HONOUR
“Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king – 1Peter 2:17.”
Nobody likes to be disgraced or thrown into the pool of
reproach. To an extent, everyone loves a certain measure and degree of respect,
dignity and honour. God’s intention for man is to be honourable. He created us
and placed us in a position of honour. That is the reason for the authority and
dominion level given unto man. Imagine a person who is fruitful, multiplying,
replenishing, subduing and dominating, such a man will be respected among others.
However, it is so sad that sin brought dishonour and
reproach to man. Again, I say, sin is dishonourable. There is nothing
honourable in sin. Since the Bible says, “…marriage is honourable in all and
bed undefiled”, what do you think defiling the bed would bring? Definitely that
is dishonour.
Since sin entered the world, honour has not remained the way
it is supposed to be. Obeying God is honourable. In fact, obedience is
honourable. So, when the tempter came to beguile man, it was in a bit to
disgrace, dishonour and relegate man to a position of shame. As a matter of
truth, that was what really happened because the man had to hide himself before
the Lord. In the beginning, it is written that the man and his wife were naked
and were not ashamed. But when sin came, they had to sow fig leaves to cover
their nakedness (shame).
Life is to be honoured. For this reason, God a law to protect sanctity of life –
“And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man – Gen. 9:5-6.”
Later, He gave Moses the law which we commonly tag to be the
Ten Commandments. This is also about honour. In summary, they are divided into
two parts. The first part is about honouring God while the second part is about
honouring man. Yet, we are like men that is in honour and understand not, who
is like the beasts of the field that perish. Why? Sin is the cause.
Until Jesus Christ came teaching us the way, means and
method of honour. He showed us the way to obedience. He came to give us the
proper and perfect life intended for us by God. this is the honourable life He
came to give to us. God approved of His life saying – “This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased.” Note that before this time, it is recorded that God
was not pleased with men. Why? They have chosen to dishonour Him in their
conducts by serving other gods; in their words by speaking boastfully and
proudly; in their thoughts by wicked and evil imagination. This is the reason
God spoke to several people and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah concerning
this.
Now, we have a command that we are to honour all men. All
men deserve to be honoured. At least, they are created by God – even that man
or woman whom you call your enemy. For this cause, Jesus Christ charged us to
pray for our enemies and bless those that curse us. It is the honouring of all
men that should touch us all. To honour kings appear to be something we do
naturally especially in quest of expecting to receiving something from them.
But what of the person who does not have anything, as it were, to give you?
Finally, God told Eli – “they that honour me, I will
honour.” You can call it the law of harvest or in another sense “do-ME-I-do-you.”
The greatest honour any man can give to God is to believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ and perpetually walk in obedience by His Spirit. NO MAN HONOURS GOD AND
IS PUT TO SHAME. It is because He will not suffer His holy one to see
corruption. If you have not done so and you are not doing so, you are
dishonouring God. There are no two ways about it. you are dishonouring God.
HONOURING GREETINGS
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