The Structure of Society

Introduction

Indicative vs. Imperative

Imagine if we could gather all the preaching from the faithful churches around the world and pose the question: “How much of this preaching reveals what is true, and how much instructs us on what we should do about it?”

How much of this stuff explains how things are vs. how we ought to live?

I think that’d be a fascinating thing to know. I suspect we’d find a great variety. Some preaching would heavily emphasize “how things are” — who God is, what he’s done in the past, the nature of our salvation in Christ, what the future holds, and more. And these are good things. We need this every day.

Some preaching would strongly emphasize “how we ought to live.” “Seven Steps to Reignite Your Prayer Life,” “Four Ways to Embrace Identity in Christ,” or things similar. I’m not against stuff like that. There’s a place for them. The difficulty is in figuring out the right proportions of these two things.

If we only ever talked about what to do, Satan would tempt us with legalism.

If we only ever talked about what is true, Satan would tempt us with laziness.

There are two words that will be helpful, here. These two words describe the “mood” of language.

The first is the word “indicative.” Similar to indicate or indicator. This word gets at what is true. When the New Testament speaks in the indicative, it is speaking about the truth of something.

The second is the word “imperative.” This word gets at what we ought to do. When the New Testament speaks in the imperative, it is calling the reader to action.

Matthew 28:18–19 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We need both the indicative and the imperative—all the time.

Going Old Testament

Much of both Mark’s and my preaching is indicative.

But, speaking for myself, I have felt both a missed opportunity and a rising urgency to address the imperative. Bowman is not the same church it was ten years ago. There are many new faces, and familiar faces are no longer here. A generational change is underway, and a shift in society seems to indicate that the younger generations are reconsidering Christianity.

The way they have been taught to view the world and how humanity relates to one another is proving to be deeply, deeply flawed. As a result, they give the church a second glance.

At the same time, those of you who have been in the church forever are not immune to slippage. The cares of the world and the fear of man can affect you, too, slowly shifting and warping your Christian worldview, if not careful.

I see a potential danger for new and old believers if the church does not address these issues clearly and regularly.

Therefore, Lord willing, Mark and I are going Old Testament.

Mark is walking through the Psalms, which is full of both indicative and imperative, and I will be looking at the Fifth Commandment of the Law of God.

We will read that text, now, and then pray for God’s blessing.

Text

Exodus 20:12 ESV

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Prayer

Father of spirits, we come before you as your needy children. We do not want to regard your discipline lightly, or grow weary of your correction. For you discipline the one you love, and correct the son or daughter you receive. We recognize that you are our Heavenly Father, and so, if we stand before your word this morning in need of correction, we ask that you would supply the grace to open our hearts to that.

Help us to believe the words of Hebrews 12:10, that you “discipline us for our good, that we may share in your holiness.”

Father I do pray for this congregation that you would prevent the hardening of hearts to your word, but I also pray for holy invigoration—that you would paint a picture in our minds that sets a fire in our hearts of the glorious good that you have promised for simple obedience. Paint a picture of what a restored family, restored marriage, or a restored walk with God might look like through, by your grace, a renewed submission and obedience to your Law.

In Christ’s name, Amen.

Sermon

Why the 5C?

So, why the fifth commandment?

First, because of what it speaks to. The commandment speaks explicitly to children about parents, but implicitly speaks to all the relationships of human society.

The Expositor’s Bible, Volume 1: Genesis to Ruth The Fifth Commandment

God has willed that the race of man should be bound together in the closest relationships, both spiritual and secular; and family affection prepares the heart for membership alike of the nation and the Church.

This commentator is saying, “family affection prepares the children to be godly citizens and church members.” There is a connection between these different relationships. There are shared principles.

John Calvin commented,

Commentaries on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony Its Repetition from Deuteronomy 5

… human society cannot be maintained in its integrity, unless children modestly submit themselves to their parents, and unless those, who are set over others by God’s ordinance, are… reverently honoured.

What we need to see is that the principle of the fifth commandment, which is submission to authority, applies not only to children but to all of human society.

The fifth commandment speaks to marriages—to wives, and to husbands. It speaks to citizens. It speaks to churches, members, and to elders. It speaks to nations—citizens, and those in authority. At every level, it speaks to the individual and to the group.

I’ve titled this message, “The Structure of Society,” because that’s what’s been rattling around in my head as I’ve prepared for this series. The fifth commandment, and God’s Law in general, establish the foundation for human society to thrive.

So the first reason is because it speaks to such a broad scope of topics.

The second reason for choosing the fifth commandment is because of how absolutely insane our culture is.

I’m a relatively new Dad, and it horrifies me to think that there are tons of dads out there, outside the church, who have started a family and then go on the internet to figure out how to do that.

I can’t decide if Googling “how to be a good dad” is worse than just winging it.

Because, while there may be plenty of surface-level good stuff, it’s only a temporary imitation of the real thing.

Beneath the surface, though, is a different story. The Devil is smart; he’ll grab normal people with things that are biblical on the surface (support your wife, be present with your kids, teach them values) but fail to give the foundational things (trust in Christ, worship God, and train them in obedience).

