“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with a promise” – Ephesians 6:1-2 (KJV)
Honour thy father and thy mother is the fifth commandment of God. This commandment is sacrosanct with God, meaning it is a principle regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with.
In ancient biblical days, children were put to death for cursing and rebelling against their parents (Leviticus 20:9, Deuteronomy 21:18-21). However, the children’s trespass was not a casual slip-of-the-tongue curse but a deep-seated rebellion, an ongoing attitude of hatred that had to be dealt with severely. In other words, the punishment was not for minor infractions but for determined defiance.
Dr Errol Bhola, author of the book, ‘The Christian Home’ stated that in the old days, the ‘big stick’ method worked wonders in disciplining your children, but today this same method might ‘provoke your children to wrath’ (Ephesians 6:4a). He further stated that, “This is not to say that the rod of correction must be neglected, only that it may walk hand-in-hand with parental love and sagacity so that the child will never have a reason to foster inner rebellion and resentment that can affect his whole attitude to life.”
He pronounced that obedience is the only basis upon which the child can be properly trained, the only means of molding him in the ways of truth, honesty, righteousness, and so on. The writer contended that an obedient child will profit from the experience of his parents. He warned, however, that obedience pertains only to the things of the Lord and that anything contrary to the Word of God frees him from that obligation to obey unscriptural parental instructions.
Dr Bhola also admonished fathers to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4b). He emphasises that children must be brought up tenderly and trained lovingly in discipline and counsel.
Parents, we have a worldwide mandate to build strong and godly nations (Matthew 28:19-20). This can only be accomplished by building godly homes. Let’s begin with ours.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, You are the creator of the nuclear family, which has degenerated into other family types. Some of us were born into single-parent families, while grandparents raised others. Lord, we need to raise our nuclear family in Your fear and admonition. So we ask You to bless our union, give us parents the wisdom and guidance to teach our children the unadulterated Word of God and install within them godly principles, in Jesus’s name, Amen!
Read: Deuteronomy 24:16; Acts 1:8
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 35:11-18; Luke 2:41-52; Numbers 7:66-89; Numbers 8; Numbers 9:1-14
