"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise: 'that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth'"(Ephesians 6:1-3). In the New Testament, we see plain proofs that Jesus cares for children. But what does the Bible have to say about children and their obedience?
The world tells us that children aren't disobedient; they just go through "a phase." But the Word of God teaches us differently. Our hearts are marked by a pattern of stubborn disobedience, even before we are born!
The Apostle Paul states that children ought to obey their parents. We don't obey simply because we fear bad consequences; but rather, because we fear the Lord God. Nevertheless, it is true that obedient children generally have a better life; for when the obedience structure is broken down, the blessings of the Lord are lost.
We read in the Gospels of the good example that our Savior Himself set, for even He obeyed His earthly parents. God has created and ordained authority in all areas of life, and even in heaven; and this authority structure starts in the family! Our homes are to be like greenhouses, where little sprouts are growing up in our families for God's glory. Jesus loves children, and children can show Jesus how much they love Him by obeying their parents! |