I could go on, but suffice it to say, the second reason for the fifth commandment is because there’s just so much garbage out there.

The third and final reason would be because of the promise attached to it.

Paul quotes the fifth commandment near the end of Ephesians:

Ephesians 6:1–3 ESV

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

The fifth commandment is first of the Ten Commandments to contain a promise.

Exodus 20:12 “12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

I want this for our families and our church. I believe that you do, too. And if a people turn their hearts to God in obedience, submitting to him by faithfully submitting to each other, the Word is clear—blessing will follow.

What is the 5C?

Because I don’t want to sound like a preacher of the prosperity gospel, I’m going to quickly go through what the commandment, itself, is saying. In order to understand the promise, let’s understand the command.

Keach's Catechism (Baptist Catechism) Keach’s Catechism (Baptist Catechism)

Q. 70. What is required in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment requires the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.

Superiors, Inferiors, and Equals

All of human society is made up of relationships of superiority, inferiority, and equality.

Now, when I said those words just now, there is a very high likelihood that the modern understanding of those words just stood up, greatly offended, and started filing complaints.

We don’t have time to get into why this happens, but the short version is that our culture views everything through the lens of power, and this way of thinking can sneak into our minds.

“If I am more powerful than you, then I must be more valuable than you.”

This is a lie, and we need to look out for it in our thinking.

Because it’s not about power—rather, it’s about providence.

My wife and children are not inferior to me because they are weaker than me.

They’re my inferiors because God has placed them under my care, and has given a structure for all of us to thrive. This structure is not a burden, but a blessing.

Inferiority is not a bad thing—Jesus, himself, said, “I have not come to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” Jesus submitted to the will of the Father. And if we have been converted by Christ, we are a new creation that can not only submit to authority but do so from the heart.

“Perfect submission, all is at rest I, in my Savior, am happy and blessed”

This is what these lines from Blessed Assurance are about. Christ calls his people, young and old, wherever you are in life, to submit to someone. This means you are their inferior.

(What will help, here, is if you take all of the senses in which these words are insults and just throw ‘em away)

Each of us has some combination of all three of these kinds of relationships.

The child honors the parent.

The family honors the state.

The congregation honors its elders.

All submission to authority—inferiors to superiors.

The Westminster Confession of Faith helps us understand why the fifth commandment is worded the way it is.

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition The Larger Catechism

Q. 125. Why are superiors styled Father and Mother?

A. Superiors are styled Father and Mother, both to teach them in all duties towards their inferiors, like natural parents, to express love and tenderness to them, according to their several relations; and to work inferiors to a greater willingness and cheerfulness in performing their duties to their superiors, as to their parents.

Honor

We’ve established who we’re talking to (everyone in all lawful relationships)—now, what is meant by “honor”?

Working men, what does it mean to honor your employer?

Married women, what does it mean to honor your husband?

Children, the question is simple: what does it mean to honor your parents?

Let me offer two things: 1) give weight, and 2) gladly obey.

The Hebrew word translated as “honor” means to “give weight” to something.

We do this all the time. We kind of keep an extra berth of space around police officers or firemen. We don’t want to get in their way. We’re giving weight to them, in a sense.

At a wedding, everyone stands when the bridge starts walking down the aisle. We are giving weight to her, in that moment.

When you stood just now for the reading of God’s word, you are giving weight to its importance. You are honoring it.

This kind of honor is due regardless of what the person has done.

No parent is perfect, but some are worse than others. Some parents do their duty—by the grace of God and imperfectly.

But some have forsaken their responsibilities. Others have outright betrayed their family, and to them, Paul says they are “worse than an unbeliever.”

What, then, does this mean for their children? Or for their spouse?

How am I to honor wicked parents?

Calvin is helpful here:

Commentaries on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony Its Repetition from Deuteronomy 5

In condemning, therefore, the vices of a father, a truly pious son will subscribe to God’s Law; and still, whatsoever he may be, will acknowledge that he is to be honoured, as being the father given him by God.

God does not call you explain their sins. In his grace, he spares you from full context of those sins.

God doesn’t command us to blindly trust and obey our parents.

He does command us to, with eyes wide open, trust, accept, and obey him—and to, with faith, acknowledge that, whatever our parents are like, they are the ones we needed.

God shapes us by both addition and subtraction; he nurtures us like a garden, and carves us like a statue.

Because our confidence in our heavenly Father, we can see our earthly parents clearly: give thanks for what they did right, and forgive them what they did wrong.

The worst thing we could do is allow the sins of men to rule our hearts rather than the commandment of God. Which one promises blessing?

Obey

So, that’s honor as “giving weight.” The second one is more obvious: to honor is to obey.

And obedience is pretty simple: unless they are commanding sin, whoever they are, we are to do it.

It’s simple. Sin is what messes all of it up. “What about this, what about that”—each of us is fast to want to qualify and make exceptions to this. Because natural man is allergic to obedience, any time we get a whiff of it we start to get hives.

“Trust and obey” — it’s the foundation of the Gospel, and its mirrored in all human relationships.

