“Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:32)
One of the most well-known of Jesus’ parables is that of the Prodigal Son. Jesus used it to rebuke the religious legalism of the scribes and Pharisees. The heart attitude of the these men was totally devoid of love. Their legalism deprived sinners of God’s saving grace for when they came to them seeking God’s love and mercy they found only bondage to rules or rejection. This legalism was the one sin that Jesus rebuked more than any other.
The parable of the Prodigal Son concerns a small family, a father and his two sons. The younger son represents sinners. All sinners are selfish and turn their backs on God. All deserve condemnation. The elder son represents the Pharisees the religious fundamentalists, and legalists. Such people demand that sinners be punished, not forgiven outright if at all. They demand a penalty be paid before a right relationship with God can be established.
The father, who loves both of his sons, represents God the Father. As the father forgives his younger son without reservation, so God the Father readily forgives sinners who repent. Now repentance is a change of heart attitude. When someone repents they do not ignore or condone their. They admit that what they did was wrong and, further, that they have no power to stop sinning. The son indeed had repented, had admitted his sin and come home willing to accept his punishment.
So the parable does not ignore sin but emphasizes that when sinners repent they find that God restores them to full fellowship without demanding any punishment. Like the elder son, legalists see this as a great injustice for they do not understand the gracious nature of God’s love. They expect blessings in exchange for outward obedience. But Jesus teaches that God loves all of us just as we are. We don’t have to do things to make Him love us more. God’s love is unconditional. He accepts, values and cherishes both sinner and saint. He does not ignore sins, but chooses to love in spite of them, no matter how revolting they may be. He works in the heart of the repentant to build faith and sanctify them in righteousness. The Father is always ready to forgive for God in Christ has suffered the penalty for all sin.
This is good news for sinners. God’s unconditional love enables all to approach Him without fear of rejection or threat of punishment. Because of His love, we can trust that He hears and forgives the heartfelt cry of the repentant heart.