Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is correct. 2 "Honor your father and your mother" -which is the first commandment with promise 3 "so that it may go well with you and that you may be of long life on earth."
4 Parents, do not exasperate your children; instead, raise them in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6.1-4
Dear Community! By way of introduction:
When Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians, the regime of patria potestas was in force in the Roman Empire. The father had the absolute right over the son: he could marry him, divorce him, enslave him, sell him, reject him, arrest him, and even kill him.
The hippie revolution - Today we are living the other extreme. In the 1960s, an explosion of revolt against all institutions and authorities broke out with the hippies. The authority of the parents was also affected. As a friend told me yesterday: "the youth is headless".
Considering the theme - If our Christianity is not able to change our relationship with our family, it is bankrupt. It is impossible to be a faithful young man, blessed, full of the Spirit without obeying the parents.
As he said: Mahatma Gandi: "You are the type that sings songs to me, but does not obey my teachings."
I. DUTY OF THE CHILDREN WITH THE PARENTS
The apostle mentions three reasons that should lead the son to be obedient to the parents.
1. Nature:
"Children obey their parents ... because this is fair"
Obedience of children to parents is a law of nature, it is the default behavior of the whole society. The great religions such as Christianity, Buddhism and Islam defend that flag.
Disobedience to parents is a sign of moral decadence in society and a sign of the end of time
And since they did not approve of God, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do things that are not convenient. Romans 1:28
2. The law - v. 2-3 (Ex 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16)
• Honor is more than obeying - Children must provide not only obedience, but also love, respect and care for parents. It is possible to obey without honoring.
The elder brother of the prodigal son. Children who do not care for parents in old age. Children who bring flowers to parents after they die, but in life, they ignore it.
• Honoring father and mother is honoring God - Lev 19: 1-3 - Dishonor to parents was a sin punishable by death (Lev 20: 9, De 21: 18-21). To resist the authority of parents is to rebel against the authority of God himself.
• Honoring father and mother brings benefits - Ef. 6: 2-3
a) Prosperity - In the Old Testament the blessings were earthly, temporary, like the possession of the earth. In the New Testament we are blessed with all kinds of spiritual blessings in Christ.
b) Longevity - An obedient child frees from great dislikes. Let's see for example some important things:
Listen to parents - How many disasters, weddings, losses, tears and deaths would not have occurred if the children listened to the parents. Example: Samson
Be careful with the seductions - (Pv 1:10) - drugs, sex, dating, abandonment of the church and friends.
3. The Gospel: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord."
Colossians 3:20 says that children should obey parents in everything. But Ephesians 6: 1 balances by saying that they must obey in the Lord. What is Paul teaching? Children must obey parents because they are servants of Christ. They owe it to the parents because of the relationship they have with Christ.
In Christ the family is rescued to the fullness of its original purpose. Our family relationships are restored because we are in the Lord. Because we are in Christ, our relationships are purified from ruinous egocentrism. Children learn to obey parents because this is pleasing to the Lord (Col. 3:20).
II THE DUTY OF PARENTS WITH THE CHILDREN - V. 4
Paul exhorts parents not to exercise their authority, but to contain it. Through parental authority, the father could not only punish the children, but also sell, enslave, abandon and even kill their children. Above all, the weak, sick and crippled had little chance of survival.
Paul teaches, however, that the Christian father should imitate another model. Fatherhood is derived from God (Colossians 3: 14-15, 4: 6). Human parents must take care of their children as God the Father takes care of his family.
Parents need to train their children through discipline - The word DISCIPLIA "paidéia" = training by discipline. In the event that it is a public health problem, only those who have self-control can discipline (make disciple). What right does a parent have to discipline the child if he himself is in need of discipline?
Parents need to encourage their children through the word - The word ADMISSION "nouthesia" = verbal education. Educate through the spoken word. It is warn and stimulate.
Parents are responsible for the Christian education of their children. The expression "in the Lord" reveals that those responsible for the Christian education of children are not the school or the church, but the parents themselves. Behind the parents is the Lord. He is the Master and the administrator of the discipline. The basic concern of parents is not only that their children submit, but that they get to know the Lord and obey Him. (Deuteronomy: 4-8.)
Note: Feel free to check in your Bible, the many verses that I have already quoted, it is a very rich teaching in content that is worth taking a while to read.
Thanks for your attention!