Because there’s a million ways we could think of this going wrong, let’s, instead, look at how this works rightly.

A husband loves his wife and gives himself for her, which, in turn, makes her submission to him a blessing, not a burden.

Parents love their children, and seek to establish a verdant home life that they want to be a part of, which, in turn, makes obedience less about avoiding punishment and more about enjoying the blessings of obedience.

A church has elders who love and shepherd the flock, seeking them out, which, in turn, opens the heart of the congregation.

This is God’s good design for human society.

But what about when it’s all bad? What if my husband is lazy, my wife is a gossip—my parents aren’t believers, or my government is insane?

Why should I honor them, much less submit to them?!

[—]

There’s a practical answer to that, actually. And I’ll close with the practicals but not before pointing out two things.

Even When It’s Hard

The God who spoke the universe into existence gave us the Ten Commandments.

God, who knows everything, said, “Honor your parents.”

Do we think God forgot about how hard this would be, or that he just doesn’t care?

God gave this commandment for a reason. He gave it for our good. Yes, it will be complicated—yes, it will be messy. But man’s sin does nothing to diminish the eternal wisdom of obeying God’s word.

And, secondarily, think about which problem you’d rather have, in the end.

Whatever authority it is in your life that you’re finding it difficult to submit, ask yourself: when I die and come before God, who will is going to welcome me into literal paradise—forever—would I rather…

Explain why I too obedient.

Explain why I too disobedient.

Factor out all situations where an authority is acting unlawfully, and consider that.

We don’t want either of these. We want to obey God, and my view is that we lean more towards the disobedient side of things.

So, even when it’s hard, God calls us to obey.

The 5C’s Promise

The Joy of Obedience

The same God who gave you your parents said, “Honor them.”

The same God who put all those who in authority over you also says, “Submit to them.”

And it will be hard. It’s hard for us, now. Realistically, everyone in this room is having to face this reality—some more than others. Remember, nothing is on accident. There are no coincidences, accidents, or mistakes in God’s plan.

We’re going to end with some encouragement and practical “imperatives.”

My encouragement is this: no story is over until it’s over.

Sinful superiors and rebellious inferiors are the things that God works with.

Isn’t that amazing?

On God’s workbench, there are disobedient children, parents, churches, and nations. God is at work in these groups at every level.

He sent his Son solve the disobedience problem once and for all. Sinful humanity had a heart of stone, and would never turn to God without his intervention. So, when a sinners repents and turns to Christ, that stone is taken out and a heart of flesh is put in.

This is the poetic imagery that God used in the Bible to describe spiritual regeneration.

In Christ, we are awakened to the joy of obedience. We see its use. We see its benefits.

We are no longer consumed with what we don’t have or what others aren’t giving us, but are instead motivated by what we do have—what Christ has given us.

As if that wasn’t enough of a blessing, God has said, “Take my hand, obey my word, and receive my blessing.”

Here’s what that might look like.

Children

Children: if you are locked in conflict with your parents, you are only making your misery worse. The ironic thing is, most of the time, parents are just looking for some amount of cheerful obedience.

“Son, please take out the trash.”

“Ugh, fine.”

You take interactions like this and multiply it by 100, everyone will be frustrated.

Children: you need to hear a couple things. First, God is intensely focused on your obedience to your parents.

He not only measures what you do outwardly, but he knows what’s going on inwardly, too. He knows if you obey on the outside, but are rebelling on the inside. You need to know that there is no hiding that from him.

I would also fail in my duty to you if I didn’t explain that, in the Old Testament, children who were extremely disobedient, hit their parents, or committed other shameful crimes against them, were put to death.

God’s good design for you is to obey your parents.

You should also know that, like your parents, God delights in the obedience of his children.

And he rejoices to forgive them when they sin, and restore them to a happier place.

So consider the importance of this commandment. Ask to pray with your parents.

Parents

Parents, pray with your children. Confess your sins together. It doesn’t need to be a laundry list.

“Lord, we come before you asking your forgiveness for the ways we’ve sinned. Help us all to obey you by honoring each other. Help us to do this from a heart of faith, and please bless this family for your glory.”

Everyone Else

There is no age requirement for something like this. I know, for me, this was not something I grew up with.

I was an adult by the time I even memorized the ten commandments.

There is never a point at which it is too late to start obeying the fifth commandment.

Whether you are married, single, or widowed—man, woman, or child—the blessing of this commandment is not withheld from you.

There are men and women in this congregation that would be blessed by your honoring them.

There are relationships in this congregation that would be blessed by a renewed commitment to obey and submit to one another from a cheerful heart.

There is a community around us that stands to benefit by a church that honors one another, joyfully.

The only thing that will prepare and motivate us to live a life like this, of glad submission to each other, is the Holy Spirit of God.

And the Holy Spirit is the Comforter that Christ sent us. This Spirit speaks to us and teaches us how to do this.

And the Spirit does this by lifting our eyes to Christ, and to his example. To the ways he did it, and did it perfectly.

This is the Spirit’s encouragement to us, encouragement that is in Christ.

Philippians 2:1–11 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.