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A Tale Of Two Brothers Who Sinned? By Jeremy D. Joy |
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The Parable Of The Prodigal Son is about a rebellious son who repents and returns home to a loving father, but it is also about a self-righteous older brother who is reluctant to receive his penitent younger brother (Luke 15:11-32). Who sinned in the parable: the younger brother who rebelled, but returned home or the older brother who stayed at home, but became self-righteous? Will the real sinner please stand up? The answer is that both sinned, but the younger brother acknowledged his sin whereas the older brother was blind to his sin and failed to see himself as his brother—a sinner. We have the same problem today because we mentally categorize “acceptable” and “unacceptable” sins although the Bible teaches that sin in general is a transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). For example, we may think that the sin of adultery is worse than the sins of the heart such as bitterness, pride, selfishness, etc. The physical consequences of some sins may be worse than other sins, but the spiritual consequences of all sin are the same. The older brother in the story represents the religious establishment of the day including the scribes and Pharisees who accused Jesus of committing sin because he associated with sinners (Luke 15:1-2). He rebuked them on a number of occasions for their hypocrisy, self-righteousness and lack of mercy toward others (Matthew 23:23). They viewed themselves as members of a club congratulating one another for publicly censuring and condemning various forms of immorality while excusing evil in the heart among themselves because they were members of the right club. Do you understand the analogy? We must avoid the same mindset or we become twenty-first century Pharisees! The solution to the problem is a keen awareness of our sins and weaknesses in relationship to God who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent (Psalm 139:1-24). We have no choice other than removing the mask of hypocrisy and self-righteous when we come face to face with God. It can be painful, but it is ultimately for our good. The end result will be a personal walk with God, not a mechanical religion (Psalm 37:23; Jeremiah 10:23). It will also radically transform how we relate to one another. We will be more compassionate and sympathetic toward others and less critical and condemning. “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner’ ” (Luke 18:13). |
