The Parable of the Lost Son

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#21
#21
Simona25 said:
I agree. I believe he wanted to go as far as possible, so nobody would know him, so he can live his life however he pleases to, without having to give explanations. Something like that verse from a song "with the lights off, it's less dangerous". In our case, in a distant country, it's less shameful and less compromising. If the story happened today, the prodigal son, would be a rich boy from the province that wants to "make it in New York", or wants to live a life of debauchery in Las Vegas.
Anyway, the distant country is a country where nobody knows you, nobody cares about what you do, you do not feel ashamed about what you do because everybody else is doing it too etc. The distant country is a country that is "alive" in sin.
Click to expand...


no. I do not think this at all. He was just to get out of his fathers influence, to go to a place he truly could say he did it in his own. it was a pride issue,

again, when you leave your fathers place, you are in a far country, your in enemy territory.
So, you believe that the son always had the father in his mind, not only when he came to his senses?
Click to expand...


yes,

I did when I left my family and went to the military,
I did when I left God.

How do you understand that "he came into his senses"?
Click to expand...


In My case, a friend I led to christ as a teen called me, And I finally heard my fathers voice, and said I must come back (I hit rock bottom) I know for a fact if he called me any sooner, I would not have heard him, god knew exactly when to call me using my friend.

I haven't read any comment about we being "literally dead" or about we "no longer being the father's sons"...
I mean, besides you, no one put those words in sentences.
Click to expand...
I know alot of people who do think this, i was just trying to answer a common argument before it even God started. not saying your one of them.
 
Simona25

Simona25

Banned
#22
Sep 10, 2013
1,428
19
0
#22
GodIsSalvation said:
I personally always saw the son's decision to leave as more of headstrong/pride issue than explciit hatred.

Kindal ike when my lil sis turned 18 she got all rebellious and moved out 3 hours away, started dating some shady dude, renting house she could barely afford, bar-hopping, and all that. She never did it cause she hates my parents, in fact she always got along with my parents probably better than myself. Heh I knew she'd be back though, and after almost a year sure enough she wanted to come back and we were all very happy in my family that she did.
Click to expand...
It is not at all "explicit hatred". I hope this is not what you got from what I've said. I think his decision to leave and ask for his part of fortune (although is father was alive!!!) was a selfish thing to do. He knew he would break his father's heart because asking for the money equated with considering his father dead (as I already explained).

Edit: I am glad that your sister "came back to her senses" and that you, unlike the brother of the prodigal son, received your sister with joy! :)
 
G

GodIsSalvation

Banned
#23
Dec 18, 2013
6,733
45
0
#23
Simona25 said:
It is not at all "explicit hatred". I hope this is not what you got from what I've said. I think his decision to leave and ask for his part of fortune (although is father was alive!!!) was a selfish thing to do. He knew he would break his father's heart because asking for the money equated with considering his father dead (as I already explained).

Edit: I am glad that your sister "came back to her senses" and that you, unlike the brother of the prodigal son, received your sister with joy! :)
Click to expand...
Oh no worries Simona I didn't misinterpret you. Just my take on it with a real life example. Heh and ya, it is partly because I had all ready known the prodigal son parable that when my sister wanted to come back I was glad and wasn't like the older brother in the parable. But even that aside, really my mom kinda reacted like the older brother in the parable, but I know its only because she was so worried over my sister, moreso because of her ex-boyfriend rather than the moving away.
 
Simona25

Simona25

Banned
#24
Sep 10, 2013
1,428
19
0
#24
eternally-gratefull said:
I think we all do this at one time in our christian lives, Some stay away longer than others.

It comes from lack of faith, Not in evil desire.
Click to expand...
I know this isn't what you said, but I will go a bit further with your idea: do you think that all christians must go through what the prodigal son had went? I don't know if I made myself understood...do you think, the experience of the prodigal son was a life-experience that is desirable for every christian in order that christians "come to their senses"?
 
