The Fifth Commandment: Love Your Father and Your Mother Part 2: Parents’ Responsibility and Conclusion

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” 

Exodus 20:12 KJV.

The responsibility of keeping this commandment is not just for children and youth, but for parents as well!

In Part 1 of this article, we showed that we are living in the last days now, and that there is a great problem with disobedience to parents, and the children or youth despising and mocking them. There are many problems in society in these last days, including rebellion, which often develops out of disobedience to parents. Now we want to present some of the problems with the entertainment and music media, and how it relates to the Fifth Commandment. In addition to portraying or promoting sin and violence, they also sometimes portray disobedience and violence against parents, and of course rebellion against God. They are training the children and youth to disobey God and sin greatly, making them unfit for Heaven and society. Since parents are given the responsibility of training their children up to obey God and love Him, this is a very big deal! The Entertainment Media is counteracting what parents should be teaching their children! Because of this and because God has commanded everyone to honor their father and their mother, it is also necessary to show the responsibility of the parents’ to teach their children to obey them and God, and to be a good citizen; to treat others the way they should be treated. Yes, it’s not just the children’s fault for disobeying and rebelling against their parents, God and society, but in many cases the parents are to blame too. If nothing is done about Hollywood‘s influence in your family, your job as a parent too teach your children the truth of how to be happy and be saved is in vain. And we will show that even though you are saved by grace, God still wants you to love Him supremely, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which includes honoring your father and your mother.

There are children, youth and adults who can still be saved from the pit of ruin the devil has planned for them. It is not yet too late! In this article we will also appeal to your heart, and help you to know what to do, to help yourself and your children or youth before it’s too late. We want to show you the start of the solution to these problems: it always starts and ends with God, because no one can ever save themselves, much less their family. Only God can do this, if you willingly cooperate with Him.

Please read The Fifth Commandment: Love your Father and Your Mother Part 1 if you haven’t already read it:

This is not going to be a strictly “feel good” article, for it deals with some of the sterner truths. But since the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God (Acts 5:32), and to those who want to obey Him, and since you must be born again if you want to enter the kingdom of Heaven, these harder truths need to be presented. You cannot have or keep the Holy Spirit if you just want to dwell on pleasant topics, unless you have already made your peace with God and have removed all the offensive things to Him from your life. Those who are not willing to cooperate with God, cannot have the Holy Spirit or will lose Him if they stop obeying Him. This means that you should want to learn and do all that God wants you to do, so that you can please Him and grow in grace. So we are presenting articles on the 10 Commandments, God’s Law of love, so that you may know all that God expects from you, so that you may have the full indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is not salvation by works, it is salvation by the Holy Spirit! If you want to be on the path of peace, love and joy, you will want to study God’s Law of Love and ask Him to help you keep it.

And now to our message…

Violence against parents:

There was an MTV video: a hard rock ‘n roll or heavy metal music video showing an angry teen pushing his father down the stairs, probably after they were arguing as we remember it. What is the reality of this? Someone falling down the stairs could very easily die, if their neck is broken or something hits their temple area. This is what happens in real life in some cases! This video was portraying violence against parents. It was made in the 1980’s or 1990’s we believe. We are bringing it up as an example of what the media is teaching children and youth, not because it was necessarily the worst. We are fairly certain it is much worse in our day than when that video was produced and watched. And it was set to music with a heavy beat and angry tones, to stir up anger and resentment. The video didn’t show anything bad happening to the dad afterwards, if we remember correctly.

The entertainment media trivializes violence:

There are many shows for people to watch that trivialize violence, especially the cartoons. Many movies mix comedy with violence, trying to make people giggle or laugh when someone gets hurt or killed. In the older cartoons that they used to make, the character would always get up after being dealt a blow that could kill them. These shows and movies are conditioning your children to evil. Some of them imply that it may be ok to commit violence if there is a justification for it. (I.e. if the teen doesn’t get their way, or if their parents or authorities try to restrain them.) And these shows and movies teach that nothing bad will come from acts of violence in some cases, the person who was hurt will get back up again.

The entertainment media portrays violence as the solution to problems:

In some of the movies, violence or killing is taught as the solution to someone’s problems. In some of the movies “the bad guy” who was against “the hero” or doing something bad gets killed by the “hero”, and suddenly the “hero’s” problems are fixed, and the audience claps and shouts out ‘yeah!’ The audience is led to believe that the killing of the villain will solve the problems of the “hero.” For instance, the law might have accused the hero of murder. But when the movie shows who the real killer was and the “hero” kills the villain, the movie usually ends there or it is mostly done there, leading the audience to believe that everything is good for the hero. We have personally seen things like this in the movies or on TV when we used to watch them. But in real life, if what happened in the movies happened, the hero would probably go to jail and be convicted of murder! In real life law enforcement do not watch “the movie” of someone’s life. Therefore those who take the law into their own hands, vigilantes, may be punished as murderers. There will be and investigation. The police do not watch the movie and do not necessarily come to the same conclusion that the audience did. In real life there will be an investigation when someone gets killed, and the person doing it may be arrested, the outcome to be decided in court. Thus the media is lying to its watchers about the true nature and the consequences of violence and the sin it presents. But the entertainment media is also lying about many other things besides the consequences of violence or ‘getting even,’ or ‘payback.’

Life is not a movie. There are consequences to what you think, say and do, your life does not have a script writer ending. Nothing good can come from watching violence or any other thing prohibited by the Bible on the silver screen. We are also including in this the music, music videos, and computer games produced nowadays that portray sin, vice and violence as well, especially those that are appealing to children and youth, but also to the adults as well. We are sorry for watching and listening to this stuff in the past. It required much prayer and struggling against the flesh, but God gave us the victory over it and other bad entertainments. We want everyone who wants it to get the victory over sin.

