In the gospels, our Lord Jesus gave a parable of a man who had two sons. One of the two requested his inheritance and went to a faraway country to live a frivolous life. Soon he wasted his inheritance and a severe famine arose and because no man gave to him, he joined himself to a farmer who hired him to feed the pigs. With pangs of hunger, he would long to fill his belly with the pod which the pig ate until he came to his senses (Luke 15:17). In chapter 15 and verses 18 and 19, we read of the deliberate decision of the prodigal son:
“I will get up and return to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”
What lessons can we draw from the prodigal’s son’s action?
> First of all he acknowledged that he had sinned against his father. His honesty of heart was genuine.
> He went back to his father with no sense of entitlement.
> He knew he had no more inheritance and he was not looking forward to one for he requested his father to be a servant.
> He had a sense of true remorse.
> He was ready to abide in his father’s house forever by being a bondservant to his father.
The story of the prodigal son tells our story. Man was made in the image and likeness of God, His glory was our covering but then, man stepped out of the will of God in disobedience and died spiritually. But God who is rich in mercy, made a propitiation for the sin of man, for without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9: 22).
Even though the prodigal son saw himself as not worthy of being called a son, but from the father’s action, we saw that his sonship was not taken away from him, the father did not turn him away as we read the account of the father’s action in verses 20 and 22: “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.”
Like the prodigal son, every believer must come to God, our heavenly Father, whom we have all sinned against with no sense of entitlement. He waits for us to return because He has accepted us in the Beloved, even our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6).
Though our sonship is undeniable because of the propitiatory work of our Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead, we should willingly make ourselves bondservants to God. A bond servant is one who though is free, out of love, chooses to join himself willingly to his master to serve and obey him. Our Lord Jesus provides us with a model example. Though He is God, yet humbled He Himself, making Himself to be of no reputation and became a servant to die for man. Philippians 2: 6-7 reads: “Who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.” Our Lord Jesus was committed to a purpose, the purpose of God. The prodigal son went back home to his father with a decision to make himself of no reputation which is, a sign of his remorse. We too as believers, though we have been forgiven, though we are sons, though we have precious promises, should make ourselves of no reputation and give ourselves to God as bondservants like Apostle Paul and the men of old. For these men of old, it was accounted that the world was not worthy of them (Hebrews11: 38), they became pillars in the house of God, not going out into the world anymore. Our lives should be like theirs too: a life of sworn obedience, of sworn service to God our Father, having no sense of entitlement and being genuinely remorseful.
The life of a bond servant is singular, everything about him is about his master whom, he has joined himself to serve. Believers are enjoined to love God with all of their hearts, souls, minds, and strength (Mathew 22:37). God expects all of us to be bond servants in obedience to His word. Our Lord Jesus left us in no doubt as to what love for God is in John chapter 14 verse 15. The proof of our love for God is in keeping of His commandments, which is obedience and the keeping of His commandments is to depart from all evil. The prodigal son turned his back against the world that offered him nothing. Are we believers in Christ and partakers of His atonement? Do we still pitch our tents with the world? Think again of the precious things we have become heirs of: we are heirs of the kingdom of God, we are partakers of the Spirit of God, we are partakers of eternal life, we are partakers of His precious promises, and more. Can we afford to cast our pearls before the world system and not be trampled upon and rented? Come out from among them the Lord is saying to us (2 Corinthians 6:17), be not unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6: 14). The prodigal son got his focus right, and he came to his senses. It’s time we also as believers come to our rightful mind and yoke ourselves with Christ as His bond servants like the prodigal son yoked himself to his father as a bond servant who does not stray anymore to the world. The parable of the prodigal son beckons us to a right relationship with God and with our Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ. We should not be anything less than a bond servant to Him who loves us and has shown us great mercy.