Simona25

Simona25

Banned
#25
Sep 10, 2013
1,428
19
0
#25
eternally-gratefull said:
no. I do not think this at all. He was just to get out of his fathers influence, to go to a place he truly could say he did it in his own. it was a pride issue,

again, when you leave your fathers place, you are in a far country, your in enemy territory.
Click to expand...
I said "I agree" with what you have previously said :). What follows next is my belief on what "the distant country" might be.
I didn't attempt to interpretate what you said. :)
 
H

Hungry

Banned
#26
Nov 26, 2012
3,095
1,050
113
#26
I admit I didn't read every line here, but some of the questions I ponder about this parable and some I filled in. I think it's clear its two believers and one remains walking with Christ and the other gets tempted by the lusts of the world. It doesn't tell us what would happen if he didn't come back to the Father. Would he still be saved? I don't want to railroad this thread into some debate on this but I think it illustrates that you do need to come back to God before you die for redemption. As well it appears the son who returned got a party and the fathers love but I think he did end up being a servant because the father told the faithful son all he had was his. So when you turn your back on God temporarily, it may not effect your salvation but it will effect your eternal reward. Just my thoughts.
 
Simona25

Simona25

Banned
#27
Sep 10, 2013
1,428
19
0
#27
Hungry said:
I admit I didn't read every line here, but some of the questions I ponder about this parable and some I filled in. I think it's clear its two believers and one remains walking with Christ and the other gets tempted by the lusts of the world. It doesn't tell us what would happen if he didn't come back to the Father. Would he still be saved? I don't want to railroad this thread into some debate on this but I think it illustrates that you do need to come back to God before you die for redemption. As well it appears the son who returned got a party and the fathers love but I think he did end up being a servant because the father told the faithful son all he had was his. So when you turn your back on God temporarily, it may not effect your salvation but it will effect your eternal reward. Just my thoughts.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your thoughts. :)
What can you say about the reaction of the older brother when he came home from work and saw the reception that his little brother ("who wasted his part of fortune with prostitutes" - I paraphrase what the older brother said) got?
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#28
#28
Simona25 said:


I know this isn't what you said, but I will go a bit further with your idea: do you think that all christians must go through what the prodigal son had went? I don't know if I made myself understood...do you think, the experience of the prodigal son was a life-experience that is desirable for every christian in order that christians "come to their senses"?
Click to expand...


No. Some walk away and immediately see they are in trouble. Some need to be taken to their knees, All situations are different. It is like an addict. some need to fall hard to come out. some make it out without seemingly much trouble..

coming to your senses to me is just realizing how far you have fallen, and sensing that you only have one hope. and you left it.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#29
#29
Hungry said:
I admit I didn't read every line here, but some of the questions I ponder about this parable and some I filled in. I think it's clear its two believers and one remains walking with Christ and the other gets tempted by the lusts of the world. It doesn't tell us what would happen if he didn't come back to the Father. Would he still be saved? I don't want to railroad this thread into some debate on this but I think it illustrates that you do need to come back to God before you die for redemption. As well it appears the son who returned got a party and the fathers love but I think he did end up being a servant because the father told the faithful son all he had was his. So when you turn your back on God temporarily, it may not effect your salvation but it will effect your eternal reward. Just my thoughts.
Click to expand...
as paul said, some of our brothers have fallen asleep (gone to the grave) A loving father when he found out his son had died, would go retrieve the body and bury him in his own graveyard where he belongs. So sad that he could have spared him so much pain and suffering, while he was alive, and may even have been able to save his physical life so he would still be here (in the case of someone doing such a horrible sin they end up dieing doing it)
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#30
#30
Simona25 said:
Thank you for your thoughts. :)
What can you say about the reaction of the older brother when he came home from work and saw the reception that his little brother ("who wasted his part of fortune with prostitutes" - I paraphrase what the older brother said) got?
Click to expand...
Typical human response. I have been here working my butt off to do my fathers will, And here he comes back and My father treats him like he never left.

