XVIII. Взаимная христианская обязанность

“Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord” (Eph. 5:22). “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord” (Col. 3:18). A wife who, without her husband’s permission, abstains from the bed, will not only not receive any compensation for abstinence, but will also receive severe punishment if he falls into adultery; because she, having deprived him of his legal descent, plunged him into this ditch of fornication (The Word on Virginity). “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her” (Eph. 5:25). “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them” (Col. 3:19). From the teachings of St. Chrysostom described above, one should reason that husbands who leave their wives without their consent also sin and are subject to the same punishment if their wives begin to commit adultery. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is what justice requires” (Eph. 6:1). “Children, be obedient to your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord” (Col. 3:20). The son, who does not honor his parents, is common to all, God, nature, laws and the common life of all of us - an enemy and adversary (Conversation 4 on the Book of Genesis). Children of parents should only listen to what is not contrary to piety; and when they demand that which is contrary to piety, one should not obey them (Conversation 35 on the Evangelist Matthew). “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, lest they become discouraged” (Col. 3:21). If parents diligently raised their children, there would be no need for laws, trials and executions (Conversation about widows). Parents will not only be punished for their own sins, but also for their children if they are not raised in piety (Conversation 5 against detractors of monastic life). Parents who neglect to raise their children in a Christian manner are more lawless than child killers, for child killers separate the body from the soul, and they cast both soul and body into fiery hell; According to natural law, bodily death cannot be avoided in any way, but eternal death would be possible if the negligence of the parents were not to blame for it. Moreover, bodily death and resurrection, when it comes for everyone, can immediately be abolished; nothing can return spiritual destruction (Conversation 5 against detractors of monastic life). The greatest sin is neglect of children; it reaches the very height of evil (Book against the persecutors of monastic life). “Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to Christ, not with only visible obsequiousness, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul, serving with zeal, as the Lord, and not as men” (Eph. 6:5-7, Col. 3:22-23). A servant who obeys the commands of his master (not contrary to the law of God) fulfills the commandments of God (Conversation 4 on 1 Epistle to Timothy). “And you, masters, do the same to them (slaves), moderate severity, knowing that both over you and over them there is a Lord in heaven, with whom there is no partiality” (Eph. 6:9). “Masters, show to your slaves what is due and just, knowing that you also have a Lord in heaven” (Col. 4:1). Our Lord calls our servants His brethren, and this is all the more fitting for us (Conversation 2 on the Epistle to the Philippians). You might be interested in: