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Biblical Stewardship – Luke 16:9-13

We are looking again at the parable of the unrighteous steward, where Jesus is challenging His disciples to be much more shrewd and wise than their worldly counterparts in securing their eternal future. Worldly people are shrewd for earthly security, but we ought to be much more shrewd to gain eternal security. It matters because there is an afterlife. This life is much shorter than our next life. We know this because Jesus proved eternal life is real when He died and rose again. Our eternal future, portrayed as “eternal dwelling,” “true riches,” and “your own,” is real and will not be disappointing. Jesus emphasizes His message using the phrase “I say to you”, a phrase Jesus used to declare truth with full divine revelation and authority, similar to His “I am” statements. When Jesus uses this “I,” He declares Himself as God (Isaiah 46:9). Ultimately, Luke 16:13 mandates that you must serve Jesus, the true master, instead of money. As John Wesley observed, the last part of a person to be converted is his wallet. If you have not surrendered your wallet, you have not fully converted in your surrender to Jesus Christ.

Jesus is addressing the believer. A believer is both a disciple and a steward. Discipleship is following Jesus as Lord, which requires not just believing but obeying, and it changes who you are. Stewardship is managing what belongs to God — your time, money, body, and all the resources He has entrusted to you. While discipleship is internal, stewardship is external. Stewardship is the expression of your discipleship; the two go hand in hand. A mature disciple is a wise steward. The unrighteous steward in the parable was shrewd in securing his earthly future, but Christians must be even more shrewd and wise in eternal matters. This parable does not refer to being saved, as every Christian is saved, but about being a good steward to gain a future reward. If you are not shrewd, you might be saved but still miss out on future rewards.

How do we prepare for our eternal future, especially when dealing with money? Money, or “mammon: in Aramaic, refers to wealth, possessions, or anything we might put our trust in, meaning it easily becomes an idol. Jesus wants disciples to secure their eternal future by using their money wisely and faithfully. We are commanded to “make friends” using the “wealth of unrighteousness. Money is worldly and has caused much wickedness, making it the “wealth of unrighteousness”. This command does not mean buying friendship, but it means to evangelize, advance the kingdom of God, and make friends who will dwell with you in heaven one day. This involves using all our resources, whether it be time or money, helping unbelievers know Jesus and getting close to them. For example, taking an unbeliever out to lunch to build a relationship and share the gospel with them.

Remember, you are a steward, and it is God’s money, not yours. Use your money as a tool, not an end. We must invest in people, avoid unnecessary debt, keep an eternal view, and be charitable and generous. Spending money for the glory of God is not wasteful; it is heavenly investing. This investment is a channel to draw rewards from heaven, ensuring that when you “make your friends for yourselves,” it benefits you eternally. How wise, wonderful, and necessary it is to use what God has given us for His glory and our eternal reward. It is shameful and foolish to invest in earthly things like the world does. We have a greater promise, therefore, even more so, we must be diligent and shrewd stewards of what God has given us. 

Everyone is equal in salvation and will enter heaven, but not all are equal in reward, which is based on faithful stewardship. The Apostle Paul labored to gain a reward, not satisfied with salvation alone. The phrase “When it fails” (Luke 16:9) reminds us that one day, we will die, and all our money, accomplishments, and memories will vanish. Only our eternal investment will remain. The friends we make with our finances—those whom we have evangelized and rescued—are the “they” who will take us into eternal dwellings. Imagine those you helped reach glory before you, waiting to welcome you into heaven. What a joyful thought. If you are worried you have not made any friends yet, start today with just one sinner. Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7). The Lord encourages us to diligently, sacrificially, and faithfully invest in others for Him, and we will be rich in heaven.

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Practical Christianity – Luke 16:1-9

This challenging parable appears only in Luke’s gospel. Many readers wonder: Is Jesus condoning the dishonest steward’s criminal behavior? The answer is a resounding no. Instead, Jesus uses this story with its surprising twists to make a crucial point about how Christians should approach their spiritual lives.

Jesus now turns from addressing the scribes and Pharisees to speaking directly to His disciples. The context in the rest of Luke 16 deals with money and stewardship and is significant to understanding this parable. Money itself isn’t evil, but how we handle it matters greatly. This parable addresses our relationship with worldly resources and eternal priorities.

The parable features two characters: a rich master and his steward (manager). The steward is a schemer and cheater who has wasted his master’s possessions, likely through embezzlement or fraudulent bookkeeping. When the master discovers the steward’s wickedness, he demands an accounting and declares he will fire his servant.

Faced with this crisis, the steward quickly realizes his dilemma. As a white-collar worker, he’s not suited for manual labor. Too proud to beg, he immediately forms a clever plan. Before losing his position, he summons each of his master’s debtors and significantly reduces their debts. 100 baths of oil becomes 50, 100 kors of wheat becomes 80. These reductions weren’t from legitimate commissions or interest (which the Torah prohibited among Israelites). The steward’s dishonesty continued even in this final act.