I think it is a warning to us, to not be upset when a brother or sister returns, But to understand God rejoices, we should rejoice with him.
 
Simona25

Simona25

Banned
#31
Sep 10, 2013
1,428
19
0
#31
eternally-gratefull said:

No. Some walk away and immediately see they are in trouble. Some need to be taken to their knees, All situations are different. It is like an addict. some need to fall hard to come out. some make it out without seemingly much trouble..
Click to expand...


I agree with you.
Some people come faster to their senses than some others. Some people repent for having smoked, while others repent for having killed. Christ receives the repentance of both, and yet, the one that has killed feels much more unworthy of God's love and forgiveness.

eternally-gratefull said:
coming to your senses to me is just realizing how far you have fallen, and sensing that you only have one hope. and you left it.
Click to expand...
Again, I agree.
But, tragically, there are people that lose even that one hope! The devil tries to stop people from "coming back to their senses" by whispering to them that they are lost, ugly, unworthy etc. Probably, the devil even suggest as a final solution, suicide.
Let's pray that more lost sons realize they have a heavenly father who is waiting for them and receiving them as sons, not as servants!
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#32
#32
Simona25 said:
[/B][/COLOR]

I agree with you.
Some people come faster to their senses than some others. Some people repent for having smoked, while others repent for having killed. Christ receives the repentance of both, and yet, the one that has killed feels much more unworthy of God's love and forgiveness.
Click to expand...
Sadly yes they do. All we have to do is look at paul and his words. to see this in action. (see also David)

Again, I agree.
But, tragically, there are people that lose even that one hope! The devil tries to stop people from "coming back to their senses" by whispering to them that they are lost, ugly, unworthy etc. Probably, the devil even suggest as a final solution, suicide.
Let's pray that more lost sons realize they have a heavenly father who is waiting for them and receiving them as sons, not as servants!
Click to expand...

Again I agree.. The lies which satan tells. Thats why legalism is such a dangerous doctrine. Because it feeds the lies of Satan to those who want to come back, but do not think they are worthy.

In reality, None of us are worthy. For those of us who are the brother who stayed, we have to realize this. Or we will think to high of ourselves and make the same mistake the brother made. In order to truely give out the love of God. We have to truly realize how much God forgave us, and how totally undeserving we are.
 
Simona25

Simona25

Banned
#33
Sep 10, 2013
1,428
19
0
#33
eternally-gratefull said:
Typical human response. I have been here working my butt off to do my fathers will, And here he comes back and My father treats him like he never left.

I think it is a warning to us, to not be upset when a brother or sister returns, But to understand God rejoices, we should rejoice with him.
Click to expand...
I have noticed that both sons have something in common. They both relate to their father in a weird, mercantile and judicial way. First, the little son asks for his "share of the estate" and then, the other one says "All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders."
You see, they both see the father, either as a "money provider", either as a "chief". Both sons expect to get something material from their father. The only one who is loving unconditionally, is the father.

P.S.: can someone be a christian, and yet, out of Christ? It seems like the obedient brother was like this. He obeyed his father, but didn't have love.
 
Simona25

Simona25

Banned
#34
Sep 10, 2013
1,428
19
0
#34
Hungry said:
I think it's clear its two believers and one remains walking with Christ and the other gets tempted by the lusts of the world. It doesn't tell us what would happen if he didn't come back to the Father. Would he still be saved?
Click to expand...
Read carefully! The one that remains home is not walking with Christ! He obeys the father, but, what is obedience without love? A sort of legalism. He obeyed the father because he expected something in exchange. He didn't even realize that all what the father had was his also: "My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." So, the older brother missed the whole point of remaining with his father. May God protect us, christians, from missing the point of being christians, of going to church - from failing to meet the real Christ!

I wish to go further with your premise about the two believers:

1.The prodigal son have sinned, but came back to his senses (the sinner that repents).
2.The older brother remained obedient, but failed to understand the whole point of being obedient (the sinner that doesn't even know he's a sinner; or, the christian that is outside of Christ. Christian only by name, like we often say).

