Ezra
Well-known member
this is because?????????? it does not fall in line with your belief hmm a true blue born again Christian will return
Eternal Security
- Thread starter Ahar
- Start date
If someone gave you a book as a gift, then you can still loose it, so there is nothing about salvation being given as a gift that means that we can't lose it. The content of a gift can be the experience of doing something, such as giving someone the opportunity to experience driving a Ferrari for an hour, where the gift requires them to do the work of driving it in order to have that experience, but where doing that work has nothing to do with trying to earn the opportunity to drive it as a wage. Similarly, the content of God's gift of eternal life is the experience of knowing Him and Jesus (John 17:3) and the gift of God's law is His instructions for how to have that experience (Exodus 33:13, Matthew 7;23). Likewise, our salvation is from sin (Matthew 1:21) and sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4), so while we do not earn our salvation as the result of obeying it, the experience of living in obedience to it through faith in Jesus is the content of God's gift of saving us from having the experience of not living in obedience to it, and someone can certainly cease to have that experience by ceasing to living in obedience to it.
God has graciously given the gift of His la and He has given us the choice of whether we are going to lean on our own understanding of right and wrong by doing what is right in our own eyes or whether we are going to trust in God with all of our heart to correctly divide between right and wrong through His law (Proverbs 3:5-7). In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faithfulness by setting God's law before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith, and someone can certainly reject that gift. God has given us the gift of teaching us how to experience having a relationship with Him and can certainly reject that.
According to the doctrine of eternal security, someone can whatever it is that is the bare minimum to become saved, spend the rest of their life trying to commit as much sin as possible, and still be saved even against their will, and that is completely unsupported by the Bible. There would not be much encouragement to preserve and warnings against falling away if it were not possible to do otherwise. I don't think that we can lose our salvation on accident, but whether someone can deliberately turn their back on God is another matter.
Ahar
Active member
So if you lose your salvation you can just go to the lost and found department And see if anybody turned it in like an old book. I don't buy it.
Again, I don't think that we can lose our salvation on accident, but whether someone can deliberately turn their back on God is another matter.
Complete
Well-known member
' For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.'
(Eph 2:8-9)
Hello there,
Our salvation is a work of God. We are His workmanship, and the work that He has begun in us, He will continue to do until the day of Christ. He saves to the uttermost those that come unto Him for salvation.
No salvation cannot be lost, for it is a gift of God. What can be lost is reward, for that is granted on the basis of faithfulness and enduring until the end.
Praise God!
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.'
(Eph 2:8-9)
Hello there,
Our salvation is a work of God. We are His workmanship, and the work that He has begun in us, He will continue to do until the day of Christ. He saves to the uttermost those that come unto Him for salvation.
No salvation cannot be lost, for it is a gift of God. What can be lost is reward, for that is granted on the basis of faithfulness and enduring until the end.
Praise God!
Ahar
Active member
They can try but he won't let him go nothing can snatch them out of his hand the only way to turn your back on God is if you're not saved. Once you belong to Jesus he'll never leave you nor forsake you. He'll leave the 99 sheep and go look for that one that has gone astray. What kind of Life did Jesus come to give us? Eternal life. If that could somehow go away then it wasn't eternal life wasn't?
Diserner
Well-known member
"But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die. (Ezek. 18:24 NKJ)
People try to "save" this by saying it's only physical death. You can re-interpret anything, it's unfalsifiable, like eliminating free will from all verses.
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand. (Ezek. 33:6 NKJ)
There's going to be Christian's with blood on their hands someday—I won't be one.
People try to "save" this by saying it's only physical death. You can re-interpret anything, it's unfalsifiable, like eliminating free will from all verses.
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand. (Ezek. 33:6 NKJ)
There's going to be Christian's with blood on their hands someday—I won't be one.
If someone gave me a book as a gift, then that does not mean that it is impossible for me to lose it, so there is nothing about salvation being a gift that means that it is impossible for me to lose it. Our salvation is from sin and sin the experience of not living in obedience to God's law, so having the experience of living in obedience to it is God's gift of saving from not having that experience. So if someone is not having the experience of living in obedience to God's law, then they do not have the gift of being saved from not having that experience.
Ezra
Well-known member
i know in who i have believed i also know that i am saved i also know i have a advocate . yes i know no man can pluck us out of the fathers hand. along with knowing i can go to sleep each night and wake up still Saved. if your worrying that at any given moment from sin, that you can lose your salvation, your trusting in your self. .
i said in the beginning both sides the osas and the osnas has scriptures , i also understand the osnas side very well as there is a highway of Holiness that no unclean thing can pass through.