The entertainment media versus God:

The entertainment media tries to package sin as desirable or something that should be done. It gives the watchers a fantasy of getting ‘even’ with those who have wronged them, i.e. ‘payback’. This is very popular because it pumps up people’s pride and appeals to their lower nature. It appeals to those who want revenge on those who have wronged them or slighted them in anyway. The entertainment media promotes revenge and ‘payback.’ But this is the exact opposite of what Christ taught. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the meek [or gentle] for they shall inherit the earth’. Matthew 5:5 KJV & NASB. And: “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-28 NASB. This is the exact opposite message than what is usually taught in the movies or TV! We are not to take revenge on those who have wronged us, but to let God take the vengeance when it is needed (His decision). We are to be like our Father in Heaven who loves and forgives others, who is merciful and long suffering with them, not willing that any should perish; He is rich in mercy. 2 Peter 3:9; Ephesians 2:4. Sometimes we forget that we are not worthy to live, because we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that the ‘wages of sin is death.’ Romans 3:23; 6:23. God does not treat us as we deserve, because we all deserve to die for any of our sins. But it is because of His mercy that we have a chance to be saved. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Romans 12:19 KJV. Those who love the world’s entertainments are making themselves unfit for Heaven.

There is a price to pay for watching violence, disobedience to parents, rebellion and all wrong doing, regardless of how Hollywood portrays it. This is what the word of God, the Bible, teaches. And there is a price to pay for fantasizing over the evil that is presented in these movies, TV and bad music. We know someone will say, ‘I have watched or listened to that and I have not done anything bad.’ Oh really? No one can fill their mind with corruption and not be affected in some way by it. The very act of watching impurity or corruption is sin, whether any action is taken or not that was portrayed in the movie. It invites evil angels into someone’s life that tempt, annoy and bind them into sin. This can influence them into getting irritated or angry with others, or losing their self-control if nothing else. The movies also implant thoughts in the minds of those who watch them, which may play out at a later date, if the person watching them gets into a similar situation as in the movies they watched. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8 NASB. Do you want to reap eternal life? Then sow to the Spirit, and stop planting the seeds of corruption from the world’s entertainments.

The apostle Paul admonishes us: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just [or righteous], whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8 KJV. We are to fill our mind with the mercy, love and goodness of God, not violence, conflict, sexual impurity, corruption, anger, resentment, sadness or any of the other things that are presented in the Entertainment media as ‘food’ for our thought. The reality is that these entertainments are not food at all but poison! As long as these entertainments are indulged in, these “idols” will make it hard to have a spiritual life with God, they will ruin it! They form habits of sin that weigh you and your children down. It causes a loss in true spirituality. God loves you and your children and doesn’t want anyone to fantasize or make believe about any kind of wickedness or anything prohibited by the Bible, or to be trapped in sin. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost, or hurt anyone else. So He doesn’t want anyone to fill their mind with these sinful entertainments.

Since the Bible tells us that we are to think on whatsoever is pure, true, good, lovely, honest, praise worthy, virtuous, just, etc., this excludes all worldly or sinful entertainments of the world for the believer. This excludes all impure, all evil, all unlovely, all dishonest, all shameful, all unvirtuous, all unjust, and all unrighteous entertainments, thoughts or activities. When was the last time you saw a movie which extoled all of the virtues that we are ‘to think on,’ as Paul declared, with no sinful suggestions? How many times is dishonesty or lying shown in a good light in the movies? Have you ever seen them extol the virtues of their so called “good guys” in the movies, who were really bad guys or robbers? Like ‘Robbin Hood,’ who robs from the rich and gives to the poor? This is dishonesty any way you slice it. If you go by Philippians 4:8, it probably prohibits everything produced by Hollywood! We are not to think on or contemplate anything that doesn’t match the standards in Philippians 4:8, or in any of the other places in the Bible where God gives the standards of righteousness. Even many of the movies that appear innocent on the surface are pushing subtle lies that people may not detect, including some of the so called heart-warming movies, or even children’s movies or shows.

What does the Bible say regarding violence to parents?

"He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” Exodus 21:15 NASB. And: “He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” Exodus 21:17 NASB.

In the days of Moses and in the Old Testament, a son or daughter could be put to death if they hit or cursed their parents! Even though we are not living today in a theocracy state, ruled directly by God, as the children of Israel were in the Old Testament days, you can be sure that God takes note of all those who harbor any bad thoughts, or say any hurtful or hateful words to their parents, or do anything bad to them. He is not happy with any of this! We know that not all who watch or listen to worldly entertainment will do what is portrayed in them, but it will have an evil effect of some kind on them. Jesus made it clear that anyone who hates someone or calls them a fool has committed something similar to murder in the eyes of God, and will be guilty before the court of Heaven. See Matthew 5:21-22. This includes hating and cursing parents too.

There were reasons why God instituted the death penalty against children, who committed violence against their parents or cursed them. He was leading the children of Israel out of the bondage of slavery, and may have instituted these harsh penalties to teach them to stop these practices which He hates. We are not suggesting here that we should return to these penalties. We are not living in a theocracy state ruled by God in our day. But make no mistake, there will be a price to pay for those who do not treat their parents with love and kindness, unless they confess it and repent.

What does the Bible say regarding the watching of violence or wickedness?

