What Has Happened to Respect for Family?
- Edward D. Andrews
- 1 hour ago
- 8 min read
The question of what has happened to respect for family arises directly from the observable departure in many quarters from the clear standards Jehovah established for the home. The family does not exist as a human invention subject to constant redefinition according to shifting cultural preferences. Instead, it stands as a divine institution rooted in the creation account and reinforced throughout the inspired Scriptures. When respect within the family erodes, the effects extend beyond individual households into the moral fabric of entire communities, producing confusion about authority, duty, and love. This decline traces primarily to the rejection of Jehovah’s order in favor of self-centered autonomy that treats family obligations as optional burdens rather than sacred responsibilities.
The Biblical Foundation Of The Family As Instituted By Jehovah
The book of Genesis chapter 2 verse 18 records Jehovah’s declaration that it was not good for the man to be alone, prompting the creation of a helper suitable for him. This act established the marital union as the foundational relationship upon which the larger family rests. The book of Genesis chapter 2 verse 24 then states that a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. Jesus Christ Himself affirmed this same truth in the book of Matthew chapter 19 verses 4 through 6, adding that what Jehovah has joined together no human authority should separate. These passages demonstrate that family begins with a permanent, exclusive covenant between one man and one woman, not with fluid arrangements based on personal preference or emotional convenience. Children enter this structure as blessings and responsibilities, not as accessories to adult self-fulfillment.
Within this divine design, distinct yet complementary roles exist for the protection and nurture of all members. The husband bears the primary responsibility of loving leadership modeled after Christ’s sacrificial care for the church, as later detailed in the New Testament. The wife functions as a supportive partner whose influence shapes the moral and spiritual atmosphere of the home. Children receive the benefit of this ordered environment only when they respond with honor and obedience. Any attempt to flatten these roles or pit one against another contradicts the historical-grammatical meaning of the creation narrative and invites disorder. Jehovah’s wisdom in assigning these positions reflects His perfect knowledge of human nature and the need for clear lines of responsibility within the household.
The Command To Honor Father And Mother As A Cornerstone Of Respect
The book of Exodus chapter 20 verse 12 places the command to honor father and mother at the center of the Ten Commandments, immediately following the directives concerning Jehovah’s exclusive worship and preceding the prohibitions against murder, adultery, and theft. This positioning underscores the foundational nature of family respect for all other social ethics. The full statement reads, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you.” The attached promise of extended life in the land reveals that Jehovah ties generational blessing to the maintenance of proper family attitudes. Far from a mere suggestion for childhood, this command extends across the lifespan, requiring adult children to value and care for aging parents rather than viewing them as obstacles to personal plans.
The book of Leviticus chapter 19 verse 3 reinforces the same duty by linking honor for parents with the fear of Jehovah Himself. The book of Proverbs chapter 23 verse 22 adds the specific exhortation not to despise one’s mother when she is old, recognizing that physical decline does not diminish the obligation of respect. In the book of 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 4, the apostle Paul instructs that children or grandchildren must first learn to practice piety toward their own household by repaying their parents, for this pleases God. These passages collectively establish that respect for parents constitutes an act of worship and gratitude toward the One who placed individuals within families. When this command is neglected, the resulting vacuum allows self-interest to dominate decisions about time, resources, and care.
New Testament Teachings On Family Relationships And Mutual Respect
The book of Ephesians chapter 6 verses 1 through 3 repeats the fifth commandment for the Christian congregation, adding the qualifier “in the Lord” to indicate that obedience must align with God’s broader will. Children are told to obey their parents because this is right, and the promise of well-being is repeated. Immediately following, the book of Ephesians chapter 6 verses 4 charges fathers not to provoke their children to anger but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. This balanced instruction prevents both harsh authoritarianism and permissive neglect, establishing a framework where respect flows in both directions under divine authority. The historical-grammatical reading shows that Paul addressed real households in Ephesus, applying timeless principles rather than temporary cultural accommodations.
The book of Colossians chapter 3 verses 18 through 21 provides a parallel household code, directing wives to submit to husbands as fitting in the Lord, husbands to love wives without bitterness, children to obey parents in everything, and fathers to avoid exasperating their children. These directives appear together because they form an integrated system. When any part breaks down—whether through wifely rebellion, husbandly harshness, or childish defiance—the entire structure suffers. The book of 1 Peter chapter 3 verses 1 through 7 further develops the wife’s respectful conduct and the husband’s considerate treatment, showing that mutual honor within marriage provides the most powerful model for children to learn respect. These New Testament texts do not introduce new ideas but apply the creation order and the Decalogue to the church age with greater clarity through the finished work of Christ.
