Col. 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
Fortunate are children who are born into a Christian home where there is love and submission to God’s word.
A child’s responsibility is to obey their parents as unto the Lord. A parent is not always worthy of a child’s trust or admiration, but God calls the child to show respect nonetheless.A child who does not grow up learning to obey their parents is not likely to grow up and obey any authority.
Col. 3:21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
The word “fathers” could be translated “parents,” as it is in Heb. 11:23.
Parents are to make it as easy as possible for their children to obey them: instructions must be clear, consistent, and reasonable, rather than ambiguous, fickle, demeaning, and irrational. Children are provoked when the command is beyond their ability; all they can do is react back and feel discouraged. Discouraged children become easy prey for the devil.
Col. 3:22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
Slavery was an established institution in Paul’s day; there were 60 million in the Roman Empire, and many were well-educated people who carried great responsibilities in the homes of the wealthy.
Why didn’t the church of that day openly oppose slavery and seek to destroy it? They were still a minority and lacked the political power required.Had the church taken on that cause, it could have easily distracted from their primary purpose—to preach the Gospel!
Paul’s attitude toward slavery will become more clear throughout the study of the Epistle to Philemon.
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