We Are Commanded To Honor Our Parents.

Ephesians 6:2 “Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)”

This subject was discussed at my mother’s house over the holidays with some of my family. I was asked what it truly means “to honor our parents” and when I answered the question I may have walked into a hornets nest, but the truth is the truth. God never made an exception to when not to honor our parents. We must quickly understand that the bible is law and therefore it must be treated as such. If God says to do something and gives no exceptions then there are no exceptions. Let’s liken it to the law of the road; if the speed limit on the interstate is 70mph maximum then is there any exception to drive 80mph; no there is not, just as there are no exceptions not to honor our parents. I know some parents are awful, godless people and do not deserve any honor in our opinions but we must keep in mind that honor is a commandment; in fact it is in the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 20:12 “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” In fact Jesus Christ took it much farther when he said; “For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” Matthew 15:4. I would say this is pretty final and a commandment we should all obey. Now please believe me when I say “I understand that there are many parents that do not deserve any honor” but we must all understand that God never said “if they deserve it”. My own father was a drunk, wife abuser, child abuser (not sexually), and sometimes a horrible person but I always honored him as my father and still do even though he has been dead many years. Beloved it is not what I say that counts but it is what God says that counts and He must be obeyed. Please let us remember on thing; we are not to render evil for evil God said; “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9 Do your part and God will bless you for your honor to them and for you’re obeying him. Now to them; if they are bad people and you find it hard to honor them then look to Jesus Christ who also said; "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. (20.) Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (21.) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:19 – 21. Beloved obey God and give them the honor that He commanded and God will take care of the “not deserving part”. Honoring our parents is not a choice but rather a command and if we treat it as a choice and not do it then it becomes sin on our part.

In conclusion I think it is proper to let everyone understand what God means by the word “honor”. The Greek word honor means – to prize or to revere – Now as a child we have this command: “for they are not only to be loved, and to be feared, and reverenced, their corrections to be submitted to, offences against them to be acknowledged, their tempers to be bore with, and their infirmities covered; but they are to be honoured in thought, word, and gesture; they are to be highly thought of and esteemed; they are to be spoken to, and of, very honourably, and with great veneration and to be behaved to in a very respectful manner; and they are to be relieved, assisted, and maintained in comfortable way when aged.” As John Gill so wisely points out. God told all children to “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Ephesians 6:1 however as we mature in age we are no longer commanded to “obey” them but rather just to honor them for who they are and that is our parents. Matthew 19:5 - 6 "And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? (6.) Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." The word honor and obey are not the same word and while we love and honor our parents we must live our own lives and make our own decisions.