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In the Last Days Difficult Times Will Come— Disobedient to Parents

February 20, 2006

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Dear Friends

As we peruse the characteristics of 2 Timothy 3 as they relate to the Latter Day ecclesia, the next attribute we come to is “disobedient to parents.” This attribute seems fairly straightforward. Children in the ecclesia in the Last Days will not obey their parents. End of story. However, at the risk of making something that is simple overly complicated, let me suggest that there is more to the story.

One complication is that this may not be an entirely unique situation. There is indication that children were disobedient to their parents when Paul wrote this letter to Timothy. Paul wrote in his first letter to Timothy concerning the qualifications of ecclesial elders that he must be “one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.” (1 Tim. 3:4) Likewise, he says concerning the deacons “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” (1 Tim. 3:12). The indication of these passages would lead us to believe that there were some otherwise good brethren in the first century ecclesia that were disqualified from service because of their unruly children.

If then disobedient children are not entirely unique to the Latter Days, we need to be watching for something unique. I would suggest it will come in two forms: quality and quantity.

Before we look at that, however, it might be helpful to gain an historical perspective on disobedient children. In the time of Paul, Roman families were lead by a paterfamilias. This person was the oldest living male in a family. He exercised absolute authority over his children including the right to disown, sell into slavery and kill.

Similarly, under the Law of Moses, parents possessed tremendous authority. Of course, “honor thy father and mother” was one of the Ten Commandments. The importance of this command is noted in the penalty for non-compliance. Note that Deuteronomy 18 records the command to Israel on how to handle disobedient children:

If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; and they shall say unto the elders of his city, this our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.” (vv. 18–21)

The point is that during most of history, parental authority was much more extensive than we see today. Obedience was not a suggestion; it was a fact and typically backed up in dramatic fashion by the laws of the land. This is not true in today’s world. Parental authority has been diminished by society and by the government. You may have already seen the following comparison. In 1940, the main problems with school children were talking out of turn, chewing gum, making noise, running in hallways, butting in line and littering. The same survey in 1990 listed the main problems with school children as drug abuse, alcohol abuse, sexual behavior, suicide, rape, robbery and assault. We have in many ways lost control of our youth.

That these problems have infiltrated the children associated with the body of Christ is confirmed on several fronts. The best proof is an excellent program called the CYC Survey [www.cycsurvey.com]. From February to September 2005, several brethren put together a web site survey of young people with one objective being to assess the current state of moral issues among young people. About half of the respondents were from North America, a little less than a third from Australia and the rest from across the globe. The results have not yet been made public. However, I have been privileged to see the results. As someone who works regularly with our youth, I must confess that the results were not surprising. Suffice it to say for now; the trends which we recognize in the world are very evident among our young people.

Back to our original premise, the sign that we are in the Last Days is not that society at large has disobedient children. Even though the depth and breadth of issues facing young people today is a stark contrast from previous years; that is not the sign of Christ’s coming. The sign in these Last Days is that the children in Christ’s ecclesia will follow suit.

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Have a great week!