"That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long upon the earth," Ephesians 6:3.
Do you see the tenderness and love here? It is profitable to do right. Through the obeying of mom and dad, a child learns to obey all authority. The child will learn to obey the Scriptures; the child will learn social skills; the child will learn to respect the authority; and most of all God. This command in Ephesians 6:1-3 is a plain command. All through the Scriptures we see this same command repeated over and over again. Why is it so hard for children to obey? First of all, because of the depraved nature that lives inside all of us; secondly because of all the corrupted influences all around us every day; and thirdly because our children are children. This means they are childish, and they should be because they are children. Because they are childish, they are easily influenced. This doesn't mean we overlook their disobedience, but that we understand they are children and treat them as such. We have a great responsibility as parents to protect, prepare, and present the right example to our children; until the day we die. And children are to obey and honour their parents until the day we die. How can we do this? Ephesians 5:18. Lord willing, next time, we will get into Ephesians 6:4.
Soli Deo Goria.