Isaiah 35:8
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
on the other hand what do the osnas crowd do with this scripture? dont be making excuses of what it means as it is a very plain scripture .
1 John 2
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. ... so as a child of God we want to keep his commandments but we do fail.. in that fail does that disqualify us from heaven ?
Proverbs 24:16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
i do not advocate a sinful life style after salvation . as per never repenting turning from .
this is a beating of a dead horse subject. as it will never be solved. paul wrote work out our salvation with hear and trembling. so when sin eners in and it will take care of it. his Grace is unlimited 1 john 1:9
i said in the beginning both sides the osas and the osnas has scriptures , i also understand the osnas side very well as there is a highway of Holiness that no unclean thing can pass through.
Isaiah 35:8
King James Version
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.on the other hand what do the osnas crowd do with this scripture? dont be making excuses of what it means as it is a very plain scripture .
1 John 2
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. ... so as a child of God we want to keep his commandments but we do fail.. in that fail does that disqualify us from heaven ?
Proverbs 24:16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
i do not advocate a sinful life style after salvation . as per never repenting turning from .
this is a beating of a dead horse subject. as it will never be solved. paul wrote work out our salvation with hear and trembling. so when sin eners in and it will take care of it. his Grace is unlimited 1 john 1:9
Indeed, no one can pluck someone from the Father's hand, but whether someone can choose to get out of it is another issue. God does not save us against our will.Hello @Soyeong:
The One Who is the gift giver, is Almighty God, and we are His workmanship, no one can take the believer out of His mighty hand.
While nothing can pluck us from the Father's hand, whether we can choose to get out of his hand is another issue. God does not save us against our will. It is possible that people can have such a poor understanding of salvation that they were never saved in spite of thinking that they were saved, but it is a cop out to say that is the case for every last person who turns away from God. If you need to add that we have eternal security...unless we happen to be someone who was never saved in the first place, then you rob all security from it. Jesus will never forsake us, but whether we can forsake him is another issues. In John 17:3, eternal life is the experience of knowing God and Jesus and people can turn away from having that experience. There can be a building with unlimited electricity such that a device can be powered for eternity for as long as it remains plugged into the outlet, so we must remain in the vine in order to have eternal life.
Ezra
Well-known member
imo there is a fine line on eternal security. for those who are dogmatic osnas i can understand as i stated in a earlier post..i have studied this out for years . can you no you cant, i still stand by if a person gets away from the Lord call it backsliding or what ever a person wants to sue. if were truly saved God Holy Spirit will convict us. yes it may take several trips to the chastening wood shed,, but at some point one should be willing to repent and return.
how ever if a person never returns back was they ever truly saved ? i know a good friend that simply will not Go to church. he professes salvation his talk is many cuss words. i have talked with him about Church. in his words i know i need to go but i dont want to go. sad thing is he is my age battling cancer ,
can i say he is really saved no i cant its not our job to say who is and is not. what is our Job is to restore Galatians 6:
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
we are far more secure in our salvation than what many will admit.. a buddy of mine sent me a message his g.f son and his wife went the altar sunday morning to be saved, at my brother Church he had 2 saved its the Churches job . to nurture them with milk till they can digest strong meat. many think i got saved and that is all there is to it.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, WRONG we been justified and sanctified set apart to be Holy . we become a work in progress . its very important to both parties ,the new convert and the Church to help them where they need help . it takes a want to and a desire after salvation. God places us in a spiritual boot camp . were conditioned and taught how to survive . then we move on to Holy Ghost training how to live the life. .o t j t on the job training .
so often they get saved and its sink or swim many sink due to not being taught or wanting to learn.
thats my 2 cents
Grace ambassador
Well-known member
op: Eternal Security?
Yes, God's Salvation Is 'Eternal' ( not 'temporary/conditional' ), According
To Scripture, with:
The Gospel Of Grace (UNmerited Favor- God Giving us what we do Not deserve)
+ Mercy (God Not giving us what we do deserve):
A) God 'Establishes' His Eternal Relationship with the repentant believer
In His Death, Burial, and Resurrection (Eph 2:5; 1Co 15:3-4)
B) There are Over 12-Dozen 'Plain and Clear' Scriptures that would have to
be denied (as Satan does), as to "What God Has Done," and be 'undone' by
a true believer - i.e.:
... (Many More, If you wish)...
C) There is no such ( middle-ground ) doctrine found anywhere in
Scripture that Contradicts God's Sound Doctrine:
Conclusion: God's ETERNAL Salvation Is Definitely a "License To
serve Him, faithfully, out of love," not out of fear of losing it!