“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” Psalm 101:3 KJV. This last part means: ‘I hate the work of them who turn aside from truth and righteousness, this shall not be part of me.’ This Psalm seems to be speaking directly against watching violence or any sinful thing in the Movies, on TV, in computer games, or on the Internet, etc. No Christian should fill their minds with any kind of wickedness, violence, or anything prohibited by the Bible. This excludes watching or listening to every sinful thing presented by the entertainment media. Dear reader, set no wicked thing before your eyes. Turn not aside from the truth or righteousness. This is what God commands. If you love and want to obey God, ‘it shall not cleave to you.’

What does the Bible say regarding those who love violence? “The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” Psalm 11:5 NASB. Those who love violence God hates. This is clear. God tests the righteous and the wicked to see who are good or bad, and those who love watching or committing violence will prove to be the wicked. Can anyone doubt that it is a bad thing to watch violence? Can anyone still believe that there are no consequences for watching violent entertainments? There will be a price to pay for watching any kind of violence, wickedness or any sin or listening to music with vile lyrics or angry tones; when God is aroused, He will despise their form. Psalms 73:12-20. It will be a sad day for them when God is aroused and despises their form! We don’t want this to happen to anybody. See also Haggai 2:21-33; Hebrews 12:25-26.

But God has not left us without the blessed hope, the Gospel; He wants to save us from ruin! He will not forsake those who are sick of sin and corruption, who want a new, better life, and cry to Him for help! He will give all who want it the victory over all sin, bad entertainments and addictions. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4 KJV. If you allow God to make you born of Him, you will get the victory over the world, because whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Amen! This is the Gospel.

The Responsibility of Parents:

What to do for your children and family:

You should have family worship, teaching your children to love and respect you and God, and love others. The home can be made better, if the parents have the Holy Spirit in their heart and are devoted to God. You have no ability of fighting against evil, or the sin in the world trying to invade your home, or the minds of your children apart from God. You and your children need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in full, to shield and protect you and them from sinful thoughts, words and actions. Look around your home to see what is contrary to God’s Law of Love and standards of righteousness, and pray to God what you should do about them.

Parents should shield their children and youth as much as possible, by not allowing them to watch or listen to bad entertainments. The parents can help by removing the temptations, by getting rid of the bad movies, bad music, bad games and the devices that play them (if there is no good use for these devices), from around the home, to help keep them from getting off track. If these devices or media are your children’s, it probably won’t be easy to get rid of them, because they will resist it. * It is best to have a talk with them about this, praying with them, teaching them from the Bible, and explaining what needs to be done and why, and that you love them, and don’t want them to be misled or lost. You should take your situation to God in prayer, praying for His divine guidance and to have His sweet Spirit in your home as an aide to your quest. But these entertainments should be gotten rid of. You and your family will not be able to continue to make spiritual progress, unless you want to do what God has asked you to do.

* In the Bible, there were men like Gideon, Josiah and other leaders or kings who went out and destroyed the idols that were owned or built by others without their permission. There was a cost to these idols, so there was also a monetary loss when their idols were destroyed. See 2 Chronicles 34:7; Ezekiel 6:4, 6; Judges 6:25-32. Is it right to destroy a modern “idol” that leads someone away from God? We won’t answer this. It is best to discuss the destruction of the idols in your home with your children first. We are told in Acts 19:17-20 that the new believers at Ephesus voluntarily brought their books on magic and burned them, and their value was found to be 50,000 pieces of silver. So you should teach your children the truth of the way that God wants us to live in love first, teaching them from the Bible what honors Him and what does not and what will hurt them. Maybe they will want to get rid of these ‘idols’ like the new believers at Ephesus did? We hope so.

How to be an overcomer and help your family:

You cannot have the full indwelling of the Holy Spirit, unless you have yielded to God all the way and want to obey Him. If you would like to have this full indwelling of the Holy Spirit, you need to get rid of everything in your life that is offensive to God, including the entertainments of this world, with His help. You should study the Bible thoroughly and pray much, asking God to reveal to you what is offensive to Him in your life and home. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17 KJV. So if you want to abide forever, do His will. If you want to live forever, ask Him for the help to love not the world, or the lusts of the flesh, or the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. These are not from God, but from the world. If you pray this prayer and truly want it, God will hear your prayer and help you! If you are not there yet, pray to God, ‘Please be merciful to me a sinner! Please help me to be willing to obey you.’ And He will help you! Luke 18:13-14. If you pray this prayer and desire it, you will go to your home justified before God. This is Jesus’ promise to you! Is that what you want? To be just before God? Then pray, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

The reason for our ministry, White Raiment Evangelism, is to help people get closer to God, so that they can get all the help from Him that they need to battle evil and be an overcomer. We are sorry if this article sounded way to hard or unpleasant to you. We don’t like writing articles like this, because they seem out of place, since God is love. 1 John 4:8. But there are people out there who need to hear this message, because it is the truth. Who knows? It may be just what you need to help you get out of the spiritual rut you might be in. We struggled with some of these things in our past life, before getting the victory over them by God, and do not want anyone else to have to go through the problems these things cause! We want everyone to have the love of God in their heart, and be free from addictions, vice, corruption and worldly entertainments. No one can be happy or be at peace or have the Holy Spirit and indulge in worldly entertainments or sinful addictions. They will crush the life out of your soul if they are continued. We hope you stayed with us.

There is a time to preach the harder truths. That time is now, because we are living in the last days! Ecclesiastes 3:1. But never fear, because Jesus came to free the captives (Luke 4:18-21), and if you long to be free from this or any other sin, Jesus will help you! Call out to Him for help, give yourself into His hand! Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36 KJV. This is what Jesus wants to do for you!

