Well, you can’t rely on the media…you know, “never let the truth get in the
way of a good story” but even if only a fraction of these stories are partly true,
it’s a tragic saga. So what's this post about?
You would have had a mum and dad?...yes?
Sure!...everybody has – even IVF and surrogate babies!
So let’s go right to the top and see what God has
to say about our mums and dads, starting with the 5th Commandment:
"Honour thy father and
thy mother, that thy days may be prolonged in the land that Jehovah thy God
giveth thee." Exodus 20:12 & Deuteronomy 5:16…backed up by:
"Ye shall reverence
every man his mother, and his father..." Leviticus 19:3, where
reverence comes from yare: ‘fear’.
Well that’s reasonable,
although some would say it sounds draconian. Of course if your mum or dad weren’t
behaving honourably it could be very difficult. Okay, what was the penalty for not keeping this commandment?
“And he that curseth his
father, or his mother, shall certainly be put to death.” Exodus 21:17…backed up by:
“Cursed be he that slighteth
his father or his mother! And all the people shall say, Amen.” Deuteronomy
27:16
Whoa! Obviously the
Children of Israel were meant to take this seriously…but it doesn’t really
apply to us does it?...I mean, we’re not Israel and we’re under grace - not
law. No-one gets stoned these days for bad-mouthing their parents.
Even so, here is what the apostle Paul said to the Church:
“Children, obey your parents
in the Lord, for this is just. Honour thy father and thy mother, which is the
first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with thee, and that thou
mayest be long-lived on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-2, plus…
“Children, obey your parents
in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.” Colossians
3:20
Oh!...the commandment
is restated hey, albeit without the death penalty. It looks to me as if the only excuse you would possibly have for not obeying your parents was if it contravened your conscience before God.
Now then, notice how obedience and honour are kept separate. Tell me…is
honouring your father and mother conditional?…or unconditional?
Umm... unconditional I
suppose – according to the Bible. Like I
said, it would be very difficult if they were abusive or immoral but…yes, honouring
them is unconditional – no matter what!
So why do the Brethren add: “if they are walking rightly”?
How do you know that?...besides,
there’s a proverb in the Bible that warns us: “Add thou not unto His words,
lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” |
| Dad dying at 41 |
I grew up among the Exclusive Brethren. Not only was I never taught to
honour my father who had been ex-communicated, I had been abducted as a 7 year
old by the Brethren who took us out of Adelaide into hiding, without my
father’s knowledge, let alone permission. 12 years later I was deliberately prevented
from paying my respects to Dad on his death-bed or at his funeral and later warned
against checking on his widow. Many years later I was not welcome to pay my
respects at the funerals of my maternal grandparents.
Hey?? That’s not even
common decency!
Even
animals get to mourn their loved ones.
If you aim to sue me for publishing the truth in this series please be reminded that the Word of God is the final arbiter (Psalm 119) and that no-one will be holding your hand on Judgment Day (2 Cor 5:10).
ReplyDelete