PARENTHOOD
a divine stewardship

Second Peter 2:10 says that there are those who despise lordship and revile dignities, who go after the flesh in defiling lust, who are darers, self-willed, and fearless. How many there are who have lost their power and drained their life through reviling. Man cannot fall into anarchy. How God deals with an unrighteous government is not our concern. Of course when we pray for God to execute His righteousness, it is a different matter. But for us, any disobedience to authority is disobedience to God's authority. If we are not submissive, we are actually strengthening the principle of the Antichrist. When the mystery of lawlessness operates, are we its restraints or its helpers?

B. In the Family

(Ephesians 5:22-24; 6:1-3; Colossians 3:18, 20, 22)

God has established His authority in the family. Many children of God do not pay enough attention to the matter of the family. But in the Epistles, especially in Ephesians and Colossians, the two books with the highest spirituality, the matter of the family is not overlooked. In particular they mention submission in the family. To neglect this will cause trouble in God's service. First Timothy and Titus are books on work, but they also mention the family, lest the family affect the work. First Peter is a book particularly on the kingdom, and in this book we see that to rebel against authority in the family is to rebel against the kingdom. When man meets authority, family problems for him will decrease.

God establishes the husband as the deputy authority of Christ and the wife as the representation of the church. Unless the wife sees the authority behind that which the husband represents, which is the authority God has set up, it will be difficult for her to submit. She has to see that it is not a question of her husband but a question of God's authority. Titus 2:4-5 says that the young women should submit to their own husbands that the word of God may not be blasphemed. First Peter 3:1 says that the wives should submit to their own husbands so that even if any disobey the word, they will be gained without a word through the manner of life of their wives. Verses 5 and 6 say that in this manner formerly the holy women also, hoping in God, adorned themselves, submitting themselves to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord.

Ephesians chapter six says that the children should obey their parents in the Lord, for God has set the parents up as the authority, and has said that we should honor our father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with us, and that we may live long on the earth. Among the Ten Commandments, this one has special reward. When a man honors his parents, he shall be blessed and shall live long on the earth. Many die early, probably because they did not honor their parents. Some brothers are at odds with their parents. Hence, they are often sick. Not until they become obedient will they get well.

Colossians 3:20 says that we have to obey our parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. We have to submit ourselves under our parents' authority. This also requires that we first see God's authority. (Watchman Nee, Authority and Submission, pp. 53-57, Published by Living Stream Ministry, December, 1988)

The whole New Testament upholds deputy authority. Only in Acts when the Sanhedrin persecuted Peter by forbidding him to preach in the Lord's name was there the word by Peter: "It is necessary to obey God rather than men." It is only when the deputy authority obviously defies God's commandment and offends the Lord's person that we can refuse the deputy authority. Hence, this kind of word can only be spoken under such a circumstance. Other than this, in any other circumstances we have to submit to the deputy authority. We cannot be careless. We must not fulfill submission by exercising rebellion. (Watchman Nee, Authority and Submission, p. 65, Published by Living Stream Ministry, December, 1988)