Q.64. What does the fifth commandment require?

A. The fifth commandment requires us to respect and treat others, whether above, below, or equal to us, as their position or our relationship to them demands.

All of us are under authority, and many of us have authority over others. God has ordered our lives so that we are in relationships of authority, and so He commands us to treat others with the respect that their position requires. Whether we are at work, at school, in the family, or at church, we are to obey those over us, as long as they are not commanding us to do that which is against God’s commands. And we are to treat those under us with respect. We are not to abuse our positions of authority to benefit ourselves, but are to strive to be pleasing to God in our duties.

Romans 13:1-7

¹ Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. ³ For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, ⁴ for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ⁶ For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. ⁷ Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.