Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
The command was uttered by Christ Himself while enshrouded in the cloudy pillar, setting forth the same high standard afterward taught in the New Testament. It was given as a lesson for the benefit of future generations. It enjoins reverence for both mother and father and observance of the Sabbaths as duties belonging to a holy life. That duty is grounded in the Lord's authority as Israel's God and in His own holiness.
Dependent children are to submit to parental authority in fear and reverence toward mother and father. Parents in turn are to exercise that authority firmly rather than yield to their children's wishes. Acceptable holiness is the practicing of godliness in every circumstance, learned first at home by becoming a blessing to one's own family through reverence for mother and father and keeping God's Sabbaths. From the home it extends outward in love of neighbor as self toward fellow men and toward all who need mercy and relief, not only toward one's own church. This requires laying aside selfishness and cultivating the attributes of God as seen in Jesus, being united to Christ by personal faith in Him as personal Saviour rather than by church membership, and growing up to His full stature, for as God is holy so His people must be holy in order to be accepted and approved.
Holiness before God requires every person to reverence mother and father and to keep God's Sabbaths under the declaration I am the LORD your God. Together with turning from idols, this reverence and Sabbath-keeping forms the foundation for justice in dealing with others. That justice means not oppressing brethren in any way. It also means sharing God's gifts by regarding the gleanings of harvest field, orchard, and vineyard as the Lord's portion to relieve the necessities of the poor and the stranger. Those who have received God's great gift in Christ are thereby called to love one another as Christ has loved them.
The command was uttered by Christ Himself while enshrouded in the cloudy pillar, setting forth the same high standard afterward taught in the New Testament. It was given as a lesson for the benefit of future generations. It enjoins reverence for both mother and father and observance of the Sabbaths as duties belonging to a holy life. That duty is grounded in the Lord's authority as Israel's God and in His own holiness.
Dependent children are to submit to parental authority in fear and reverence toward mother and father. Parents in turn are to exercise that authority firmly rather than yield to their children's wishes. Acceptable holiness is the practicing of godliness in every circumstance, learned first at home by becoming a blessing to one's own family through reverence for mother and father and keeping God's Sabbaths. From the home it extends outward in love of neighbor as self toward fellow men and toward all who need mercy and relief, not only toward one's own church. This requires laying aside selfishness and cultivating the attributes of God as seen in Jesus, being united to Christ by personal faith in Him as personal Saviour rather than by church membership, and growing up to His full stature, for as God is holy so His people must be holy in order to be accepted and approved.
Holiness before God requires every person to reverence mother and father and to keep God's Sabbaths under the declaration I am the LORD your God. Together with turning from idols, this reverence and Sabbath-keeping forms the foundation for justice in dealing with others. That justice means not oppressing brethren in any way. It also means sharing God's gifts by regarding the gleanings of harvest field, orchard, and vineyard as the Lord's portion to relieve the necessities of the poor and the stranger. Those who have received God's great gift in Christ are thereby called to love one another as Christ has loved them.