Ephesians 6:1-4

Introduction

The parent-child relationship under God’s authority

is a God glorifying weapon against the kingdom of darkness

1. God, Our Ultimate Authority

The Bible says that ‘parental disobedience’ will be characteristic of the last days:

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy…” 2 Timothy 3:1,2

Romans 1:28-30 – “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents…”

“Biblical concepts of authority and responsibility have been replaced with negotiation and compromise.” Tedd Tripp

1. Child, Parent Relationship (v.1-3)

v.1 - “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

‘obey’ – ‘hupakouo’ - listening with attentiveness and then responding positively to what is heard; this word implies an inward attitude of respect and honor, as well as external act of obedience.

“Obedience is submission to God’s authority. Submission is God-ward in its focus. We obey because there is a God in heaven.” T. Tripp

v.2,3 - “Honor your father and mother, that it may go will with you and that you may live long in the land.”

‘Honor’ – means to show high regard respect for and so to count as valuable, to esteem, to value, to honor or to revere. 

• Parent, Child Relationship (v.4)

v.4 – “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring the up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

‘provoke’ - means to make angry, cause to be irritated or exasperate them

The Apostle Paul uses this description to contrast between the Christian father and the unsaved Roman father of his day.

How do we ‘provoke our children to anger’:

• Unreasonable Standards
• Inconsistent Discipline
• Harsh Responses/discipline in anger
• Overprotection – strict rules about everything – never trust your children
• Favoritism – not knowing it
• Lack of affection both verbally and physically
• Constantly critical or depreciating
• Neglecting them – not providing for your children (not talking about giving them everything they want)

v.4b - ‘bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

‘bring them up’ – means to nourish them to maturity

‘discipline’ – ‘padeia’ - means to provide instruction, with the intent of forming proper habits of behavior, of providing guidance for responsible living, of rearing and guiding a child toward maturity.

‘instruction’ – ‘nouthesia’ - “impart understanding,” “to set right,” “to lay on the heart.” 

The emphasis is on influencing not just the intellect, but the will and disposition

1. Conclusion