Different Life: 4th CommandmentSýnishorn

People can try to get too much mileage out of a verse. Some come up against the 4th Commandment and wonder: Do I have to obey my parents no matter what? Am I enslaved to my parents’ every whim? For life? Do I have to put up with abusive treatment?

The short answer is no. God comes first in everything. And when those in authority – even our parents –act contrary to the will and way of God, we need to obey God first. This doesn’t mean we dishonor those who are wrong. But it does mean we align ourselves with God no matter the cost.

Leviticus 19:3 may hint at this. It says we should respect (or revere) our parents, and honor the Sabbaths. Some see a distinction here; the word “and” can be translated as “but.” Read this way, it says yes, hold your parents in the highest esteem, but obey God by honoring the Sabbath no matter what your parents say, command, or do. This passage is not alone. You see other examples in the Bible of people disobeying parents and those in authority when they are forced to make a choice between them and God.

Honoring someone who is wrong can be one of the hardest things to do. Suffering under their hand is even harder. Don’t be too quick to judge those in authority. But always be ready to give your allegiance to God. Where are you struggling with conflict between honoring authority and honoring God today?

If this plan helped you learn about the 4th Commandment, we encourage you to walk through all 10 Commandments. Subscribe to the next plan: “Different Life: 5th Commandment” or others that have come before.