----------------------
More Confirming study: Three Tenses Of God's ETERNAL Salvation
To The Praise And Glory Of His ( Amazing ) Grace!! Amen.
Yes, God's Salvation Is 'Eternal' ( not 'temporary/conditional' ), According
To Scripture, with:
The Gospel Of Grace (UNmerited Favor- God Giving us what we do Not deserve)
+ Mercy (God Not giving us what we do deserve):
A) God 'Establishes' His Eternal Relationship with the repentant believer
In His Death, Burial, and Resurrection (Eph 2:5; 1Co 15:3-4)
B) There are Over 12-Dozen 'Plain and Clear' Scriptures that would have to
be denied (as Satan does), as to "What God Has Done," and be 'undone' by
a true believer - i.e.:
1)...8) Given:
The Earnest of The Spirit in our hearts!
(2Co 1:22, 5:5 KJB)
Everlasting Consolation and Good Hope Through GRACE!
(2Th 2:16 KJB)
GRACE, Which was Given us In CHRIST JESUS Before the world began!
(2Ti 1:9 KJB)
GRACE according to The Measure Of The Gift Of CHRIST!
(Eph 4:7 KJB)
PEACE Through our LORD JESUS CHRIST! (Rom 5:1; Phil 4:7 KJB)
The Promise By Faith Of JESUS CHRIST! (Gal 3:22 KJB)
The spirit of power, love, And a sound mind! (2Ti 1:7 KJB)...
... (Many More, If you wish)...
...9)...19) Washed +:
“And such [UNrighteous v. 9] were some of you: but ye are
Washed, but ye are Sanctified, but ye are Justified In The
Name Of The Lord Jesus, and By The Spirit Of our God.”
(1Co 6:11 KJB)
“...CHRIST also Loved the church, and Gave HIMSELF For it;
That HE might sanctify and Cleanse it with The Washing Of
Water By The Word…” (Eph 5:25-26 KJB)
C) There is no such ( middle-ground ) doctrine found anywhere in
Scripture that Contradicts God's Sound Doctrine:
1) "The LORD Knoweth them that Are HIS!" (2Ti 2:19 KJB) How Long?:
HIS Are Chosen/Predestinated/Accepted In The Beloved { SON },
By God, The Father, Before Time Began! (Eph 1:4-6) = Always Known!
2) God Never Knew those who are Not "His Own" (Mat 7:21-23 KJB)
Conclusion: God's ETERNAL Salvation Is Definitely a "License To
serve Him, faithfully, out of love," not out of fear of losing it!
----------------------
More Confirming study: Three Tenses Of God's ETERNAL Salvation
To The Praise And Glory Of His ( Amazing ) Grace!! Amen.
Last edited:
civic
Well-known member
Amen !
Parker
Member
Whenever I think of eternal security I always think of this one. God has a way of bringing us back home when we wander off.
Luke 15:11-32
In telling the story, Jesus identifies Himself with God in His loving attitude to the lost. The younger son symbolizes the lost (the tax collectors and sinners of that day, Luke 15:1), and the elder brother represents the self-righteous (the Pharisees and teachers of the law of that day, Luke 15:2).
The major theme of this parable seems not to be so much the conversion of the sinner, as in the previous two parables of Luke 15, but rather the restoration of a believer into fellowship with the Father.
In the first two parables, the owner went out to look for what was lost (Luke 15:1-10), whereas in this story the father waits and watches eagerly for his son's return. We see a progression through the three parables from the relationship of one in a hundred (Luke 15:1-7), to one in ten (Luke 15:8-10), to one in one (Luke 15:11-32), demonstrating God’s love for each individual and His personal attentiveness towards all humanity.
We see in this story the graciousness of the father overshadowing the sinfulness of the son, as it is the memory of the father’s goodness that brings the prodigal son to repentance (Romans 2:4).
We will begin unfolding the meaning of this parable at verse 12, in which the younger son asks his father for his share of his estate, which would have been half of what his older brother would receive; in other words, 1/3 for the younger, 2/3 for the older (Deuteronomy 21:17).
Though it was perfectly within his rights to ask, it was not a loving thing to do, as it implied that he wished his father dead. Instead of rebuking his son, the father patiently grants him his request. This is a picture of God letting a sinner go his own way (Deuteronomy 30:19).
We all possess this foolish ambition to be independent, which is at the root of the sinner persisting in his sin (Genesis 3:6; Romans 1:28). A sinful state is a departure and distancing ourselves from God (Romans 1:21).
