I just finished reading "The Prodigal God" by Tim Keller and would highly recommend it to everyone. It is a closer look a the Bible story, The Prodigal Son from Luke chapter 15.
In this book, Keller renames this story to "The two lost sons" and goes on to explain it was not just the younger son, the one who left and came book, that was lost, but also the older brother who stayed and did was expected and obeyed his father.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Neither son loved the father for himself. They both were using the father for their own self-centered ends rather than loving, enjoying, and serving him for his own sake. This means that you can rebel against God and be alienated from him either by breaking his rules OR by keeping them diligently."
"Elder brothers obey God to get things. They don't obey God to get to God himself.-in order to resemble him, love him, know him and delight him. So religious and moral people can be avoiding Jesus as Savior and Lord as much as the younger brother who say they don't believe in god and define right and wrong for themselves."
"Elder brother self-righteousness ... creates an unforgiving and judgemental spirit."
"Mercy and forgiveness must be free and unmerited to the wrong doer. If the wrongdoer has to do something to merit it, then it isn't mercy, but forgiveness always comes at a cost to the one granting the forgiveness."
"selfless love destroys mistrust in our hearts toward God that makes us either younger brothers or older brother's."
I hope this makes you think about yourself enough to get the book and see how it speaks to you.
Pressing On! In Christ Alone!
No comments:
Post a Comment