Do you believe the promise attached to this command?
“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:2-3
All parents have faults. It takes humility and grace to honor them. It isn't always easy because it means forgiving them, offering them grace, and making them a priority in our lives.
But it's important to God.
Christ said people who dishonor their parents are worshiping God in vain (Matthew 15:1-9). That's a pretty strong warning!
Another strong warning is found in Proverbs 30:11-13, where those who are disrespectful to their parents are described as arrogant and filthy.
When we honor our parents, we're blessed and they're blessed. It's a win-win situation.
It's not meant to be easy. But it's one way we show our love for God (John 14:21).
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I so regularly hear the term "boundaries" used when talking about parents. There are some situations when this may be necessary, but it should be a last resort, not simply an excuse to avoid an annoying parent. If you have set boundaries for your parents, make sure you have first obeyed Romans 12:17-21.
Please take the time to read through the Bite Size Bible Study today. It gives deeper insights into this important subject.
Bible Love Notes
Despite their different beliefs, unsaved people are all square pegs fitting into a square hole of unbelief (Ephesians 4:17-18).
We were once square pegs too, but we’re being transformed into the image of Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24).
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
When we accept Christ, God’s Word comes alive to us, meets us where we live, convicts us of sin, and begins changing our world view.(1)
We stop conforming and start transforming. The wonderful result is a keener understanding of God’s will - His good, pleasing and perfect will!
The renewal process involves learning God’s ways (Ephesians 5:10; 2 Timothy 2:15) and practicing obedience (James 1:22).
The world is filled with square peg temptations (1 John 2:15-17). But with God's help, we can refuse them.
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(1) If you haven’t experienced this paradigm shift, you need to ask yourself if you’ve ever fully embraced the gospel (2 Corinthians 13:5). See Are There Many Paths to Heaven and Can a Simple Misunderstanding Keep You from Heaven?
Bible Love Notes
We all blow it from time to time: lose our temper, act irresponsibly, hurt someone's feelings, act selfishly, etc.
If we excuse or justify these things, we distance ourselves from God and never mature spiritually (1 John 1:10).
It's like putting holes in our spiritual armor and opening ourselves to spiritual attack (Ephesians 6:14).
In fact, refusing to acknowledge and repent eventually alters our conscience, leaving us without an accurate view of right and wrong (1 Timothy 4:1-2).
If we want to maintain a healthy relationship with God and others, we must:
1. Admit we're wrong and ask God's forgiveness (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9).
2. Ask forgiveness of those we’ve offended and do our best to make things right (Matthew 5:23-24; Romans 12:18).
3. Take our walk with the Lord seriously, learning from our mistakes and moving forward (Philippians 3:7-14).
4. Be confident of this: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
Bible Love Notes
