Young People's Group

Honour Your Father and Mother

by Mitchell Tan
February 05, 2016

DEVELOPING A PROPER REGARD FOR OUR PARENTS

Chinese New Year is a time of showing respect to the elderly. Many of us would visit our relatives on the first and second day that we might wish them well for the New Year. It is also a time when we think about what it means to have a proper regard for our own parents. Very often, we take them for granted and we do not show the kind of respect for them as we should as Christian sons and daughters. This was something that Paul wrote about in his epistle to the Ephesians.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord”
Ephesians 6:1

Paul with apostolic authority commanded children to obey their parents because of their expressed faith in the Lord. He was emphasising the need to get down to obeying them when they do give godly advice and admonishment. Of course, obedience to parents should not be done blindly. It has to be done with the Lord’s example and teachings in mind. Young people, let’s learn to submit to our parents in the fear of the Lord.

REASONS FOR HONOURING OUR PARENTS

What are some reasons for us to honour and obey our parents?

1. THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO

“For this is right.”
Ephesians 6:1

Paul wrote that this was the right thing to do as saints in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 1:1). The word “right” in the Greek means “righteous”. Honouring our parents and obeying them is the righteous thing to do. It makes us different and distinct from the world. Before we had faith in the Lord Jesus, we were walking according to the course of this world. We were once sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). Since we are no longer children of darkness but have become children of light, let’s seek to do the right thing by obeying our parents in the Lord.

2. THIS IS A COMMANDMENT FROM GOD

“’Honour your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment”
Ephesians 6:2

We should honour and obey our parents in the Lord because it is a commandment from God. Honouring our parents is part of the Decalogue. God’s commandments are meant to be obeyed. We have no choice about it. The focus is never just about understanding and knowing them. We are meant to exercise our will to adhere to them. God wants us to get down to obeying His command to honour our parents.

3. THERE IS THE PROMISE OF BLESSING

“Which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”
Ephesians 6:2-3

This commandment from God is special. It is the first commandment where a promise of blessing is attached to it. None of the other commandments have such a provision. When we obey this commandment to honour our parents, the Lord will specially bless our life with His goodness. It would be well with us in all that we do. There would be the promise of long life on this earth. Young people, let’s seek to honour and obey our parents in the Lord. Let’s believe with certainty that the Lord would be true to His promise of blessing our life.

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