When we become born again we are no longer in bondage to anyone, the secular culture or the "Christian" culture based on man's traditions and not the Bible.
Mark 7:13 "13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
We live in a culture now that thinks because two people in marriage are to leave their father and mother and cleave to their spouse, this allows them to completely neglect their parents. The adult children are abandoning their own parents to enjoy a life of pleasure with their own children, and by example teaching them to do the same when they are adults and their parents are elderly.
As the saying goes; "more is caught than taught." Children learn more by their parent's example than they do by words. More and more elderly people are being neglected by their adult children and their own grandchildren have no interest in them either.
I find it interesting too in my study of narcissism that those who are self-absorbed hate being around sick people. They have no empathy for anyone who is frail therefore they avoid those who are sick. Elderly people have many health problems because their bodies are breaking down as they age. We all have them, those who are in Christ depend on Him to sustain them through everything.
Mark 7:9-12 "9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother, is [f]certainly to be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a person says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is, [g]given to God),’ 12 you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thereby invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”"
Because of the many things the culture teaches, adult children no longer feel any obligation to care for their aging parents in their elder years. Since this is true for many if not most families today, those who are born again must more fully trust in Christ for everything. Those who do not have Christ are neglected and even abused by those who are paid to care for them.
As we navigate through this wicked world full of pride and self-exaltation we will see more of this neglect of helping others. Nowadays often, we see people help others but only to gain praise from those watching. Very few people do their good deeds secretly to please God, there is always an angle that ultimately ends up getting the good deed doer something for themselves.
Matthew 6:1-2 "1“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.…"
Since we are living "as in the days of Noah" we will see an increase in selfish living on the part of a culture that does not honor God but wants to "appear" as though they have a "form of godliness" for their own aggrandizement.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 is the proof of this!
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
Note: verse 5 "holding to a form of godliness", but denying God in the lifestyle. And, note: verse 5 "avoid such people as these."
No believer need be angry or upset by the neglect of their adult children, they can live with joy as Christ Himself cares for them. The children will be held accountable before God for their selfish lifestyle and even suffer some consequences in this life, but we are not responsible for them nor are we to worry about who will care for us. God always provides for those who trust in Him.
I might add this too, do not feel obligated to leave an inheritance to those who have neglected you. God does not give His inheritance to those who do not love Him. This is not revenge but good ole fashioned horse sense, that our money should be left to those who are serving God and love His Word while in obedience to Him.
I cannot imagine leaving an inheritance to those who have despised me all their lives. Giving them my possessions and money will not make them love God, nor will it make them love me. If we have to buy the love of our children with an inheritance then the love is not real but manipulation.
There are families who are serving Christ and obeying Him in their lifestyle who could be blessed by us for their dedication to Christ and His ways. I am convinced that I am to reward those who love Christ and obey Him. I never want to reward those who hate Christ and despise His family.
The belief that we must leave money and possessions to our children just because they are "family", places the bio-family above the family of Christ. Making an inheritance so important that one has to violate God's principles to adhere to what the culture expects is placing money and material goods above Christ.
My obligation is to the family of Christ above everyone else. If you happen to have family who love Christ and honor you as a brother and sister in Christ and as their parents, then they are our "real family", the family of God.
Here again, we see where man's traditions, that is leaving inheritance to ungodly family, overrides God's principles about who is our family when we become born again.
Luke 9:59-60
"59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
The principle here is that our family are those who love Christ and because they love Christ they love us.
John 13:34-35 "…34A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.”
1 John 3:14
"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death."
1 John 4:20
"If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen."
