Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
2/4/2018 AM
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Text:
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Romans 13;
Lord's Day 39
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Psalters: |
259, 322, 129, 223 |
- The authority.
- Authority is the right to rule, which consists of three things.
- All authority is God’s because he created, upholds, and governs all things (Rom. 11:36).
- God delegates the exercise of His authority to certain positions, called “offices.”
- Compliance to authority (obedience and submission) are for our good - not because God has a need of it.
- In the home God’s rule is in the hands of parents who combine authority and love.
- How must we respond to God’s authority in our “fathers”?
- God calls us to “honor,” render respect, soul submission. God requires that His children “show all honor, love, and fidelity.”
- Honor is an inner respect and esteem, to think highly of them, giving reverence (Heb. 12:9; Lev. 19:3).
- Fidelity is faithfulness shown also when parents are old; there is no age limit to the honor commanded.
- “All” requires our all, not something half-hearted; and it must be “shown” (not just empty words).
- Honor is the only good root for obedience and submission.
- Obedience is a yielding of ourselves to do as commanded.
- Submission means that when we may not obey, being willing to bear the consequences of not obeying them.
- Why are we to honor God’s authority?
- First, this is well-pleasing to God (Col. 3:20).
- Second, God adds a promise to this commandment as encouragement.
- Third, this is part of rendering grateful returns of ardent love to God: demonstrate our love for Him by honoring His authority.