Scripture reading:
Ephesians Chapter 6 and Colossians 3:20
In this lesson we will look at the very first verse of Ephesians 6. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Here are some instructions from the Lord directed to boys and girls. Some times in the Scriptures the Lord calls all saved people “children.” This is because when we accept Him as our Saviour, we become His children. But in this lesson today when He says “children,” He is talking to boys and girls. We know this if we study all of the 5th and 6th chapters of this book. First, He gives some teaching to fathers and mothers, then He comes to children. These two chapters are telling all of us—each member in the family—how we should live. It is good for every member of the family to study these Scriptures.
Let us look to see what He is telling boys and girls to do. He is telling them to “obey their parents.” I have known some boys and girls who really want to do what the Lord tells them, and yet they won’t obey their mother and father. Notice the next part of this verse—”for this is right.” It is the right thing for children to obey their parents. This verse also says “in the Lord.” Boys and girls are to obey their parents in the Lord. This means to obey because of the Lord, or in the name of the Lord. We shouldn’t just obey because we love our parents, but also because we love the Lord. We shouldn’t obey because we are afraid that we will be punished if we don’t, but obey because we love the Lord so much and want to do as He has told us to.
Would you also look over in the book of Colossians, chapter 3 and verse 20? Here again the Lord tells the children to obey their parents, and says “in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” I am sure that boys and girls who know the Lord and know that He died for them so that they could have a Saviour, will surely want to please the Lord in all things. And here we can see that it pleases the Lord for boys and girls to obey their parents, when it is good and of the Lord. Therefore, when we obey our Christian parents, we not only show our love to them, but we also show that we love the Lord, and want to do things that are “well pleasing” to Him. We will continue in this 6th chapter of Ephesians in the next lesson. In the meantime, would you read, study, and try to memorize Ephesians 6:1; Ephesians 6:2; and Colossians 3:20. I know you can memorize these three Scriptures.