Sometimes God seems to allows us to go right to the brink, to come to the end of ourselves, so that we learn to trust Him more. Actually as Jesus shares the story it wasn’t after he lost all his money, or lost all of his friends, or after living in a serious famine, or having to find work, or taking the job of a Gentile, or feeding the pigs, or hunger pains, or loneliness, or the sadness that he decided to go home. It wasn’t any one of these things but ALL of them that were used to get him to come to the end. Jesus says, “but when he came to himself…”
A sinful state is also a state of constant discontent. Luke 12:15 says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” This son learned the hard way that covetousness leads to a life of dissatisfaction and disappointment. He also learned that the most valuable things in life are the things you cannot buy or replace.
In verse 13 we read that he travels to a distant country. It is evident from his previous actions that he had already made that journey in his heart, and the physical departure was a display of his willful disobedience to all the goodness his father had offered (Proverbs 27:19; Matthew 6:21; 12:34).
In the process, he squanders all his father had worked so hard for on selfish, shallow fulfillment, losing everything. His financial disaster is followed by a natural disaster in the form of a famine, which he failed to plan for (Genesis 41:33-36). At this point he sells himself into physical slavery to a Gentile and finds himself feeding pigs, a detestable job to the Jewish people (Leviticus 11:7; Deuteronomy 14:8; Isaiah 65:4; 66:17).
Needless to say, he must have been incredibly desperate at that point to willingly enter into such a loathsome position. And what an irony that his choices led him to a position in which he had no choice but to work, and for a stranger at that, doing the very things he refused to do for his father.
To top it off, he apparently was paid so little that he longed to eat the pig’s food. Just when he must have thought life could not get any worse, he couldn’t even find mercy among the people. Apparently, once his wealth was gone, so were his friends. The text clearly says, “No one gave him anything” (vs. 16).
Even these unclean animals seemed to be better off than he was at this point. This is a picture of the state of the lost sinner or a rebellious Christian who has returned to a life of slavery to sin (2 Peter 2:19-21). It is a picture of what sin really does in a person’s life when he rejects the Father’s will (Hebrews 12:1; Acts 8:23). “Sin always promises more than it gives, takes you further than you wanted to go, and leaves you worse off than you were before.” Sin promises freedom but brings slavery (John 8:34).
The son begins to reflect on his condition and realizes that even his father's servants had it better than he. His painful circumstances help him to see his father in a new light and bring him hope (Psalm 147:11; Isaiah 40:30-31; Romans 8:24-25; 1 Timothy 4:10). This is reflective of the sinner when he/she discovers the destitute condition of his life because of sin.
It is a realization that, apart from God, there is no hope (Ephesians 2:12; 2 Timothy 2:25-26). This is when a repentant sinner “comes to his senses” and longs to return to the state of fellowship with God which was lost when Adam sinned (Genesis 3:8). The son devises a plan of action.
Though at a quick glance it may seem that he may not be truly repentant, but rather motivated by his hunger, a more thorough study of the text gives new insights. He is willing to give up his rights as his father’s son and take on the position of his servant.
We can only speculate on this point, but he may even have been willing to repay what he had lost (Luke 19:8; Leviticus 6:4-5). Regardless of the motivation, it demonstrates a true humility and true repentance, not based on what he said but on what he was willing to do and eventually acted upon (Acts 26:20).
He realizes he had no right to claim a blessing upon return to his father’s household, nor does he have anything to offer, except a life of service, in repentance of his previous actions. With that, he is prepared to fall at his father’s feet and hope for forgiveness and mercy.
This is exactly what conversion is all about: ending a life of slavery to sin through confession to the Father and faith in Jesus Christ and becoming a slave to righteousness, offering one’s body as a living sacrifice (1 John 1:9; Romans 6:6-18; 12:1).
Jesus portrays the father as waiting for his son, perhaps daily searching the distant road, hoping for his appearance. The father notices him while he was still a long way off. The father’s compassion assumes some knowledge of the son’s pitiful state, possibly from reports sent home.
During that time it was not the custom of men to run, yet the father runs to greet his son (vs.20). Why would he break convention for this wayward child who had sinned against him? The obvious answer is because he loved him and was eager to show him that love and restore the relationship.
When the father reaches his son, not only does he throw his arms around him, but he also greets him with a kiss of love (1 Peter 5:14). He is so filled with joy at his son’s return that he doesn’t even let him finish his confession.
