Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
This passage of scripture calls upon children to obey their parents according to the principles set forth in the scriptures, for when this is done, long life and good days are promised. One of the reasons why this counsel is so very important is because the family unit is the foundation of society, and the disposition to follow instructions begins in the home, where parents and guardians are charged with the sacred duty of raising their children to honor both God and man. The phrase "In The Lord" is often misunderstood to mean that children are only to render obedience to God-fearing parents, but nothing can be further from the truth, for in many households, some principles of righteousness are adopted, even though the parents may not have had a knowledge of Christ.
If any parent or guardian gives instructions to those children under their care, the children are counseled to obey, even though the requirement of the parent may not resonate with the child's level of understanding, and these requirements may not always be spiritual in nature, yet the children should be obedient as the scripture says. For instance when I was much younger, I always wanted to have a nice, neat Afro, which at that time was the fashionable thing to do, but by dad insisted that I be well shaven, with a low clean haircut. Does that requirement exist in the Bible? Does it affect my worth as a person? The answer is absolutely not, however according to the scriptures, the right thing to do would be to defer to my father's better judgment, or preferences, by rendering a willing and cheerful obedience.
The issue at stake in the relationship of children to their parents is not so much the fine details of the whys and why nots, but rather the much more important question of whether we will cultivate the attitude of being subject to those who are in higher, God-given authority, beginning with our parents, and then upon the wider stage of being law-abiding citizens of heaven and earth. If a child cultivates an attitude of rebellion or stubborness towards their parents, the same disposition will be seen in later life in their relationship with their employers, their spouses, the government, and most of all, with God, hence the reason why God in His wisdom requires that children obey their parents in The Lord, so that it may go well with themselves and with society as a whole.
Many of the horrific crimes and deeds now being committed by many children, teenagers, and young adults, are the direct result of a failure to obey their parents when they were much younger, and some of the responsibility rests upon the shoulders of some parents, who permit their children to do as they please, in direct violation of the parent's instructions, and this with impunity. Thus many households are ruined, and many communities are currently trapped in a deadly cycle of disobedience breeding more disobedience, and in many homes the roles of leadership by parents towards their children have now been sadly reversed.
That's why The Lord is now calling upon children to submit themselves to their parents, by obeying their word and instructions, once the commands they give do not violate the laws and principles of His kingdom, for by so doing, the stage will be set for well-ordered homes, communities, and nations. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us all to submit ourselves to all God-ordained authority, for we are all children of The Most High God. Let's read:
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
May we begin to implement the counsel here given, for we must become like little children if we are to enter into heaven. God bless!