#7 An Honorable Society

There are two things to keep in mind in discussing/applying the 10 Commandments. 1) Timing - God gave the 10 Commandments AFTER He had redeemed the people. The commandments are primarily for believers, those who have been "brought out of the land of bondage." They are God's expectations for our response to His grace. 2) Language - Jesus in summarizing the 10 Commandments does so using the language of love.
The first commandment God gave to govern human relationships was one of honor. Respect for authority doesn't come naturally, it has to be taught and it has to be learned.
The fifth commandment establishes the foundation for society, for gospel belief, and for discipleship and it does so in the context of the home and the necessity of honoring one's father and mother.
The foundation it establishes for a prosperous SOCIETY is Authority whether formal or informal, explicit or implicit where ever people live in community there is a place for authority.
The foundation it establishes for GOSPEL BELIEF is Submission. Jesus is LORD and it is not just intellectual submission but personal you can't belong to the family of God if you do not submit to the Lordship of Christ.
The foundation it establishes for Discipleship is Humility an attitude of recognizing the greater. If we are going to learn from somebody, we first have to recognize that "I don't know it all," and it recognizes that God who is greatest of all has them in my life for a reason-for my good.