Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Paul addresses the verse in the question to "children". Although people will always be their parents' biological "children" (regardless of their physical age), there comes a point (both in the eyes of the law and according to social customs) at which they assume responsibility for their own lives and conduct. (As Paul himself said in 1 Corinthians 13:11, "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I put away childish things.") 

Although adult "children" should not (in my view) deliberately shun their parents' advice or reject it out-of-hand (which, to me, sufficiently meets the commandment's requirements to honor them), they are also not obligated to unconditionally follow it, as if they were still under their parent's direct care, or as if their parents' were legally responsible for them.

Wise parents will also recognize this, and will realize that it is in their children's best interests to be allowed to become independent, even though the parents may not always agree with the children's actions and decisions, and even if those actions or decisions may adversely affect the children.

May 23 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report