‘Children obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing in the Lord.'
This is the general principle. Children are not to rebel against their parents wishes, but to respond to their directing as though the direction came from Christ Himself. They are to be concerned about the pleasure they give to the Lord by such behaviour. This thus further presses home the commandment to honour father and mother, a commandment which Jesus had also pressed home (Matthew 15:4-6; Matthew 19:19). But clearly where evil men sought to lead their children into evil ways, or to prevent them worshipping God, this would not apply. A higher law would prevail.