Jesus said in the book of Revelation: “'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.' Revelation 2:7 NASB. Dear reader, do you want to be an overcomer and eat from the tree of life in Heaven? Do you want your children to be an overcomer too and to be able to eat from the tree of life in heaven? Then don’t go it alone! You need God’s precious Holy Spirit in your heart and in your home, or you will surely fail. You and your family cannot do it alone, don’t even try. Both parents should devote themselves to God, praying daily and moment by moment for their children and youth; that they would be good parents, faithfully representing God and the truth to their family. And that God’s Spirit would be in their home at all times, and that their children would not choose companions who are rebellious against parents or God. If there is just one parent willing to devote themselves completely to God, they should by all means do this, and pray for their spouse that they would too. Do your best, and pray for divine help! We all need God’s help! Don’t go it alone!

Parents: Where are your sheep?

Where are thy sheep, thy beautiful sheep? “Lift up your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful sheep?” Jeremiah 13:20 NASB. In many Bible prophecies the enemy comes from the north. The prophet Jeremiah said to look and see those coming from the north, the invading army, implied in verses 17-19, and then asks: ‘Where are your sheep?’ Parents: where are your sheep? Where are your little lambs? Do you know where they are? Do you know what they are doing? Do you know if they love Jesus and His Father? Do they want to learn how to please Him? Do they love, respect, and obey you? There is an invading army from the north that seeks to destroy your children. Where is the flock that God has given you?

You have an obligation from God to do everything in your power to train up your children, your beautiful sheep, that you have been given, to love the Lord God with all of their heart, mind and soul and strength, and to love their neighbor as themselves, and to love, honor and respect you. If you would see your children saved and in the kingdom of Heaven, and have no marks against your name in the book of life, you must do everything that you can, by God’s mighty strength and power, to help your kids become overcomers against evil. If you love your children, how can you do otherwise? Teach them to love and respect you, if you want them to love and respect God and love their neighbor as themselves. Do not take these warnings lightly dear reader, if you are a parent. Jesus takes all wrongs or sins of neglect done to others, including your children, as if they were done to Him personally, as we saw in our message: “Who is My Neighbor? Part 1” http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/02/who-is-my-neighbor-part-1.html

A lot of problems in society can be traced back to family life, with the deficiencies some had in their training as a child or youth. Many children are not taught to love and obey their parents or God the way they should be, if at all. Solomon exhorts parents to train up their children in the ways of salvation and God: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 KJV. You should also discipline your children when they do something wrong and need correction. Solomon declared, “A fool rejects his father's discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible.” Proverbs 15:5 NASB. And: “Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not desire his death.” Proverbs 19:18 NASB. To fail to discipline your children when they need it is to enable their physical or spiritual death. ‘Do not hold back discipline from the child’ Proverbs 23:13 NASB. Discipline your children while there is still hope that they can learn to love Jesus and His Father, before their peace, love, joy and happiness and their hope for eternal life is forever ruined.

Why are we showing the responsibility of parents in this article on the First Commandment?

Why did we spend so much time on this? Because many parents are culpable when their children break this and other commandments. As a parent you have a responsibility to your children and youth, your little lambs. You have a responsibility to God and society to help them become good citizens, being helpful to others and keeping the laws of the land. Jesus may ask you someday, ‘Where are your sheep, your beautiful sheep?’ If you don’t know where they are, or if they loved Him, you will be speechless before Him. We don’t want this to happen to you! Jesus loves your children and doesn’t want them to be lost. There are two sides to every story, not just the side of the youth obeying or disobeying their parents. This article needed to be written, because there are way too many families where the home is not the way it should be. And when these children grow up and have their own children, this problem is perpetuated. We want to help stop this downward spiral of society, so that more families can be happy and be saved. As a parent you have the care of your children, your little flock that Jesus wants you to bring to the kingdom for Him. Please don’t let Him down.

There is still hope!

If you have not been a good parent all the time, or if your record has been “spotty,” or even if you have been a bad parent, there is still time to confess this to God, get forgiveness and a clean record before Him. Plead with Him for help, and give your heart to Him all the way, so that you can do your best to repair the problems in your family, by His grace and power. He will listen to this prayer, if you pray it and mean it!

In order for your children to love, obey and respect you like the fifth commandment requires, they need to learn to love and obey God and how to receive the Holy Spirit. They should not be compelled to do this. When they see your love for them, and your love and devotion to God, the Holy Spirit can awaken in them the desire for the good things that God wants to give them! The gifts that God wants to give to you and your children are sweet indeed! How precious and sweet is the love of God! It has to be experienced to be understood. It is the strongest motivating power in the universe! Love begets love, love awakens love, and love awakens trust and obedience. There is a beauty and wonder when God’s Holy Spirit is in your heart, and when your children discover how much God loves them! Children and youth are naturally ideal, and when they see mommy and daddy living what they teach, who have love for each other and them, they will see it, be happy and glad! Hypocrisy turns many children and youth from God, but it doesn’t have to be this way! God has made a provision for you and your family, if you would appropriate these blessings for yourself and your family that He wants to give you. Oh if there were more parents living God’s love, what a difference their children and youth would make in this world! How different their lives would be! Allow Him to work in your family the miracle that only His Divine grace can do.

Are we making too big a deal out of honoring your father and mother?

Aren’t we saved by grace, not by works? What did Jesus say? Listen carefully to His answer: “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matthew 19:16-19 KJV. Jesus answered the question that the man had asked, ‘What should I do that I might have eternal life?’ What was one of the things that Jesus told the man? Honor your father and your mother. If you would enter into life, honor your father and your mother. This is part of loving your neighbor as yourself as Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40. If you would enter into life, ask God to help you keep His commandments, to love Him and your neighbor as yourself. You will hear us harping on this over and over again in our articles. This does not go against being saved by grace! No, not by any means!

