God’s word plainly tells us that parents are to be honored, obeyed, and yes, even feared. Check the references at the end of this post.
This is God’s eternal law for the blessing of parents and ultimately the blessing of children. Therefore, are we as parents faithful to put this law into operation in our family lives? It takes faithfulness, consistency, obedience to God, and wisdom. It is easy to let go. But we reap the negatives if we let it go. Conversely, we reap the blessings if we train our children to obedience. And they reap success in this life, plus God’s promise of a long life.
Here are a few quotes from commentators on Ephesians 6:1-3.
“There can be no obedience where there is no authority; and if a child is not disciplined to obedience it suffers a moral loss which can hardly ever be completely remedied in later years. Obedience to the personal authority of parents disciplines us to obey the personal authority of God.”
“The exercise of authority . . . meets him at the beginning of life with the idea so necessary for all to realize, that in this world no human will is meant to be absolute and supreme, and that the first lesson—which everyone is to learn—is the difficult, but necessary one of obedience. “
~ T. G. Begets
“It is the duty of a child to obey. It is the duty of parents to rule.”
~ R, W. Dale
“If atheism is not normal, why do certain people become unbelievers? First, it is well known that the seeds of atheism can be planted early in life. One of the most dangerous contributions a parent can make toward the spiritual delinquency of his child is a failure to instill within him a respect for authority. If the parent neglects to set the proper example as an authority figure, or refuses to exercise discipline with love, he might well be rejected as an authority-figure by his child, and thus, by transference, the child ultimately may come to disdain all authority, including the Supreme Authority, God.”
~ “Surveying the Evidence by Kyle Butt, Wayne Jackson, Eric Lyons.
Was I always diligent as I trained our children? Not always, although I took it seriously. We constantly need to remind each other of the most important things in life. And this is the most important task of parenting.
Love from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org
References:
HONORED: Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16; Matthew 15:4; 19:19; Mark 7:10; 10:19; Luke 18:20; and Ephesians 6:1-3. Check also Exodus 21:15, 17; Proverbs 15:20; 19:26; 20:17, 20; and 23;22.
OBEYED: Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20.
FEARED: Leviticus 19:3.