Feeding the Sheep - Living the New Life 13

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Instructions for Christian Households


"Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged."
-Apostle Paul, 1st century
Colossians 3:20-21

[This is the 28th message of this series]

This lesson is intended for mature believers (or adulting believers). For a more orderly study, please go through all the previous messages first, if you haven't yet.

New Nature

This is the 13th part of this series, within a series.

Households

As we mentioned in the previous lesson, at the time of this writing all the believers were newbie believers, none of them was born into the faith and grew up as Christians. They were the first ones in their family and in their community to follow Christ.

And so Paul was teaching them how to act like one.

Family

Normally not everyone in one's family will become believers at the same time. So Paul had to address how members of each family will have to behave towards each other, particularly towards those who aren't believers. [Although this teaching also applies if all members of the family are believers]

So we have already talked about wives and husbands. Paul is now addressing how children who are believers have to act towards their parents who may or may not be followers of Christ.

God is a God of order.  And as such, He had designated the parents to be the persons in charge over their children, and the children are to obey those who are placed over them.

There is structure and  hierarchy in God's kingdom. And this goes the same way in a family.

When the children are respectful of their parents, they can win them over to the faith (without saying a word) and this will make for a happy household.


Order

We know kids can test our patience but it is important that fathers learn not to provoke, antagonize and exasperate their children. When children and their parents learn their roles, a happy and harmonious home life is to be expected.

A happy home happens when the father does not come down too hard on their children. 

We know dads can be too harsh, and kids hard to discipline. But as a new believer, who God has extended His grace and mercy to, believers should pause and think about that love that was given them. One that they did not deserve. This kind of love and grace is our new nature in Christ, grace and love reside in our spirit and this is the love we extend to others, and to our family.

None of us are perfect. Let us not act like we are, especially towards our parents and children.



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