Nor does he question or lecture him; instead, he unconditionally forgives him and accepts him back into fellowship. The father running to his son, greeting him with a kiss and ordering the celebration is a picture of how our Heavenly Father feels towards sinners who repent. God greatly loves us, patiently waits for us to repent so he can show us His great mercy, because he does not want any to perish nor escape as though by the fire (Ephesians 2:1-10; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Corinthians 3:15).
This prodigal son was satisfied to return home as a slave, but to his surprise and delight is restored back into the full privilege of being his father’s son. He had been transformed from a state of destitution to complete restoration. That is what God's grace does for a penitent sinner (Psalm 40:2; 103:4).
Not only are we forgiven, but we receive a spirit of sonship as His children, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, of His incomparable riches (Romans 8:16-17; Ephesians 1:18-19).
The father then orders the servants to bring the best robe, no doubt one of his own (a sign of dignity and honor, proof of the prodigal’s acceptance back into the family), a ring for the son's hand (a sign of authority and sonship) and sandals for his feet (a sign of not being a servant, as servants did not wear shoes—or, for that matter, rings or expensive clothing, vs.22).
All these things represent what we receive in Christ upon salvation: the robe of the Redeemer's righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), the privilege of partaking of the Spirit of adoption (Ephesians 1:5), and feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, prepared to walk in the ways of holiness (Ephesians 6:15).
A fattened calf is prepared, and a party is held (notice that blood was shed = atonement for sin, Hebrews 9:22). Fatted calves in those times were saved for special occasions such as the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32). This was not just any party; it was a rare and complete celebration.
Had the boy been dealt with according to the Law, there would have been a funeral, not a celebration. “The Lord does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:10-13). Instead of condemnation, there is rejoicing for a son who had been dead but now is alive, who once was lost but now is found (Romans 8:1; John 5:24).
Note the parallel between “dead” and “alive” and “lost” and “found”—terms that also apply to one’s state before and after conversion to Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). This is a picture of what occurs in heaven over one repentant sinner (Luke 15: 7, 10).
Now to the final and tragic character in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the oldest son, who, once again, illustrates the Pharisees and the scribes. Outwardly they lived blameless lives, but inwardly their attitudes were abominable (Matthew 23:25-28).
This was true of the older son who worked hard, obeyed his father, and brought no disgrace to his family or townspeople. It is obvious by his words and actions, upon his brothers return, that he is not showing love for his father or brother.
One of the duties of the eldest son would have included reconciliation between the father and his son. He would have been the host at the feast to celebrate his brother’s return. Yet he remains in the field instead of in the house where he should have been.
This act alone would have brought public disgrace upon the father. Still, the father, with great patience, goes to his angry and hurting son. He does not rebuke him as his actions and disrespectful address of his father warrant (vs.29, “Look,” he says, instead of addressing him as “father” or “my lord”), nor does his compassion cease as he listens to his complaints and criticisms.
The boy appeals to his father's righteousness by proudly proclaiming his own self-righteousness in comparison to his brother’s sinfulness (Matthew 7:3-5). By saying, “This son of yours,” the older brother avoids acknowledging that the prodigal is his own brother (vs. 30). Just like the Pharisees, the older brother was defining sin by outward actions, not inward attitudes (Luke 18:9-14).
In essence, the older brother is saying that he was the one worthy of the celebration, and his father had been ungrateful for all his work. Now the one who had squandered his wealth was getting what he, the older son, deserved.
The father tenderly addresses his oldest as “my son” (vs. 31) and corrects the error in his thinking by referring to the prodigal son as “this brother of yours” (vs. 32). The father’s response, “We had to celebrate,” suggests that the elder brother should have joined in the celebration, as there seems to be a sense of urgency in not postponing the celebration of the brother’s return.
The older brother’s focus was on himself, and as a result there is no joy in his brother’s arrival home. He is so consumed with issues of justice and equity that he fails to see the value of his brother’s repentance and return. He fails to realize that “anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him” (1 John 2:9-11).
The older brother allows anger to take root in his heart to the point that he is unable to show compassion towards his brother, and, for that matter he is unable to forgive the perceived sin of his father against him (Genesis 4:5-8).
He prefers to nurse his anger rather than enjoy fellowship with his father, brother and the community. He chooses suffering and isolation over restoration and reconciliation (Matthew 5:24, 6:14-15).
He sees his brother’s return as a threat to his own inheritance. After all, why should he have to share his portion with a brother who has squandered his? And why hadn’t his father rejoiced in his presence through his faithful years of service?
The wise father seeks to bring restoration by pointing out that all he has is and has always been available for the asking to his obedient son, as it was his portion of the inheritance since the time of the allotment.
