Eph 6:1-4 | PNT | STEP | The Christian Warfare SUMMARY OF EPHESIANS 6: Mutual Duties of Children and Parents. Of Servants and Masters. The Warfare of the Saints. The Armor of God. The Sword of the Spirit. Constant Prayer Commanded. Benediction. Children, obey your parents . The duty of obedience to parents is older than Christianity; as old as the parental relations. In the Lord . Unless they require of you things forbidden by the Lord. Our duty to Christ is superior, and if parents require us to disobey him, we must still be loyal to him. This passage has been thought to imply that all children of Christians are baptized in infancy into the church, but the children addressed are surely not babes, but old enough to hear and obey the apostolic command, and hence old enough to have heard and obeyed Christ.

Ephesians 6:1-4

The Christian Warfare SUMMARY OF EPHESIANS 6: Mutual Duties of Children and Parents. Of Servants and Masters. The Warfare of the Saints. The Armor of God. The Sword of the Spirit. Constant Prayer Commanded. Benediction.

Children, obey your parents. The duty of obedience to parents is older than Christianity; as old as the parental relations.

In the Lord. Unless they require of you things forbidden by the Lord. Our duty to Christ is superior, and if parents require us to disobey him, we must still be loyal to him. This passage has been thought to imply that all children of Christians are baptized in infancy into the church, but the children addressed are surely not babes, but old enough to hear and obey the apostolic command, and hence old enough to have heard and obeyed Christ. Honour thy father and mother. Both of them, both alike.

Which is the first commandment with promise. The first of the ten commandments which has a promise attached (Ex 20:12). That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. Quoted from Ex 20:12. This is the promise. A temporal blessing was conditioned upon the promise to Israel, and to honor parents still brings blessing. And, ye fathers. Parents have duties as well as children. Two are named.

Provoke not your children to wrath. Passionate and unreasonable rebukes, intemperate language, or cruel usage, would provoke resentment on the part of children.

But bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The Revised Version reads: "Nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord". Training and restraining as well as admonition are implied. The Lord holds all parties responsible for a Christian training of their children.