Factors Contributing To The Decline Of Family Respect In Modern Times
The primary cause of diminished family respect lies in the universal effects of sin that entered the world through Adam, as explained in the book of Romans chapter 5 verses 12 through 14. Every human heart inherits a bent toward self-rule that resists divinely appointed authority, including parental authority. This inward disposition finds external encouragement from a culture that celebrates personal autonomy above covenant obligations. When entertainment repeatedly portrays parents as foolish or oppressive and children as wise for defying them, the biblical pattern of honor is systematically undermined. Educational approaches that encourage minors to question or override parental convictions on moral matters further erode the respect the fifth commandment requires.
Another concrete factor appears when religious or philosophical traditions are twisted to excuse family neglect, exactly as Jesus exposed in the book of Mark chapter 7 verses 9 through 13. There, the Pharisees allowed the Corban tradition to release individuals from supporting their parents under the guise of greater devotion to God. The same pattern repeats whenever career ambitions, personal comfort, or ideological commitments are elevated above the duty to honor and provide for family members. The book of 2 Timothy chapter 3 verses 1 through 5 describes the last days as characterized by people who are lovers of self, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, and unholy. This inspired diagnosis explains why family disrespect does not occur in isolation but accompanies a broader cluster of attitudes that reject Jehovah’s authority in every sphere of life.
Scriptural Examples Illustrating The Dangers Of Disrespect
The book of Proverbs chapter 30 verses 11 through 14 describes a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother, a generation pure in its own eyes yet marked by arrogance and violence. This passage supplies a concrete portrait of the attitude that treats parental wisdom as irrelevant and parental needs as unworthy of attention. The consequences are not theoretical; the book of Proverbs chapter 15 verse 5 states that a fool despises his father’s instruction, while the one who heeds reproof demonstrates prudence. When instruction is rejected, the path to folly lies open, affecting not only the individual but subsequent generations who inherit the same pattern of defiance.
The account in the book of 2 Samuel chapters 15 through 18 of Absalom’s rebellion against his father David provides a historical illustration within Scripture itself. Despite receiving royal privilege and repeated mercy, Absalom conspired to seize the throne and publicly dishonored his father. The resulting civil war brought death, division, and long-term grief to the nation. This narrative demonstrates that family disrespect at the highest levels produces widespread destruction rather than personal liberation. In contrast, the book of Ruth chapter 1 records Ruth’s steadfast commitment to her mother-in-law Naomi, declaring that Naomi’s people would be her people and Naomi’s God her God. Ruth’s respect and loyalty led to her inclusion in the messianic line, showing that honor within family relationships aligns with Jehovah’s purposes and brings unforeseen blessing.
The Broader Implications For Society When Family Respect Erodes
When the command to honor parents is widely disregarded, the foundation for all other authority weakens. The book of Romans chapter 13 verses 1 through 2 establishes that governing authorities exist by God’s appointment, yet respect for civil order becomes difficult to maintain when children have been trained to view all authority figures with suspicion or contempt. The family serves as the primary training ground for understanding rightful submission under God. Its collapse therefore contributes to lawlessness that no amount of legislation can fully restrain. The book of Isaiah chapter 3 verses 4 through 5 predicts that when a people depart from divine standards, children will rule over them and the young will treat the old with insolence, producing societal chaos.
Economic and emotional burdens also multiply when family respect declines. The book of 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 8 warns that anyone who does not provide for his own household, especially family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. This principle encompasses both material support for aging parents and the emotional investment required to maintain respectful relationships. When adult children outsource parental care entirely to institutions or the state while maintaining distance, they violate the spirit of repayment described in Scripture. Communities then bear costs that properly belong within families, and the next generation learns that loyalty is conditional rather than covenantal. These outcomes flow directly from the rejection of Jehovah’s design rather than from external circumstances alone.
The Believer’s Responsibility To Uphold Family Respect According To The Word
Believers bear the responsibility to model and teach family respect regardless of surrounding cultural pressures. The book of Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 6 through 9 instructs parents to keep Jehovah’s words in their hearts and to impress them diligently upon their children through constant conversation and visible reminders in the home. This proactive transmission prevents the natural drift toward self-rule. When parents consistently demonstrate honor toward their own parents and require respectful conduct from their children, they create a living curriculum that no external program can replace. The church supports this effort by preaching the full counsel of God on family roles without compromise or cultural accommodation.
Restoration begins with personal repentance and renewed commitment to the plain statements of Scripture. Where patterns of dishonor have developed, confession before Jehovah and appropriate reconciliation with family members must follow. The book of James chapter 4 verse 6 reminds that God gives grace to the humble, while the proud receive opposition. Humility before the Word allows individuals to realign their attitudes with the creation order and the fifth commandment. As families return to these standards, they become witnesses to Jehovah’s wisdom and provide a counterexample to the prevailing disregard for parental authority and marital permanence. The same Spirit who inspired the Scriptures empowers obedient believers to live out these principles in daily practice.
About the author
EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
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