In my previous posts, I've written about the apathy and complacency Christians have in these last days regarding obedience to the Ten Commandments - God's Law. But what about our children who are the next generation? I want to take a look at the Fifth Commandment, "Children, honor your father and mother." Are they learning to honor and obey their parents or are their parents honoring and obeying them?
If you sit long enough at a park or mall, it won't take you long to see "parents obeying their children" as they jump at their child's every wish, command and temper tantrum. Christmas time is the perfect time to see how "parents honor their children" by going into debt to buy them every toy their little hearts desire. Going into homes, you may notice how children are allowed to grab the chairs, while the adults are willing to stand or even to sit on the floor just so their children can have the "best seats in the house". Where are the days when children were made to get up and offer their chair to the parent/adult? (Leviticus 19:32) No wonder this generation is being called the "Me Generation". Of course, as most of us know, this is a sign of the last days according to 2 Timothy 3:2 where "disobedience to parents" is mentioned.
However, what does God's Word say in the Ten Commandments, specifically the Fifth Commandment? In Exodus 20:12 it says, "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you." In the New Testament, it is re-stated in Ephesians 6:1 and Colossians 3:20 by saying, "Children are to obey their parents". In fact, nowhere in God's Word will you find a command for parents to obey their children.
So, the question is WHY are children being allowed to be disobedient to their parents? Well, the first obvious answer is that Christian parents are failing in their job to teach them to be obedient to God's Law by "obeying their parents." And when there is disobedience, there is no discipline or consequence by the parents for the disobedience. "Lawless Grace" may even be an issue here since many Christian families lead their children to the Lord at a young age. If you believe in the theology that "the law has been done away with" and that you are "saved only by grace" - then why teach your child to obey God's law when he/she is saved and going to heaven anyways?
However, I'm really hoping that is not the case. Parents need to TEACH their children that when they disobey their parents, they are also disobeying God's Law. Whenever I was disobedient to my parents, I first got instructed on how I had not only disobeyed my parents - but how I had also disobeyed God. After my father spanked me, he would tell me I needed to pray and ask God to forgive me for my disobedience towards Him and His commandments. So I would pray and then, my father would hug me and tell me how much he still loved me and how much God loved me. Because of my father being there, I was taught not only obedience to my parents but also obedience to my God.
Another reason I believe Christian parents are failing in their job to teach their children to be obedient to them is the fact that so many of these parents are giving up their responsibility to raise the children God has given them. In these last days, Christian mothers and fathers are choosing to not be in the home when their children need to be taught obedience to God's commands. These parents are choosing to put their children into daycare or expecting grandparents to do the job that God has given them to do. In doing so, children are not being taught to obey their parents (because their parents aren't there) and they are not being taught to obey God. For those of you who are "single mothers" and must work outside the home - it's just more imperative that the time you do have with your children is time spent teaching them to be obedient to you as their mother and showing honor to other adults in their lives as that is the only way they will understand how to show honor and obedience to God.
In closing, I just want to remind all of us that as Christians, we are called to "not be like the people or world around us". Romans 12:2 says, "And do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." This includes the way we raise our children. They need to understand that when they disobey their parents - they are also disobeying God and His commandments. Our children also need to be taught that because we are Christians - our homes and the discipline, honor, and respect in our homes is going to be different than our friends and neighbors because "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" and not ourselves.
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