"There are two different sons appearing in today’s Scripture passage, which comes from Luke 15:11-32. The second son asked his father to give him his share of inheritance beforehand, so the father divided his wealth and gave it to this son. The second son then went out to the world, squandered all his possessions, repented, and returned to his father’s house.
Let’s turn again to what the Bible says about the return of this prodigal son: “‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’’ And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” This is the Word of God the Father for today.
When the second son returned home after going out to the world and squandering all his possessions and living a wasteful life, his father received him wholeheartedly. The father not only accepted his son back, but he also brought out the best robe to clothe him, put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, slaughtered a calf, and held a great feast.
How did the first son then react to this, who had not gone out to the world but had stayed with his father? It’s written in verses 25-28: “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ But he was angry and would not go in.” As the passage says here, the older son did not like that his father was holding a feast to celebrate the return of his brother. On the contrary, it’s written that he got very angry.
What is the meaning of today’s Scripture passage? Of the two sons, it was the younger son who was truly united with the father’s heart. It is to teach us this truth that the Lord spoke to us with such a parable.
What actually is our greatest problem? In God’s sight, what is the greatest problem for mankind? It is that people have their own righteousness. For both those who have been born again by believing in Jesus and those who have not, their greatest problem is the notion that one’s own righteousness is more exalted than the righteousness of God. When we seek to follow the Lord, you and I must know that we have to cast aside such righteousness of our own. That’s because we can follow the righteousness of God Almighty our Father only if our own righteousness is completely removed.
What kind of people are those who have received the salvation of the remission of sins from God, and those who have received the blessed gift of salvation? They are those who have no righteousness of their own. That one does not have his own righteousness means that he is devoid of his own rightfulness. Those who do not have their own virtues, goodness, will, determination, merit, or faculty are the ones who have been saved by God. In contrast, those who think that they are intelligent, meritorious, good, virtuous, and not that sinful can never receive salvation from God. Far from being saved by God, they actually want to challenge Him. “God, let’s measure up and see who is taller and who is better. Let’s see if You are really more virtuous, wiser, and better than me.” Like this, those who flaunt their own righteousness want to compare themselves to God and challenge Him."
Paul C Jong