God’s grace covers our sins when we confess them, but the grace He gives doesn’t mean that we do not need to love Him, our neighbor or our parents. God forbid! “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2 KJV. “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Romans 6:15 KJV. “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31 KJV. So because we are save by grace does that mean that we do not need to honor our father and our mother, or our heavenly father or to love our neighbor as ourselves? “May it never be!” as the NASB says this in all of these passages.  So to sum it up, God’s grace is forgiveness for our sins, not a license to sin. Notice that Jesus didn’t tell the man to keep God’s commandments in his own strength; He makes no mention of being saved by your own works or strength there in our Matthew 19:16-19 passage. He is making a statement about the choice that all should make if they would enter in to life, to want to obey God. Don’t believe what we are saying here? Notice Jesus said ‘there is none good but one, that is, God.’ Since no one is good but God, to be able to do that ‘good thing’ that you may have eternal life, you must get it from God, not yourself, or you will be unable to do it, since only God is good!

If you have broken God’s Law of love, the 10 Commandments, or have not honored your father and mother like you should have, you can ask God for forgiveness and receive mercy. There is no reason to have this sin on your conscience if you will confess it, and ask God to help you treat your parents with respect, kindness and tenderness.

Conclusion:

If you would enter into life, dear reader, keep God’s commandments. Ask God for the help to keep them. When you have broken them, come to Him for forgiveness (this is God’s grace and mercy), and ask Him to help you keep them. No one who defiles, makes a lie, or is unfaithful or steals or covets will enter into Heaven. Jesus declared: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Revelation 22:12-15 KJV. Those who don’t want or ask for God’s help to love and obey Him and others, will not enter into that beautiful city, but will be outside of its gates, to be cast into the lake of fire, make no mistake about it.

Revelation states how everything will conclude. Those who wish to enter into the pearly gates, and walk on the streets of gold in Heaven, will want to keep God’s commandments. These are the words of Jesus that He declared in Revelation: ‘blessed are they that do His commandments.’ Those who keep and want to keep God’s commandments will have the right to the tree of life, and will enter into the gates of Heaven. “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.” 1 John 2:3 NASB. It is quite simple really. Those who know Jesus will keep His commandments, because He will help them keep it. Those who love Jesus will obey Him, and He and His Father will make their abode in them. “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.’” John 14:23 NASB. Wonderful promise! Wonderful love! This is the secret of how you can obey God, if Jesus and His Father make their abode in you! If you want to obey them. If you love Jesus, choose to keep His word, and He and His Father will make their abode in you! Is that what you want? This promise is yours, dear reader, if you want it!

If you love Jesus and His Father, love their commandments and take delight in keeping them. Obeying God is not a burden to those who love Him. Oh no! It’s a delight! “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.” 1 John 5:3-4 NASB.

Dear reader are you born of God? Do you long for the victory and to overcome? Do you long for God’s sweet Spirit to fill your heart, and make you a vessel of love to the world, to your parents and to your children? Then give your heart to God now, asking His forgiveness for your sins and failures. Dedicate your heart completely to Him, and receive the benefits of your new life with Him, the seal of the Holy Spirit, to seal you for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30. And God will help you to honor your parents and train your children the way He wants you to. Amen!

May the grace of God be with you. May you honor your father and mother, that your life may be long on the land which God gives you. May you enter into the gates of Heaven and eat from the Tree of Life. Amen.


Scriptures for further study:
Leviticus 19:1-4; Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 10:28-31; Proverbs 2:1-12; 3:1-12; 3:21-26; 4:20-22; 5:1-11; 10:1; 15:20; 17:21, 25; 19:26-27; 20:20; 23:22-28; 29:3, 15.

By John Foll, written 03/10/2018 to 03/15/2018.
© Copyright 2018 John Foll
 

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#Honor #Respect #Love #Father #Mother #Violence #Parent #Responsibility #Disobey #Wickedness #Commandments #Train #Children #Entertainment #Movies #TV #Games #Revenge #Enemy #Corruption

The Fifth Commandment: Love Your Father and Your Mother Part 1

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.” 

Exodus 20:12 NASB.

Introduction:

This is the first article in our new series on the 10 Commandments. We are presenting this series because the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God, Acts 5:32, and we want to help as many people as possible to learn to love and obey Him. We want as many people as possible to know the joy of their salvation. There is no reason for anyone to barely eke out a spiritual existence or be dying spiritually. You can have wonderful peace, and have the richest blessings of your life, when you learn to fall in love with God! There is no reason for you to starve, when you can have the bread of life and the water of life that God is offering to you freely! Those who have not given themselves completely to God yet are missing out on the very best things in life: wonderful peace, love, joy, faith and hope; they are missing out on the joys of knowing and loving God, which can only be had when they give into Him all the way, and are flooded with His love!

Those who do not think that they need to keep God’s commandments, which is to love Him all the way, and love their neighbor as themselves have not discovered the fountain of love and joy yet. They are unable to know real love, until they have truly come to know God, who is the source of love. 1 John 4:8. Until they have come to know Him, and learned to obey Him, they cannot have received the Holy Spirit in full yet, because the Holy Spirit is only given to those who obey Him. Acts 5:32. Therefore it is imperative that we present articles on each of the 10 Commandments, God’s Law of Love, so that you know what He expects from you, and can decide to do what He has asked you to do, so that you will receive the Holy Spirit for yourself. When you study the true meaning of the 10 Commandments and how to keep them, you are really learning what it means to love!

