Trustworthy Children

By

Shelby G. Floyd

February 24, 2007

 

                                               

          In Ephesians chapter five, Paul discussed the responsibilities of marriage. Therefore, it was quite logical for him in the next chapter to discuss the mutual responsibility and obligation of children to their parents, and parents to their children:

 

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 NKJV.)

 

Children are a priceless possession; they are a heritage given to us by the Lord and when properly trained they are as arrows in the hands of mighty men. (Psalms 127: 3-4.)

 

Parental Responsibility

 

Parents have the responsibility of teaching the word of God in the home to the children. This grave responsibility was stated in the Law of Moses in the long ago:

 

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 NIV.)

 

A good example of this divine injunction being carried out is found in the life of young Timothy, preacher of the gospel, and an associate of the apostle Paul. In writ­ing his second letter to this young man, he reminded him of the spiritual training which he had received from his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice. From a child Timothy had known the Holy Scriptures, which was able to make him wise unto salvation through his faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3: 15.) The reason Timothy had known the Holy Scriptures from a child was because there was an unfeigned faith in God dwelling first in his grandmother and his mother which had been passed onto young Timothy. (2 Timothy 1:4-5.)

 

An Overseer Must (Rule) Manage His Family Well

 

            One of the qualifications of an overseer of the church is that he must manage his family well. This includes having faithful or trustworthy children:

 

1 Timothy 3:4-5

One who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

NKJV

           

To Titus in Crete, Paul also sent a letter with a list of qualifications for the elders of the church. Titus was to appoint elders of the church in every city or town where there was a congregation. This list is in harmony with the Timothy list. An elder must be a good manager of his family, including his children:

 

Titus 1:5-6

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

NKJV

 

The point in these verses is that the relationship of the children to their father is that of being faithful, reliable and trustworthy. The opposite is being wild, unruly and rebellious.

 

The Responsibility of Children to the Parents

 

            But children likewise have obligations toward their parents, as well as the parents to the children. Paul commanded the children to obey their parents in the Lord for he says this is right. The word obey conveys the meaning of to listen, to hear; to hear a command; to obey, to be obedient unto; to submit to. Children than are required to be obedient to the instruction of the parents in the Lord. Paul said, “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” (Colossians 3: 20 KJV.) In order to obey their parents, the children must first hear their parents. Solomon said to his son, “Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.” (Proverbs 1:8-9 ESV.)  Again, he said, “Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” (Proverbs 23: 22 ESV.)

 

Jesus Learned Obedience through Suffering for Doing Right

 

Jesus is an excellent example of this. “Though he were a Son, yet learned be obedience by the things which be suffered.” (Hebrews 5: 8 KJV.) When Jesus was ap­proximately twelve years old, he went with his parents up to Jerusalem to a feast. When they returned to their home in Nazareth, we have a period of silence in the life of Christ of approximately eighteen years. We do not read of his activities until he was about thirty years of age, but we are informed that during that period of time, Christ was subject to his parents, and in so doing, he increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2: 51-52.)

 

Children Must Obey Their Parents “in the Lord”

 

We may see something of the strict nature of discipline upon the Jewish children by referring to the Law of Moses in which a rebellious and sinful child was stoned to death. (Deuteronomy 21:18-21.) Therefore, it is imperative that children obey their parents. The obedience which the children were required to render to their parents was “in the Lord.” It seems that Paul has Christ­ian parents in view, and he is not considering a situa­tion where the parents might be issuing orders contrary to the will of Christ. These children to whom Paul wrote had mothers and fathers who were children of God; and therefore, their obedience was to be directed to their parents in view of the fact that their parents were Christians, and were trying to please the Lord. Their parents had been baptized into Christ; and there­fore, they were intimately connected and implanted in the Lord; they were joined to the Lord, and were under his power and influence; they were subject to the Lord.

 

By virtue then of their parent’s fellowship and union with Christ the Lord, this was the basis on which Paul admonished the children to obey their parents. The reason Paul assigns for their obedience was because it was right. It was right for a child to obey his parents since they brought him into the world, and are charged with the responsibility of his life, growth and welfare. It is right also because it is “well pleasing unto the Lord.” (Colossians 3:20.) Disobedience to parents is a symptom of a disintegrating society, and. a mark of apostasy. (Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3: 3.)

 

Children Are to Honor Their Parents

 

Secondly, Paul commands the children to whom he wrote to honor their father and mother. To honor the father and mother means to revere, respect and venerate them. When the rich young ruler asked Christ what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, he told him to keep the commandments, among which was “honor your father and mother,” (Matthew 19: 19 NIV.)

 

Children Are to Respect Their Parents

 

In the book of Leviticus we have a catalog of laws respecting the domestic duties of parents and children. Among them we read: “You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19: 32.) Honor, respect and reverence for parents are laws originating with God from the very beginning, and continuing through the Christian dispensation. Children who are obedient to their parents learn early in life the lessons of respect which will enable them to live a long, useful and happy life upon the earth.  Copyright © 2007 Shelby Floyd All Rights Reserved