The Gospel of Compelling Grace (3)

Among the Pharisees and the scribes who listened to Jesus, there were tax collectors and sinners who were looked down by the Pharisees and the scribes with contempt. Jesus Christ was a completely different person to poor souls, who had never heard of a good thing in their lives, never thought of themselves as valuable or precious. In addition, Matthew, the tax collector was among the twelve disciples of Jesus. The tax collectors and sinners wanted to be comforted by hearing the precious words that came out from the mouth of Jesus, and by hearing the truth that they had never heard on this earth and that had a heavenly scent.

‘I deserve to exist.’

The Lord began these words. “Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.” (Luke 15:11 and 12)

A man had two sons, the second of which was a smart kid who took good care of himself. One day the second son asked his father to give him his share of the inheritance in advance. Inheritance is the father’s honor, existence, and the fruits of his life. Even if he will leave everything to his children eventually, it is impossible to tamper with the inheritance that a father’s life is at stake. At least if it’s a child who values his father…

Second son claiming father’s inheritance

By the time the son took the inheritance, he already had other ideas. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.” (Luke 15:13) Within a few days of receiving the inheritance, the second son gathered all his possessions and went to a distant country. To say that he went to a distant country in the old days means that he left no thinking of coming back. He removed even the slightest attachment to his father and even human affections, and he went away thinking that he would never come back.

After he left, he was lavish. He enjoyed the fleshly feast of crooked self with the honor and existence of his father and the fruits of the father’s a lifetime. He trampled down the most precious thing in his father’s life on which his perfect love was poured out, like trampling on a tissue.

Is there any room for sympathy or improvement for a human being who has done everything until he completely ruined? If we cherish and sow sin, we cannot but bear the fruit of evil. Such a natural result came as a bitter price. When he was under a good father, he seemed like a good boy, but when the rein was released, the filthy bottom were exposed, clearly revealing that there was nothing good in even a single cell.

Missionary Young-Ui KIM

(Itinerant Missionary Representative of LOG Mission)

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