Question about the Prodigal....

[MsSophie]

Luke 15:11-32

I have a question about the story of the Prodigal. I've heard sermons on this story but I don't know if this has been answered for me.

Does the story of the prodigal son represent a Christian gone far astray and out of fellowship with the Father and then returns when he comes to his senses or is the story of an unsaved person who has run away from the gift of salvation and then returns to accept that gift?

[Chris]

I think this will help. :)

http://www.gracethrufaith.com/selah/parables/the-parable-of-the-lost-son-a-prophetic-perspective

[MsSophie]

Thank you Chris. I guess my question doesn't really apply to that parable. :rolleyes

[Chris]

Thank you Chris. I guess my question doesn't really apply to that parable. :rolleyes

That article was from a prophetic perspective, perhaps this one will help from a different perspective. :)

http://www.carm.org/parables/parableprodigal.htm

[MsSophie]

Thank you. I had never heard that commentary on the elder son relating it to a hypocritical repentance.

[run2Jesus]

A son never ceases to be a son even when he's a prodigal. Jesus says he was the man's son and there is just no way in God's family anyway, to lose that title. Thank God for Jesus.:yeah

[Eternally]

I haven't read the links that were given as a response, but I too have felt the prodigal may not have been truly saved. And that later he returned and received the true gift of salvation.

[Timothy]

I'll offer you an alternate understanding of the parable. At the time of parable, we are dealing with the earthly ministry of Christ. The revealed purpose of the earthly ministry of Christ concerned Israel (as a nation), prophecy, and the offering of the prophetic kingdom. At the time of the parable, the middle wall of partition was still "up." It is important to remember that at the time of the parable, Israel (as a nation) held a coveneant relationship with God. The sons represent Israel and this convenent relationship. Specifically, the older son represents the Pharisees. Note how the older son acts just like the Pharisees did with other Jews they felt were sinners and not deserving (i.e. particularly observe the immediately preceding Luke 15:2). Note the representative sin of both. Israel, like the younger son, fell away but came back with the right attitude (repentance - a change of mind). The Pharisees, like the older son, stayed with the father, but had a bad attitude and cold heart. Even though they both sinned, both are still sons due to the covenenat relationship of Israel. So rather than concerning personal salvation as is commonly stated, the parable concerns the covenant of Israel.