Harshly Judging and Dishonoring Parents: Sign of a Decaying Culture

Throughout Scripture, God emphasizes honoring parents. So it shouldn't surprise us that passages describing corrupted cultures include disrespect of parents in the list of sins (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 1:18-32). See note at bottom.

Disrespect, ungratefulness, and mistreatment of parents is a growing problem, and it's one of many signs that our culture has walked away from God. 

If we want to blame our parents for not living up to our standards, we can easily find support from a number of “authorities.” 

These “authorities” typically conclude that most older adults are selfish and immature and most younger adults are unselfish and mature.

To believe the younger generation deserves more honor and respect than the older generation you must reject both Scripture and common sense.

False teachings such as Boundaries encourage adult children to place all sorts of conditions on their parents while demanding that their parents place no conditions on them.

No wonder we have a growing number of adults claiming to be victims of bad parents. I'm not talking about people who were physically or sexually abused. I'm talking about adults who think any correction or disagreement from their parents justifies cutting them off. 

Proverbs 30:11-13 aptly describes those who follow this cultural trend.

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If you have not experienced any of this sad trend in your family, please be sensitive to the suffering of other parents. When I began writing about the errors in Boundaries, I started hearing regularly from Christian parents who've been judged and cut off by their children. 

Check out the Bible Love Notes collection reviewing general and specific claims of the Boundaries teaching: Are Boundaries Biblical?  And did you know that The Serious Consequences of Dishonoring Parents is the most popular of all my Bite Size Bible studies? It explains six spiritual truths that should motivate us to honor our parents. 

Note: While 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and Romans 1:18-32 say “disobedient to parents,” in this context it does not mean the type of obedience expected from minor children.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible – Rom. 1:30: “Disobedient to parents - This expresses the idea that they did not show to parents that honor, respect, and attention which was due.”

We understand it has this meaning by putting it in the context of what Scripture teaches about families. Children in the home are commanded to obey their parents unless their parents ask them to do something evil. Adult children who are living independently are required to obey God's commands, and honoring parents is a lifelong command of God. 

See Respectfully Saying No to Authority. This one-minute devotion explains that honoring parents as an adult doesn't mean treating their desires and suggestions as commands we must obey. It highlights how I handled one of my father's persistent suggestions when I was in my 40s.

💙 Please check out the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs and addresses this problem in several devotions. 

It's on sale at reduced prices on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.  

And please sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. 

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