3. There is a negative version of the prodigal son who, tragically, does no longer come to his senses (I already discussed this with the user eternally-gratefull)
4. And now, I got from your comment, the positive version of the obedient brother: the obedient brother walks with Christ, is in Christ and rejoice when his brother returns home.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#35
#35
Simona25 said:
I have noticed that both sons have something in common. They both relate to their father in a weird, mercantile and judicial way. First, the little son asks for his "share of the estate" and then, the other one says "All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders."
You see, they both see the father, either as a "money provider", either as a "chief". Both sons expect to get something material from their father. The only one who is loving unconditionally, is the father.

P.S.: can someone be a christian, and yet, out of Christ? It seems like the obedient brother was like this. He obeyed his father, but didn't have love.
Click to expand...
Yes, Everytime we are in self, we are not thinking of the father, But how much we think we deserve.

And I love how you said the only one showing true love is the father. This is what God wants the whole world to know. That he loves you unconditionally.
 
Simona25

Simona25

Banned
#36
Sep 10, 2013
1,428
19
0
#36
eternally-gratefull said:
Yes, Everytime we are in self, we are not thinking of the father, But how much we think we deserve.

And I love how you said the only one showing true love is the father. This is what God wants the whole world to know. That he loves you unconditionally.
Click to expand...
You know, I believe that every human being sense that there is a God; even atheists. The problem with atheists is that they don't go further with the feeling. They abolish the natural feeling (the kingdom of heaven is whithin us) out of fear for being "irrational" or "ilogical". They refuse the sense of life (God) and embrace the non-sense...

I believe that "the distant country" is maybe men's idea of happyness. Men are not happy with what they have, they are not happy with the coordinates in which they were born. So, in their heads, "the distant country" is the recipe of happyness; the first thing that most people wish for is a loot of money, in order to achieve their desires: whether is entertainment (the case of the prodigal son), whether is a good social position, fame, recognition from other people, physical beauty etc. Anyway, "the distant country" is something exterior, outside of our souls.

I think that even if the prodigal son would have become successfull, he would have still "come to his senses" sooner or later because wealth and success may cover some human needs, but they certainly do not fill our souls, they don not completely satisfy us. Only Christ can give us the kind of water (fulfillement) that covers our thirst (for happyness).
 
B

BradC

Guest
#37
#37
Simona25 said:
My favourite part of the parable is this: “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."

The fact that the father saw him while the son was still a long way off, implies that the father was actually waiting for him. All these years while the son missed, the father has waited for him and when he saw the son coming home, the father ran to him. He didn't waited for the son to ask for forgiveness, he ran with a crazy joy towards him. In those times, an old jew running (showing his feet) was something very humiliating.
So, although we wrong God, when we show the slightest sign of repentance, God humiliates himself and forgive with an incredible love and a childish joy everything that we had done wrong.
Click to expand...
There is a Greek word picture of this event when the father ran out to meet his returning son, he actually was running so fast that he knocked him to the ground and started kissing his neck over and over. That is a reception with no hesitation and no thoughts of probation. The elder brother did not think he deserved all this attention and would not come to the celebration even at the father's request. However, the father completely restored the prodigal, his position included, and there was much rejoicing.
 
Simona25

Simona25

Banned
#38
Sep 10, 2013
1,428
19
0
#38
BradC said:
There is a Greek word picture of this event when the father ran out to meet his returning son, he actually was running so fast that he knocked him to the ground and started kissing his neck over and over. That is a reception with no hesitation and no thoughts of probation. The elder brother did not think he deserved all this attention and would not come to the celebration even at the father's request. However, the father completely restored the prodigal, his position included, and there was much rejoicing.
Click to expand...
Thank you BradC for this beautiful image that I now have in my head!
I wish someone made a movie about The Prodigal Son.
 
S

Spokenpassage

Guest
#39
#39
Have you guys ever heard of the "pig is a pig" poem?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.