The Honor of the Father and the Son

“That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  John 5:23-24

We, by nature, cannot honor God.  We cannot and will not obey the law that is holy just and right.  But God in grace has sent His Son into the world to honor Him.  Thus the Son of God did all things that brought honor and glory to God.  He “magnified the law and made it honorable.”  Christ satisfied the justice of God for sin that all the torments of sinners in hell could not do for eternity.  Jesus Christ upon the cross shed his blood in obedience to the Father to accomplish the salvation of all God’s chosen people.  Only Jesus honored the Father by his faithfulness and obedience.

But how may sinful men honor the Father?  How may we who brought only shame and disgrace be accepted of God?  Jesus said, “He that honors me honors the Father,” and then in the next verse told us what that means.  “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life.”  To honor the Father is to honor the Son and believe on Him.  And this is the promise of God; that you who believe on Him have (presently) everlasting life, and there is no condemnation upon you, for you are passed from death to life.