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Catechism #26



Q. What is the fifth of the Ten Commandments?
A. The fifth of the Ten Commandments is, “Honor your father and mother.”

The fifth commandment is probably every parent’s favorite of the ten, but it is not a command that is limited to children.

We need to honor our parents. It is interesting that God did not say obey your parents, but to honor them. But think about it: how can a child disobey his parents at honor them at the same time?

No matter how politely the child may respond to instruction, disobedience comes down to a lack of honor. In fact, Paul associated obedience with honor in Ephesians 6:1-2.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother.”

What about those of us who are grown and started our own families? While we do not need to obey our parents’ rules, we should never fail to show them honor and respect. In 1 Timothy 5:3-4 Paul instructed Timothy to

“Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”


Whether you are six, 16, or 60, God is pleased when you honor your father and mother.
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