Slave vs Son (Part 2)
I recently read an incredible book titled "Relentless Love Has Brought Me Home" by Jan van Reenen. You can access it through the link provided.
https://www.cityofhope.co.za/store/
The Parable of the Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11-13 (ESV)
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.
“Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
The prodigal son is the younger brother who left his father's love, asked for his inheritance, and spent it on worldly living. He exchanged his father's love for a life of sin.
The older brother, who used to live in the house, also drifted away from his father's love. He became self-righteous, drawing everything to himself with a religious mindset.
This illustrates how many people attend church today without truly understanding the Father's love.
Additionally, the older brother can be likened to Lucifer, who, through rebellion, was cast out of heaven, losing everything, much like the prodigal son.
A slave mindset prevents us from living in the Father's house, where there is food, shelter, and security. It is crucial to know that we are Sons of the living God.
We have a home and security in Christ Jesus because He died to restore us to the Father's love.
Now, let's consider the two sons and introduce the third son, Jesus Christ. He came from the Father to reveal His love, telling the story of the prodigal, with His blood delivering the message to human history that our Father calls us home.
Now, let's compare the prodigal, Adam, and ourselves in today's world:
Security:
- Prodigal: Left the security of his father's loving house.
- Adam: Left the safety of God's presence, and fear entered.
- Mankind: Fear, insecurity, and anxiety became part of the human experience.
Identity:
- Prodigal: Sought a counterfeit identity in worldly pleasures.
- Adam: Felt shame and the need to cover up.
- Mankind: Experiences shame and seeks counterfeit sources of identity to fill the gap.
Destiny:
- Prodigal: Compromised his destiny by abdicating his identity.
- Adam: Compromised his destiny to rule and became a slave.
- Mankind: Our destiny was compromised as we became enslaved.
Prosperity:
- Prodigal: Squandered his inheritance on counterfeit affections.
- Adam: Had to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow.
- Mankind: Became enslaved to mammon, rather than mastering money in serving God.
The comparison was taken with permission from the book "Relentless Love Has Brought Me Home."
Key Questions
- What area in your life are you not in the Father's home?
- What religious mindset keeps you away from the Father's love?