Luke 15:11-32 And he said, A certain man had two sons:… The picture of the workings of the prodigal's mind and of their practical results brings before us the features of genuine repentance with incomparably greater clearness and effect than a treatise of any supposable length on the abstract subject would have done. The features of true repentance apparent there are these: 1. A change of mind: he "came to himself." How opposite his views and feelings now from what they had been when he forsook the paternal abode! 2. A deep sense of guilt arising from a right view of sin, as committed not against man only, but against heaven; not against his father only, but against God: "I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight," etc. 3. A consequent sense of entire unworthiness, accompanied with a conviction that, if he met with a favourable reception, he should owe it entirely to free clemency; he should have no claim, no title, to it, but might justly be rejected: "I have sinned," and am no more worthy. And — 4. A returning conviction that there was no happiness for him but under his father's roof, and in the possession of his father's favour: "I am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants;" let me be but under thy roof, let me be the lowest menial; but let me not be cast out of thy sight, for "blessed are even these thy servants." I have made myself wretched and unworthy, and I envy the lowest of them. This is the very counterpart of the spirit in which a truly penitent sinner comes back to God. (R. Wardlaw.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he said, A certain man had two sons: |
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