According To The Scriptures

Honoring and Obeying Parents

"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land . . ." (Exodus 20:12).

In Matthew 15:3-9 Jesus said of some scribes and Pharisees that "in vain they do worship me" because they were justifying a method of neglecting parents.  Romans 1:29-32 says of those who are "disobedient to parents" that "they which commit such things are worthy of death." Ephesians 6:1-3 teaches to "obey your parents" and to "Honour thy father and mother."  The statement in verse 2 to "Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise" strongly implies the relevance of all the Ten Commandments to the New Testament Christian.  1 Timothy 5:4 teaches that to "requite" [repay] "parents . . . is good and acceptable before God."  2 Timothy 3:1-5 includes those "disobedient to parents" with those described as "Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof."  

It is apparent, from these verses, that the command to honor father and mother is as obligatory to adult "children" as it is to the young.  In consideration of the advanced maturity and superior means normally possessed by the adult child, we can say, "so much the more." 

Since, in marriage, a husband and wife "are no more twain, but one flesh" (Matthew 19:6), it is right that father-in-law and mother-in-law be honored as parents.

These truths, properly held and practiced, however, must be in accord with such scriptures as Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5-6, Mark 10:7-8, and Ephesians 5:31-33, which show that parents are not to come between husband and wife, and with scriptures like Luke 14:26, which teach that parents, or anyone else, cannot have any place between Christ and His true disciples.

In Matthew 10:37, Jesus said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."  In Luke 14:26, Jesus taught that anyone who places family before Him "cannot be my disciple."  Matthew 22:37-38 says, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment."

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.  But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons."  (Colossians 3:23-25)