HONORING AND RESPECTING ONE'S PARENTS

         Category:   Religion and Philosophy              Wednesday, September 9, 2007
 

Honoring and respecting one's parents should apply as long as one lives. Think about this, "Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old" (Prov. 23:22). Parents who are aged need the love and respect of their children. They thrive on it! Without that respect their hearts break and they will perish! Jesus rebuked the Jews of His day for the neglect shown to aged parents...

God Commanded all of us to "Honor thy Father and thy Mother" it was the first commandment with a promise "so that your days shall be long" Wow! That sounds serious to me, how about you?

I had someone recently tell me that the Old Testament verses are not applicable today. I believe that is rubbish. In fact I can prove the value of the Old Testament scriptures as they apply today. But sitting that aside for now, I would like to point out some New Testament verses that specifically keep the Fifth of the Ten Commandments in force today.

°     Fifth Commandment:  HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER
Matthew 15:4

°      For God said, "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER," and "HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH."      

°     Mark 7:10   For Moses said, "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER"; and "HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH"

°          Mark 10:19    "DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, DO NOT DEFRAUD, HONOR YOUR FATHER  AND MOTHER"

°        Luke 18:20   "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER"

°        Romans 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents

°         2 Timothy 3:2  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

It appears that God is serious about our words and actions when we are talking to or about our parents. Did you notice that God never said "Honor they Father and Mother unless you decide they are not worthy"? Nor did He say "Only Honor they Father and Mother if you are young or if you feel like it, or unless they never torque you off ! The bottom line is according to God. parents do not have to earn respect from their children, they are owed it. Now don't get me wrong, parents do have to earn the LOVE of their children, but not the respect. God says we owe it to them.

I asked myself why that is so, and quickly came up with an answer. God is our Father. He doesn't have to earn respect from us. It is already His. Think about this; our lives here on this planet are being spent in preparation for eternity. Do you think God is sending us a message about how our relationship should be with Him? I most certainly do!

I have seen this as an area where a great many children and adults are failing today. If your parents are still living it is not too late to turn it around and do it right!

Until later, Dave