DO THE COMMANDMENTS CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER?
THE fourth commandment requires the weekly observance of the seventh day of the week as a rest-day unto the Lord; but the carnal heart is not subject to that law of which this command is a living precept, and it not unfrequently happens that members of the same family are divided in respect to the manner in which this divine injunction should be treated. It is often the case that the children of a family wish to honor the Lord by having respect to all his commandments, and esteeming his Sabbath a delight, while the parents, reeling under the effects of a deleterious influence brought to view in Rev. xvii, 2, insist upon their observance of the counterfeit Sabbath, instead of the true, either by positive command, or by every influence and artifice which a popish bigotry can devise. And what is the authority by which they would enforce upon their offspring disobedience to the fourth commandment? It is no less than another commandment of the same code. It is even the next following; the one which commands children to honor their father and their mother. Here, say they, you violate this precept unless you have respect unto our wishes and feelings; and, be careful that you do not break the fifth commandment, in your zeal for the fourth. Thus, they would make the fifth commandment a breastwork from behind which to deal death and destruction upon the fourth. But will the Bible sustain them in any such impious work? Let us see. It would be a far more serious reflection than we would dare to cast upon the wisdom of the divine Lawgiver, to take a position from which even an intimation might be drawn, that he had given a law, one precept of which could under any circumstances conflict with another. Do our opponents perceive the blasphemy of this their position? How much then does the fifth commandment call upon us to perform? and under what circumstances may we depart from its letter without infringing its spirit? The New Testament furnishes some very opportune and unmistakable comments upon passages of scripture, which bigotry and error (the former of which usually accompanies the latter) might be tempted to distort into their service. The fifth commandment is a passage in point. Paul in Eph. vi, 2, thus comments on this precept: "Children, obey your parents." Does he stop here? No. This is not left as an absolute and unqualified command. It must be modified. And what is the modifier? It consists of only three small but very important words which read as follows: "In the Lord." The apostolic injunction, then, stands thus: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord;" and as authority for this position, the apostle follows right in with a quotation of the fifth commandment. A very serious limitation, this, for superstitious and inquisitorial parents. They are to be obeyed in the Lord, and within the limits of this restriction only. Farther than this we are not commanded to accord to their wishes or authority, either indulgence or respect. It is only when their commands are in accordance with the commands of God that we are to do them reverence. God, his word, his authority and his commands, are first and foremost in all things. The authority of the parent is only delegated. He derives it from God, and the moment he attempts to exercise authority or issue commands which conflict with the great constitution of that Being from whom he derives all his powers, that moment he becomes a traitor and usurper, and forfeits all claims to authority and respect. The parental rule then degenerates to papal tyranny, and should be regarded and treated as such. Parents, in this case, need not be surprised to see their children acting for themselves, according to the dictates of their own consciences. It is not in violation of the fifth commandment that they do this, nor from any want of filial affection; but they are only moving straight along in obedience to that higher law against which their parents have rebelled. And if such parents feel disturbed and grieved at their course, and complain that their gray hairs will be brought down with sorrow to the grave, let them blame themselves for their distress, and understand that the source of all their troubles is their own sins. But is it right to take a course to cause trouble and division in families? Ask the Saviour. Did he come to send peace on earth, or a sword? Did he not say that there should be divisions on his account, brother against brother, and friend against friend? Did he not say that a man's foes should be they of his own household? and that if a man would not leave father, mother, brothers and sisters to follow him, he was not worthy of him? And finally, to those who may yet be disposed to attach great weight to the caution not to break the fifth commandment out of zeal for the fourth, we also will give a caution: Be careful and not break the first commandment out of zeal for the fifth. You are to obey your parents in the Lord, but not before the Lord. In religious matters what God requires comes first; all else is but secondary.