Paul Uses Bible Verses And Common Notions to Instruct Children

Paul in Ephesians 6 addresses children directly (!) and aims to persuade them to obey their parents for two reasons:

(1) "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."

Here Paul appeals to the innate notion that children should obey their parents. "this is right" or "just." Parents raise children. Children learn from their parents. It is natural and normal and right.

(2) “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land."

Paul then cites Scripture, Exodus 20:22, to show how obedience to parents is not simply "just" but also to show that just actions in the economy of God come with a promise.

In this case, honouring one's parents leads to long life in the Promised Land.

God's revelation is practically one, whether it is the order that he imposes on the family—children naturally need to rely on parents, and so it is just for them to obey parents; or whether it is the special revelation of God at Sinai who informs us that obedience also carries with it a promised reward, long life in God's Promised Land.

God's creation is a revelation of his will. The Bible is a special revelation of God that ultimately reveals what nature cannot: God in Christ who died for us and for our salvation.

[wp_paypal_payment]