Do you love Jesus and His Father more than anyone and anything else? Then obey Them! Pray that you will have the continued desire and the power to obey Them; you will never regret it, we promise you! This is the key to eternal peace, eternal joy, eternal love, and eternal life! This is the key to everything good in this life and the life to come! We long for all who read this article and all of our other articles to know this sweetest peace, love and joy of receiving the full power of the Holy Spirit in their lives! Dear Reader, you can have and know this sweetest joy! We want you to know that if you love God, and want to obey Him, that He will give you this greatest blessing! So we will continue to write on this subject, and other like subjects of ‘How to Please God’ for as long as we are able to and draw breath, by God’s wonderful grace, so that all may have a closer walk with Him and gain this everlasting joy for themselves, to know God and be filled with the Holy Spirit! Amen. Pay close attention to God’s message to you here.

Love Your Father and Your Mother, and God’s Law of Love:

The Bible says in 1 John 4:8 that ‘God is love’. We cannot comprehend His love, it is beyond our ability to take it all in. But God has given us rules to live by that will help us to know love; they will help us to know how we should behave towards Him and others. These are all based on love. The Fifth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother is no exception. Since God is love, it is without question that He is pleased when you love your father and your mother and seek to honor them. Those who wish to receive the Holy Spirit in full, will honor their father and their mother, by God’s grace, and they will love and cherish them. It is not possible to get to know God and not love your parents. If you love them, you will not ignore their wishes for you, but will honor them and give heed to their wise counsel; you will listen to what they say.

David and Solomon’s Counsel to their Sons:

In Proverbs King Solomon gives the story of his father, King David, instructing him to obey him and seek after wisdom:

“Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding, for I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my instruction. When I was a son to my father, tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, then he taught me and said to me, ‘Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live; acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding. Prize her, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a garland of grace; she will present you with a crown of beauty.’ Hear, my son, and accept my sayings and the years of your life will be many. I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; and if you run, you will not stumble. Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.” Proverbs 4:1-13 NASB.

What wonderful instruction King David gave to his young son Solomon of the path of life! What wonderful instruction this is for us too! He was instructing Solomon to listen to all of his words, and gain wisdom and instruction. David said that if his son would seek out wisdom and understanding, and would prize it, that it would be a garland of grace on his head, and would give him a crown of beauty. Is that what you want dear reader? A garland of grace, and a crown of beauty? Then prize your parent’s instruction and teachings, and seek after it, in as far as it follows the Bible. Seek to bring honor to your parents, or to their memory if they have passed, not shame. It is the way God wants you to treat them. If you have God’s love in your heart this is the way you will be.

In like manner as David instructed his son Solomon in Proverbs, Solomon also instructed his son too: “Hear, my son, your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching; indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” Proverbs 1:8-10 NASB. Isn’t this what every good parent should tell their son or daughter? ‘My son or daughter, if sinners entice you, do not consent!’ This is wonderful counsel!

“My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you. Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," And call understanding your intimate friend; that they may keep you from an adulteress, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.” Proverbs 7:1-5 NASB. Solomon also writes that “A wise son accepts his father's discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” Proverbs 13:1 NASB. So there you have it: the wise person accepts their father’s discipline, but the scoffer does not listen to rebuke. The scoffer doesn’t believe in God either and does not believe in His word – the Bible, and does their own thing. Where or when do they learn to scoff at God? It most likely starts with them not listening to their father or mother, or when they will not accept their discipline.

Listen to David’s counsel to Solomon when he was turning over his kingdom to him:

“Now, my son, the LORD be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of the LORD your God just as He has spoken concerning you. Only the LORD give you discretion and understanding, and give you charge over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed.” 1 Chronicles 22:11-13 NASB.

David was speaking to Solomon his son regarding the temple of God that his son was to build. David’s counsel to Solomon describes Solomon’s course in his early rein, but unfortunately Solomon stopped following his father’s advice, and his offspring and the children of Israel paid for it dearly! After Solomon’s death the children of Israel were split up into two different nations, never to totally reunite again! And the idolatry that Solomon brought in, or that his foreign wives brought in caused Israel to sin greatly against God. Oh that Solomon had listened to his father’s advice, and to the advice that he gave to his own son! (Most likely Rehoboam.) Read the books of Kings and Chronicles for this sad account, of the mess started by King Solomon after he departed from the charge his father gave him, that God had given through Moses. Solomon repented from this, but it was too late to stop all the damage and lost souls that accrued because of it. There is a very heavy price to pay for disobeying your parents and God. No happiness ever comes from it, only misery and destruction. So we see here that following your parents’ counsel is important! Look at what happened to Solomon’s offspring and the children of Israel because he didn’t keep following his father’s counsel!

Jesus and Honoring Your Father and Your Mother:

What does Jesus have to say regarding honoring your father and your mother? “And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. For Moses said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER'; and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH'; but you say, 'If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),' you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that."” Mark 7:6-13 NASB. Where have we seen this before? People try to say that we don’t have to keep God’s Law anymore, because we are under grace. Yes, even in our day there are “scribes and Pharisees” who are expert at setting aside the Law of God. But they have no authority from Him to do this!

Many people today are ‘expert’ at setting aside the Law of God, just like some of the Scribes and Pharisees were in Jesus’ day in their hypocrisy. It is not a good thing to set aside the commandment of God for tradition or for any other reason! The modern world tries to teach us that we can do as we please, if it feels good do it, and that we don’t need to obey our parents. But this is not a good thing! Could it be that those who are teaching rebellion against God, rebelled against their own parents too? Or maybe there has been a rebellion going on for many generations, of children against their parents, and parent’s against their parents? Could this be one of the major problems or sins in our society? Disobeying parents? We think it is.

