"The Justified Prodigal"-Just As If He Had Never Sinned-Because of His Repentance and Faith-A Point to Ponder . . .

The loving father running to me his Prodigal Son, who was dead and is not alive again!

A Devotional Thought for July 3, 2025

From the Pen of John Bunyan

And the most recent book release of Dr. Roger D Duke

Daily Reading with John Bunyan

Entitled

The Justified Prodigal

“Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son”

(Luke 15: 21, KJV).

. . . This man was is sufficiently declared in verse [Luke 15:]13. [And not may days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and here wasted his substance with riotous living.]

1. A riotous spender of all—of time, talent, body, and soul.

2. He added to this his rebellion, great contempt of his father’s house—he joined himself to a stranger, and became an associate with swine (vv. 15, 17). At last, indeed, he came to himself. But then observe—

(1.) He sought not justification by personal performances of his own.

(2.) Neither did he mitigate his wickedness;

(3.) Nor excuse himself before his father; but first resolved to confess his sin; and coming to his father, did confess it and that with aggravating circumstances. “I have sinned against heaven; I have sinned against thee; I am no more worthy to be called thy son” (v. 18). Now what he said was true or false. If true, then he had not righteousness. If false, he could not stand just in the sight of his father by virtue of his own performances. And, indeed, the sequel of the parable clears it. His “father said to his servant, bring forth the best robe,” the justifying righteousness, “and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet” (v.  22). This best robe, then, being in the father’s house, was not in the prodigal’s heart; neither stayed the father for further qualifications. But put it upon him as he was, surrounded with sin and oppressed with guilt. Therefore “men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.”