The older son never utilized the blessings at his disposal (Galatians 5:22; 2 Peter 1:5-8). This is similar to the Pharisees with their religion of good works. They hoped to earn blessings from God and in their obedience merit eternal life (Romans 9:31-33; 10:3). They failed to understand the grace of God and failed to comprehend the meaning of forgiveness.
It was, therefore, not what they did that became a stumbling block to their growth but rather what they did not do which alienated them from God (Matthew 23:23-24, Romans 10:4). They were irate when Jesus was receiving and forgiving “unholy” people, failing to see their own need for a Savior. We do not know how this story ended for the oldest son, but we do know that the Pharisees continued to oppose Jesus and separate themselves from His followers.
Despite the father’s pleading for them to “come in,” they refused and were the ones who instigated the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:59). A tragic ending to a story filled with such hope, mercy, joy, and forgiveness.
The picture of the father receiving the son back into relationship is a picture of how we should respond to repentant sinners as well (1 John 4:20-21; Luke 17:3; Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
We are included in that “all,” and we must remember that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” apart from Christ (Isaiah 64:6; John 15:1-6). It is only by God’s grace that we are saved, not by works that we may boast of (Ephesians 2:9; Romans 9:16; Psalm 51:5). That is the core message of the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Forty Miles of Bad Road "The Prodigal"
Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Prodigal Son is found in Luke chapter 15, verses 11-32. The main character in the parable, the forgiving father, whose character remains constant throughout the story, is a picture of God.
In telling the story, Jesus identifies Himself with God in His loving attitude to the lost. The younger son symbolizes the lost (the tax collectors and sinners of that day, Luke 15:1), and the elder brother represents the self-righteous (the Pharisees and teachers of the law of that day, Luke 15:2).
The major theme of this parable seems not to be so much the conversion of the sinner, as in the previous two parables of Luke 15, but rather the restoration of a believer into fellowship with the Father.
In the first two parables, the owner went out to look for what was lost (Luke 15:1-10), whereas in this story the father waits and watches eagerly for his son's return. We see a progression through the three parables from the relationship of one in a hundred (Luke 15:1-7), to one in ten (Luke 15:8-10), to one in one (Luke 15:11-32), demonstrating God’s love for each individual and His personal attentiveness towards all humanity.
We see in this story the graciousness of the father overshadowing the sinfulness of the son, as it is the memory of the father’s goodness that brings the prodigal son to repentance (Romans 2:4).
We will begin unfolding the meaning of this parable at verse 12, in which the younger son asks his father for his share of his estate, which would have been half of what his older brother would receive; in other words, 1/3 for the younger, 2/3 for the older (Deuteronomy 21:17).
Though it was perfectly within his rights to ask, it was not a loving thing to do, as it implied that he wished his father dead. Instead of rebuking his son, the father patiently grants him his request. This is a picture of God letting a sinner go his own way (Deuteronomy 30:19).
We all possess this foolish ambition to be independent, which is at the root of the sinner persisting in his sin (Genesis 3:6; Romans 1:28). A sinful state is a departure and distancing ourselves from God (Romans 1:21).
Sometimes God seems to allows us to go right to the brink, to come to the end of ourselves, so that we learn to trust Him more. Actually as Jesus shares the story it wasn’t after he lost all his money, or lost all of his friends, or after living in a serious famine, or having to find work, or taking the job of a Gentile, or feeding the pigs, or hunger pains, or loneliness, or the sadness that he decided to go home. It wasn’t any one of these things but ALL of them that were used to get him to come to the end. Jesus says, “but when he came to himself…”
A sinful state is also a state of constant discontent. Luke 12:15 says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” This son learned the hard way that covetousness leads to a life of dissatisfaction and disappointment. He also learned that the most valuable things in life are the things you cannot buy or replace.
In verse 13 we read that he travels to a distant country. It is evident from his previous actions that he had already made that journey in his heart, and the physical departure was a display of his willful disobedience to all the goodness his father had offered (Proverbs 27:19; Matthew 6:21; 12:34).
In the process, he squanders all his father had worked so hard for on selfish, shallow fulfillment, losing everything. His financial disaster is followed by a natural disaster in the form of a famine, which he failed to plan for (Genesis 41:33-36). At this point he sells himself into physical slavery to a Gentile and finds himself feeding pigs, a detestable job to the Jewish people (Leviticus 11:7; Deuteronomy 14:8; Isaiah 65:4; 66:17).