Obey Your Parents:

The apostle Paul writes, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.” Ephesians 6:1-3 NASB. Paul says that this is the first commandment with a promise. What promise? Long life, i.e. eternal life. What does honoring your father and mother have to do with eternal life? It has everything to do with it! If you wish to live forever, honor your father and mother, treat them with kindness and respect, and ask God to forgive you when you’ve missed the mark. Why is this? Because your parents are there to teach you about God and how to live. They act as your guardians until you get older. People who are disrespectful to their parents are usually disrespectful to God. Those who disobey their parents usually disobey God as well. Good parents want what’s best for their children and seek for their good, though they may have trouble showing it sometimes, and they may lose their temper with their children, or not do everything the right way from time-to-time. You are only to obey your father and mother ‘in the Lord,’ in as much as they instruct you according to the Bible, as Paul says above. If they tell you something contrary to God’s word in the Bible, you are not to do it, but you are to still love and respect them.

Where would we be without our parents? We would not exist. We exist because God created our first parents Adam and Eve, and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. Genesis 1:27-28. And so it happens generation after generation, father and mother to son and daughter – they bequeath life to their children, giving them a chance to get to know God, have love, peace, joy and happiness, and a chance to have eternal life. So not only should we be grateful to God for our life and happiness, love, joy and peace, but to our earthly parents for bringing us into this world, and giving us this chance too! Parents take part in God’s creation when they have children. This is God’s plan. He created man and woman to be companions of each other, to share their love with each other and with the children He gave them. And the children in turn to their children and so on. This tells us a lot about our Heavenly Father doesn’t it? He is very kind, loving, and giving! He allows us to take part in His creation, to train up our children if we are parents, to teach them about Him and the way to eternal life. He knows just what we need, and has provided for all of our needs. Oh, why don’t we thank Him more for His great kindness to us? Why don’t we love and trust Him all the way? Hasn’t He abundantly supplied all of our needs?

When you leave home and strike out on your own, should you still follow your parents’ council? When your parent’s get old should you still listen to them? Yes. “Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” Proverbs 23:22 NIV. Do not shame your parents. Think about their needs and be helpful to them, and try not to bring reproach or shame upon them. There will come a day when you will need to take care of your parents, when they get older. When you were young they took care of you. When they are older take care of them too, when they need your help, even if it is inconvenient to do so. If you love them this will not be a problem. “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8 NASB. If you know God you will love your parents, for the one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Even if you feel your parents have greatly wronged you, no matter what they have done to you, you still need to love them. What? Remember what Jesus said, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:44-45 KJV.

Even if your parents have greatly wronged you, Jesus wants you to forgive and love them! If you are a Christian and follow what Jesus said, you will love everyone: family, friends and enemies (i.e. those who have made your life miserable and hurt you, etc.) It is clear based on what Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, that a true Christian should love everyone, enemy or not. Therefore you should also love your parents, regardless of what they have done to you. You need divine help to love your enemies, but God will help you if this is your desire. God does not want you to hate anyone. No one will be given a pass from loving their enemies or an excuse to hate them! Jesus said that forgiving those who have wronged you is a requirement for eternal life. See Matthew 6:12. This includes your parents and other family members! So you must forgive and love your parents too, even if you feel they don’t deserve it, if you want eternal life.

Those who honor their parents while they live, will press on and continue to try to please them after their death, as if they were still alive. This is what creates the fabric of a good society. If this were happening more often than it does, this world would be more like heaven on earth! See how important it is to honor your father and mother? It is important that parents teach their children to love and obey them! This is their duty. This is very important! It teaches them to love and obey God and keep His Law of love too! “He who keeps the law is a wise son, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.” Proverbs 28:7 RSV. The King James has this last part as ‘a companion of riotous men shameth his father.’ Those who disobey their parents may eventually turn to riotous living: living without restraint, living in sin.

Rebellion and Crime can Develop out of Disobedience to Parents:

“And Samuel said [to King Saul], Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23 KJV. The Bible compares those who rebel against God with the sin of witchcraft. Rebellion and stubbornness can lead to being lost.

“There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.” Proverbs 30:11-14 KJV.

People don’t start out in rebellion against God. It probably starts with them dishonoring their parents, disobeying them, and doing their own thing. Then when they are reproved or rebuked by others, they get stubborn and refuse to listen, and become rebellious.

Not only can rebellion develop out of disobedience to parents, but so can despising and mocking them too. The Bible warns against this: “The eye that mocks a father and scorns a mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it.” Proverbs 30:17 NASB. This indicates that those who don’t listen to their father or mother, who mock and despise them what their end could be… They could end up hanging around with violent people or getting into crime, and getting killed in the end. Their body may end up lying in some field where the birds would pick their eyes out. Those who listen to their parents will be shielded from a lot of problems! Disobedience to parents or dishonoring them can also lead to crimes against them. The Bible warns against this: “He who robs his father or his mother and says, "It is not a transgression," Is the companion of a man who destroys.” Proverbs 28:24 NASB. Does it need to be mentioned that no one should steal from their parents? The Bible brings it up; it is part of honoring your father and mother. There are many problems today in our society caused by rebelliousness and disobedience to parents.

Children and even young adults are often disobedient to parents. The entertainment media, including music, Hollywood movies, TV shows, and violent or sinful computer games, etc. are doing everything they can it seems to try to get children or youth to rebel against parents, authority, and God. There is great peer pressure among the teens to rebel! It is not an easy thing to grow up in this day and age and honor your father and mother, much less God!

Paul warns of the perils and the problems of the last days including disobedience to parents:

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult [or perilous] times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NASB. The King James renders this as ‘in the last days perilous times shall come.’  We believe this to be clearer for this last part than the NASB. In the last days, perilous times will come. We believe this is describing the days we are living in now!

