Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.
You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
I believe that it means respect.What exactly does it mean to honor them?
To honor does not necessarily mean to respect.I believe that it means respect.
To honor does not necessarily mean to respect.
It means to TREAT them with respect.
We could do this even to someone for whom we have NO RESPECT.
Let's say you don't respect a parent.
Now a neighbor is saying something mean about that parent.
To honor them means to stand up for them and not to join in in speaking badly about the parent.
You may not even respect that parent, but you have just honored him/her.
Of course, it would be nice to respect them.
But respect must be earned and not demanded.
The belief that God commands us to honor our parents no matter what is so false.
Tell me why...
God is teaching man through the commandment:
Exodus 20:12
[12] Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Genesis 17:5-8 KJV
[5] Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. [6] And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. [7] And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. [8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Who is our Father?
Ephesians 6:2-3
[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.
Galatians 4:26
[26] But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Who is our Mother?
Would you agree or disagree that we are to Honour our Father in Heaven and Jerusalem above? which comes with promise: And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Matthew 7:21
[21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 12:49-50
[49] And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! [50] For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
The Fathers will is that the children of the Kingdom: honor their Father in Heaven and do His will and honor the Jerusalem above.
Matthew 15:4-8
[4] For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. [5] But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; [6] And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free . Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. [7] Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, [8] This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
What i'm saying is God NEVER told us to honor our parents EVEN WHEN THEY'RE WRONG.
I found out the man I was told was my father my entire life, was not my father. My biological father passed a year or so before I found out about him. I have been told by my mother even to this day, he wanted nothing to do with me because I am a "bastard child". My mother still tells me I had no right to know and I should have never been told, and she should have had the right to carry the lie to her grave. Her words not mine. She is selfish and blind. Cold and callous. But I love her.
What neighbor??Because a parent that doesn't give respect doesn't deserve honor. Who cares what the neighbor said.
Brock...What i'm saying is God NEVER told us to honor our parents EVEN WHEN THEY'RE WRONG.
Ditto for my father. He was not the best of dads but he did the best he could given the circumstances.Brock, I have struggled with this commandment- not for myself. Oh I have issues with my dad, and sometimes it is hard to respect what he says and has done but I have come to realise that no one is perfect and I do have love for him. He is now 87 and I am his carer, so I let many things go over my head, I do not respect his attitudes at times.
However I have often wondered how children cope with this verse when they have been sexually abused by their fathers, or beaten ect.
I have never really been able to figure that one out - it has always raised questions in my mind and I have been a Christian for nearly About 35 years.
Now it doesn't mean I do not think the commandments are not relevant, or untrue, ect but I just convey that in all honesty I too struggle to understand how some are able to comply to it.
Thank goodness we have a God who understands and knows everything about us, and is equally able to understand our doubts and questions about things.
I am very grateful that I have the respect of all my four children - but I am sure when they were teenagers they had completely different views about me as a mum
Butterfly
So sorry about your dad, I work on a demencia floor of a care home - I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you. I am grateful that my dad does not show signs of the illness. He has other health issues XDitto for my father. He was not the best of dads but he did the best he could given the circumstances.
When we compare our parents to Father Knows Best, they all fall short.
TV is very unrealistic and this is what many teens expect from their parents --- an unrealistic relationship.
Besides being a mother and a father, parents are also humans. Kids don't realize this till they're a lot older.
My father passed away at the age of 87. He had alzheimer's and died of that so you could imagine. I took care of him in my home till the end. I became also his nurse, learning how to care for him so he could stay at home.
I may have respected him very little when I was a teen, but I honored him in the end.
We should all honor our parents and the life they gave up for us...
even if we DO NOT respect them.
I knowWhat neighbor??
It was an example!
You TRY to give respect back, and see what happens.
DO AN EXPERIMENT.
DO IT.
You never told me this.I know
I did, for six years and it didn't work out so well.
I did, for six years and it didn't work out so well.