Ephesians 6:1-10
6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
Children- When does one not become a child. 14,18, 21?
Obey- This is different from submission, which is voluntary, this is not.
In the Lord- This is the limits to how they are to obey, acts 5:29. This also alludes to why, it is the biblical thing to do
Right- this is the natural thing, obey is not just spiritually right but also naturally right.
Vs 2- this is Deut 5:16, this is the 5th commandment and the 2nd commandment with a condition. The first is ex 20:6. Paul here is talking about the primary commandment kids need to learn and follow that has a result.
4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Fathers- They are the head of the family, and encompass both mother and father.
Provoke- used also in Rom 10:19, to resent, hate, despise. They do this by being petty, unreasonable, not possible to follow.
training- discipline
admonition- use of words, not hands.
The Lord- the bases of our training and admonishing.
—children are to obey their parents and parents are to train their children both area to do so with the Lord as the guide—
5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
Bondservants- slaves
Obedient- not rebellious but
The flesh- understanding they are not their spiritual masters.
Fear/trembling/sincerity of heart- the idea here is simple, they are not to serve in terror but to serve the master eagerly, wanting to do the best possible job with the fear of displeasing the master.
Eyeservice/men pleasers- they are to serve that way not only when people are watching but all the time.
Bondservants of Christ- slaves are to serve there earthly masters like the serve their heavenly masters.
With Goodwill- wanting the best for the master.
As to the Lord, and not to men- we do all things, not for people, but do them for God
Receive the same- we will be reward in heaven for how we act on earth
Slave or Free- in Gods eyes we are all the same, our situation on earth does not matter, how we respond to that situation does.
9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Same things to them- please the lord in how they treat their slaves.
Own Master- that is Christ. How does he treat us, no matter who they are.
Verses 5:18-6:9 is all about being controlled by the spirit, not by selfish desires.
First Baptist Church Delmar 