Make no mistake, we are living in the Last Days now. What Paul has been describing here has been going on for years and years now! It is not for some day in the future! It’s here now! Our salvation is now closer than when we first believed, it is high time to wake out of sleep! “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” Romans 13:11-14 NASB. Put on the armor of light, give yourself to God all the way, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are a parent, this will also help you to train your children.

God is more than able to help all who learn to love and trust Him to overcome, if they are willing to forsake the world and sin and get to know Him. “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17 NASB.

In Conclusion:

You learned that God is love and that all of His commandments are love, and that the Fifth Commandment to ‘honor your father and your mother’ is also love; it is the right thing to do. And that if you want to have the Holy Spirit in full, that you must obey or want to obey God; this is the key to everything good in this life and the life to come. You learned that children should listen to the counsel of their parents, and prize it and wisdom, that they may not have to live in shame, with the results of making bad choices, and to have a long life with happiness. You also learned that if you want to have eternal life, you need to listen to your parents and heed their wise counsel in the Lord, which is to do what they say, if it follows the Bible and doesn’t go against it. You learned that there is a heavy price to pay for not listening to or not following your parent’s wise counsel, like what happened to Solomon’s offspring or the children of Israel, because he stopped following his father’s counsel. Even though Solomon repented from what he had done, it was too late to stop the evil which resulted from his sins, which were the result of not continuing to listen to his father’s counsel.

You learned from Jesus that some scribes and Pharisees taught that it was ok for someone to not do their duty to ‘love and honor their parents’, if they devoted their wealth to God after their death. But Jesus told them that they were hypocrites (because they claimed to follow and obey God), but were setting aside some of God’s laws, when it suited their own purposes. In fact, they were expert at it! His message to them was a harsh rebuke. It was not a good thing what they were doing! You also learned that there are those in our day who are expert at setting aside the law of God too, and that rebellion against God may have been caused by parents rebelling against their parents, and so on, for many generations. Disobeying or rebelling against parents is also disobeying or rebelling against God. This is probably one of the major problems or sins in our society today. The sin of disobeying parents is not to be taken lightly! The ones doing it usually have problems obeying other laws and authority as well.

You also learned that Paul said that you need to honor your father and mother, that you may live long on the earth, which also has to do with your eternal life as well. Those who want to live forever need to honor their parents. You also learned that God gave to mankind this blessing of having a family to share your love with, and that this is passed on from parent to child, which is part of God’s plan, and that you take part in God’s creation when you are a parent. You also learned that God is kind and provides for all of your needs, and that you should thank Him for it. You should still follow your parents’ council when you and they get older, and after they die. If you know God (and love God), you will love your parents too, no matter what they have done to you; you have an obligation to do this. If you have hate towards anyone, including your parents, you are guilty to some degree as if you were a murderer, and are guilty before the court of Heaven, if you haven’t confessed this to God. If you wish to live forever, you must forgive everyone, including your parents.

You also learned that crime and rebellion can develop out of disobedience to parents. You learned that we are living in the last days, and that one of the predominate signs of this age is children who are disobedient to parents, along with all of the other great and excessive corruptions, wickedness and rebellion that seems to be taking over everywhere – these are all signs of the times. Evidently in the Last Days there will be great wickedness that will be very widespread throughout the earth; it will eventually be a rare thing to find people who aren’t totally wicked; they will be the exception. It will not be long before this world’s history concludes, and the Second Coming of Jesus takes place. It is time for you to wake up out of your sleep, if you are not aware of all of this yet, or if your life is not right with God. Or if you haven’t received the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit yet to help you stop hurting God, yourself, and others. One of the big reasons why this world is getting wicked so fast, is because there is much wickedness in the entertainment media, that people are consuming a lot of, including music, TV, movies, bad internet sites, and many computer games, etc. Do not love the world or the things in this world. Those that love the world, or the things in it, do not know God or love Him. The world is passing away, and those who love the things of this world will pass away too. Those who want a better life, who want to live forever, will allow God to help them not to love this world, and to help them not indulge in the unlawful lusts of the flesh, or be full of pride. Those who want to live forever will want to do God’s will, and will not love the things of the world.

Concluding Appeal:

Dear reader, if you still have guilt from your past, unfulfilled duties, or for not giving yourself totally to God, you can still ask Him to forgive you for this and receive mercy. If you have ever failed to treat your parents with the utmost kindness, honor and respect, or failed to heed all of their wise advice to you, or have been disobedient or rebellious against them, or God, you can beg for God’s mercy and receive it, if you would humble your heart before Him now, confess, and you will receive it. And then ask Him to help you make amends, to repent and change your ways. God loves you, and longs for you to be in harmony with Him, and that you would love Him, your parents, and your neighbor as yourself, and be filled with His wonderful peace! He longs to give you His precious Holy Spirit to help you to love and obey Him, and to love others. What a wonderful God we have, who is so kind, loving and merciful! No one deserves His love or mercy, but it is still there for all who want it. But do not wait, He is calling you now – do you hear His voice? Do not wait, when you can have this wonderful peace and His sweet Spirit now. Why wait, when you can have peace now? Don’t put it off, because tomorrow may never come. Listen to His sweet voice, while you can still hear Him pleading with you.

If you already have God’s wonderful peace, and are filled with His Holy Spirit, we are happy for you, and hope you have learned more about God’s Law of love, in the Fifth Commandment Part 1.

May the grace of God be with you. May you honor your father and mother, that your life may be long on the land which God gives you. May you enter into the gates of Heaven. Amen.

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