Needless to say, he must have been incredibly desperate at that point to willingly enter into such a loathsome position. And what an irony that his choices led him to a position in which he had no choice but to work, and for a stranger at that, doing the very things he refused to do for his father.
To top it off, he apparently was paid so little that he longed to eat the pig’s food. Just when he must have thought life could not get any worse, he couldn’t even find mercy among the people. Apparently, once his wealth was gone, so were his friends. The text clearly says, “No one gave him anything” (vs. 16).
Even these unclean animals seemed to be better off than he was at this point. This is a picture of the state of the lost sinner or a rebellious Christian who has returned to a life of slavery to sin (2 Peter 2:19-21). It is a picture of what sin really does in a person’s life when he rejects the Father’s will (Hebrews 12:1; Acts 8:23). “Sin always promises more than it gives, takes you further than you wanted to go, and leaves you worse off than you were before.” Sin promises freedom but brings slavery (John 8:34).
The son begins to reflect on his condition and realizes that even his father's servants had it better than he. His painful circumstances help him to see his father in a new light and bring him hope (Psalm 147:11; Isaiah 40:30-31; Romans 8:24-25; 1 Timothy 4:10). This is reflective of the sinner when he/she discovers the destitute condition of his life because of sin.
It is a realization that, apart from God, there is no hope (Ephesians 2:12; 2 Timothy 2:25-26). This is when a repentant sinner “comes to his senses” and longs to return to the state of fellowship with God which was lost when Adam sinned (Genesis 3:8). The son devises a plan of action.
Though at a quick glance it may seem that he may not be truly repentant, but rather motivated by his hunger, a more thorough study of the text gives new insights. He is willing to give up his rights as his father’s son and take on the position of his servant.
We can only speculate on this point, but he may even have been willing to repay what he had lost (Luke 19:8; Leviticus 6:4-5). Regardless of the motivation, it demonstrates a true humility and true repentance, not based on what he said but on what he was willing to do and eventually acted upon (Acts 26:20).
He realizes he had no right to claim a blessing upon return to his father’s household, nor does he have anything to offer, except a life of service, in repentance of his previous actions. With that, he is prepared to fall at his father’s feet and hope for forgiveness and mercy.
This is exactly what conversion is all about: ending a life of slavery to sin through confession to the Father and faith in Jesus Christ and becoming a slave to righteousness, offering one’s body as a living sacrifice (1 John 1:9; Romans 6:6-18; 12:1).
Jesus portrays the father as waiting for his son, perhaps daily searching the distant road, hoping for his appearance. The father notices him while he was still a long way off. The father’s compassion assumes some knowledge of the son’s pitiful state, possibly from reports sent home.
During that time it was not the custom of men to run, yet the father runs to greet his son (vs.20). Why would he break convention for this wayward child who had sinned against him? The obvious answer is because he loved him and was eager to show him that love and restore the relationship.
When the father reaches his son, not only does he throw his arms around him, but he also greets him with a kiss of love (1 Peter 5:14). He is so filled with joy at his son’s return that he doesn’t even let him finish his confession.
Nor does he question or lecture him; instead, he unconditionally forgives him and accepts him back into fellowship. The father running to his son, greeting him with a kiss and ordering the celebration is a picture of how our Heavenly Father feels towards sinners who repent. God greatly loves us, patiently waits for us to repent so he can show us His great mercy, because he does not want any to perish nor escape as though by the fire (Ephesians 2:1-10; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Corinthians 3:15).
This prodigal son was satisfied to return home as a slave, but to his surprise and delight is restored back into the full privilege of being his father’s son. He had been transformed from a state of destitution to complete restoration. That is what God's grace does for a penitent sinner (Psalm 40:2; 103:4).
Not only are we forgiven, but we receive a spirit of sonship as His children, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, of His incomparable riches (Romans 8:16-17; Ephesians 1:18-19).
The father then orders the servants to bring the best robe, no doubt one of his own (a sign of dignity and honor, proof of the prodigal’s acceptance back into the family), a ring for the son's hand (a sign of authority and sonship) and sandals for his feet (a sign of not being a servant, as servants did not wear shoes—or, for that matter, rings or expensive clothing, vs.22).
All these things represent what we receive in Christ upon salvation: the robe of the Redeemer's righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), the privilege of partaking of the Spirit of adoption (Ephesians 1:5), and feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, prepared to walk in the ways of holiness (Ephesians 6:15).
A fattened calf is prepared, and a party is held (notice that blood was shed = atonement for sin, Hebrews 9:22). Fatted calves in those times were saved for special occasions such as the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32). This was not just any party; it was a rare and complete celebration.
