The Day of New Beginnings

Honoring Our Father

 

Mal. 1:6:

6 ¶  "‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’

7  "You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the LORD is to be despised.’

8  "But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts.

The key sentence in the above passages is found in verse six. “Then if I am a father, where is My honor?” It’s the inner work God accomplishes in us that enables us to honor Him as our Father. Verses seven and eight could seem a real put-down to us. But here’s the thing: Until the inner work God is accomplishing in us is complete, we are incapable of giving Him the honor He deserves. Mystically, the above passages from Malachi are related to sonship. In speaking with the Samaritan woman Jesus said, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.” Jesus honored His Father. We also desire to honor our Father. It’s interesting that the commandment, “Honor thy father and mother”, is found in three of the four Gospels. Let’s read it:

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you (Ex.20:12).” Jesus Himself said in Mat. 15:4: "For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’”

Mystically, these passages are related to the Father Himself. Yes, they apply to our natural fathers and mothers, but ultimately they point to the Heavenly Father. The capacity to honor Him must first be created in us. Otherwise, the passages from Isa. 29 are fulfilled in us:

13  Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,

14  Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed."

Jesus quotes these passages in Mark 7:

6  And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

7  ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’

Once again these seem like terrible things to apply to ourselves and the Adamic nature within us is quick to say, “But I’m not like that, not me.” But that old nature is the same in each of us, and until God creates in us the capacity to truly honor Him, Jesus’ words apply.

Rom. 5:

1* ¶ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

 2* through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

 3* And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;

 4* and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

 5* and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

It’s the proven character created in us that honors the Father. Mystically, proven character is Christ’s own nature formed in us. Notice in verses three and four how that proven character is formed. Tribulation creating perseverance is the key. The creation of sonship within us is very much a personal, private matter with the Father. God deals with us in secret with the end result being a work that honors Him openly. The road to proven character is not an easy one. We seem to stand alone while the work is being accomplished. God crushes us until all the innate religiosity in us is gone. What’s left is a genuine drive to please our Father. The very way we learn to relate to Him is what honors Him, sealing us as sons.