Exodus 20:12

The fifth commandment in God’s Law is the first commandment that switches from the vertical to the horizontal in terms of relationships. It acts as a nice transition because in many regards this command still contains an aspect of the vertical, our relationship to God.

Despite the fact that parents are flawed, the Lord calls us to honor them. To honor doesn’t just mean obey but to reverence them and to show them a respect that comes with the title of being your parent, whether the respect is earned or not.

God has created order and structure and the family is at the core of that structure. Destroy the family and you will destroy society, hence we are given this command by God to create a safe environment for one to live. We live in a time where this command is getting increasingly less popular and disregarded by many in practice. May the church not be numbered among those, but have a healthy respect and honor for our parents that speaks to God’s goodness in the structure and order he created for us to live in.

Pastor Jason Witt