Had the boy been dealt with according to the Law, there would have been a funeral, not a celebration. “The Lord does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:10-13). Instead of condemnation, there is rejoicing for a son who had been dead but now is alive, who once was lost but now is found (Romans 8:1; John 5:24).
Note the parallel between “dead” and “alive” and “lost” and “found”—terms that also apply to one’s state before and after conversion to Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). This is a picture of what occurs in heaven over one repentant sinner (Luke 15: 7, 10).
Now to the final and tragic character in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the oldest son, who, once again, illustrates the Pharisees and the scribes. Outwardly they lived blameless lives, but inwardly their attitudes were abominable (Matthew 23:25-28).
This was true of the older son who worked hard, obeyed his father, and brought no disgrace to his family or townspeople. It is obvious by his words and actions, upon his brothers return, that he is not showing love for his father or brother.
One of the duties of the eldest son would have included reconciliation between the father and his son. He would have been the host at the feast to celebrate his brother’s return. Yet he remains in the field instead of in the house where he should have been.
This act alone would have brought public disgrace upon the father. Still, the father, with great patience, goes to his angry and hurting son. He does not rebuke him as his actions and disrespectful address of his father warrant (vs.29, “Look,” he says, instead of addressing him as “father” or “my lord”), nor does his compassion cease as he listens to his complaints and criticisms.
The boy appeals to his father's righteousness by proudly proclaiming his own self-righteousness in comparison to his brother’s sinfulness (Matthew 7:3-5). By saying, “This son of yours,” the older brother avoids acknowledging that the prodigal is his own brother (vs. 30). Just like the Pharisees, the older brother was defining sin by outward actions, not inward attitudes (Luke 18:9-14).
In essence, the older brother is saying that he was the one worthy of the celebration, and his father had been ungrateful for all his work. Now the one who had squandered his wealth was getting what he, the older son, deserved.
The father tenderly addresses his oldest as “my son” (vs. 31) and corrects the error in his thinking by referring to the prodigal son as “this brother of yours” (vs. 32). The father’s response, “We had to celebrate,” suggests that the elder brother should have joined in the celebration, as there seems to be a sense of urgency in not postponing the celebration of the brother’s return.
The older brother’s focus was on himself, and as a result there is no joy in his brother’s arrival home. He is so consumed with issues of justice and equity that he fails to see the value of his brother’s repentance and return. He fails to realize that “anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him” (1 John 2:9-11).
The older brother allows anger to take root in his heart to the point that he is unable to show compassion towards his brother, and, for that matter he is unable to forgive the perceived sin of his father against him (Genesis 4:5-8).
He prefers to nurse his anger rather than enjoy fellowship with his father, brother and the community. He chooses suffering and isolation over restoration and reconciliation (Matthew 5:24, 6:14-15).
He sees his brother’s return as a threat to his own inheritance. After all, why should he have to share his portion with a brother who has squandered his? And why hadn’t his father rejoiced in his presence through his faithful years of service?
The wise father seeks to bring restoration by pointing out that all he has is and has always been available for the asking to his obedient son, as it was his portion of the inheritance since the time of the allotment.
The older son never utilized the blessings at his disposal (Galatians 5:22; 2 Peter 1:5-8). This is similar to the Pharisees with their religion of good works. They hoped to earn blessings from God and in their obedience merit eternal life (Romans 9:31-33; 10:3). They failed to understand the grace of God and failed to comprehend the meaning of forgiveness.
It was, therefore, not what they did that became a stumbling block to their growth but rather what they did not do which alienated them from God (Matthew 23:23-24, Romans 10:4). They were irate when Jesus was receiving and forgiving “unholy” people, failing to see their own need for a Savior. We do not know how this story ended for the oldest son, but we do know that the Pharisees continued to oppose Jesus and separate themselves from His followers.
Despite the father’s pleading for them to “come in,” they refused and were the ones who instigated the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:59). A tragic ending to a story filled with such hope, mercy, joy, and forgiveness.
The picture of the father receiving the son back into relationship is a picture of how we should respond to repentant sinners as well (1 John 4:20-21; Luke 17:3; Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
We are included in that “all,” and we must remember that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” apart from Christ (Isaiah 64:6; John 15:1-6). It is only by God’s grace that we are saved, not by works that we may boast of (Ephesians 2:9; Romans 9:16; Psalm 51:5). That is the core message of the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
It does not give someone any assurance that they will be saved if we tell them that they have eternal security unless they happen to be someone who will turn away without returning, so adding that exception in order to maintain OSAS is self-defeating.
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