Tuesday, November 1st, 2022

The Prodigal Son is a well-known parable to the point of it being more of a cultural idiom of general forgiveness than picture of how we are welcomed back to our Father in repentance. The parable itself is a picture of how the exchange happens, but how does it happen? The key facet secular culture misses in their application of the parable is how the work of Christ enables this welcoming home. Paul addresses it in Romans 8, saying, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.“ Because Christ bore the weight of our sins and the wrath of God due to us for them, we are able to be welcomed into the Kingdom of God not as slaves, indebted to a slave-master, but as children of God. Notice something though about the Prodigal Son: Jesus said son not daughter. Why? Because in the culture of that day, sons were recipients of the full inheritance of their father. This applies to both men and women today, but Jesus used the imagery of a son to communicate this idea of inheritance. Thus, because of Christ’s atoning work and as a result of our faith in him, we can return to our Father in faith and repentance and will be received with His full inheritance. We can approach Him as a child to their Father, not as slave to slave-master, because the debt has been paid. Today, if you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, profess Him as such and believe in your heart that Jesus is who he says he is. Return to God, your Father, as His child.

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.“ — Romans 8:14-17