Surprisingly, the master commends the steward, not for his morality, but for his shrewdness and quick thinking in securing his future. The King James Version mistranslates this passage by using “the Lord,” which would suggest Jesus is represented by the master in the parable and therefore Jesus is praising wickedness. The correct reading is “his master”, which means he was not Jesus but a worldly master, and most likely also wicked based on how he responded to the stewards shrewdness.

Jesus isn’t condoning the steward’s criminality. His point is far more profound: this unrighteous man was shrewd enough to secure his temporal future. Shouldn’t those who belong to eternity be even more shrewd about eternal matters?

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus commands His followers to be “shrewd as serpents.” While serpents represent evil in Scripture (see Genesis 3:1), here shrewdness means being wise, discerning, foresighted, and practical. The children of this world excel at navigating temporal relationships and securing temporal benefits. They recognize this world is all they have, so they work tirelessly for it. They don’t pray, yet they work endlessly to achieve their goals.

But what about the “sons of light” – those who are Christians, sons of righteousness whose true home and inheritance are in heaven? Tragically, we often exhibit less urgency about eternal matters than unbelievers show toward temporal ones. We become complacent about our salvation, treating this life like retirement since “Jesus did everything.” Yet Scripture calls us to pursue sanctification with the same diligence the world applies to temporal pursuits.

The key insight comes from verse 2. The steward didn’t expect sudden accountability. His stewardship ended abruptly, leaving him unprepared. This mirrors our reality: we have no guarantee of tomorrow. Death can come suddenly, or Christ may return at any moment (Luke 12:40). As the psalmist prayed: “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Eternal life isn’t only in the future. Our eternal life has already begun, from the moment we were saved. We enjoy it daily through our relationship with Christ. Therefore, we must work hard and be shrewd in living for eternity every single day.

How do we apply this wisdom? First, we recognize that salvation is just the beginning. It gives us purpose and direction. Prayerlessness is not an option. We must give glory to God through consistent communion with Him. We need wisdom to labor for the Lord with an eye toward future rewards. Without wisdom and shrewdness, our work stems from our own strength and selfish desires, driven by pride. Such works will be burned up (1 Corinthians 3:15). But with wisdom, we endure faithfully, and our labors will endure for God’s glory.

The Thessalonian church provides a model: they diligently prayed and suffered faithfully for the Word of God (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22). As Jesus explained through the parable of this shrewd steward, the stewards of God should be more shrewd in their eternal work. “The diligence of worldly men about the things of time should put to shame the coldness of professing Christians about the things of eternity.” – J. C. Ryle

We must not be foolish to think that this world will last forever. Instead, we prepare through prudence and wisdom, fearing God and walking in His Word. This means living fully: quick to forgive, seeking forgiveness through repentance, and loving others freely. May we learn from the world’s shrewdness about temporal things and apply even greater wisdom to eternal matters. Let us enjoy the Lord, give glory to Him, and live each day with the urgency and wisdom that befits those who belong to eternity.

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Hope for the Religious – Luke 15:31-32

In today’s text, Jesus offers hope for the older son in the parable of the prodigal—representing those who are religious yet spiritually lost. Though outwardly moral and devoted, the religious often remain unsaved. They paint themselves with the colors of service and virtue, yet their hearts are marked by self-righteousness, hypocrisy, and a fixation on external traditions rather than inward transformation. Still, God extends hope even to them—the hope of escaping final judgment through his compassion, his promise of salvation by faith alone, and his joy over the lost who are found.

God’s Compassion for the Religious

God’s heart is tender, even toward the self-righteous. As long as there is life, redemption remains possible. In verse 31, the father calls the older son “son,” a translation of the Greek huios, which conveys deep affection, sympathy, and pity. This same word appears in Luke 16:25, where Abraham compassionately addresses the rich man. The repetition underscores God’s compassion toward those who seem furthest from grace. His mercy offers the religious another chance to repent and believe.

Christians, therefore, are called to share this same compassion by clearly presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ—the only source of true hope and salvation. Through the gospel, even those bound by legalism can experience freedom and forgiveness.

The Promise of Salvation Through Faith Alone

God’s promise of salvation rests entirely on faith in him. This promise holds both present and future dimensions: forgiveness now, and the hope of eternal glory to come. God’s promises are rooted in his unchanging nature and perfect faithfulness—when he speaks, he fulfills.

In the parable, the father reminds the older son that “all that I have is yours.” This represents the blessings of God’s covenant offered to Israel and, by extension, to all who believe. Yet many religious people fail to recognize these blessings. They strive for acceptance through performance, not realizing that God’s grace has already been extended. Their ingratitude blinds them to the fullness of God’s promise.

The Religious Misunderstanding of Salvation

The tragedy of religion without relationship is that it mistakes service for salvation. The elder son points to his years of labor and obedience as evidence of his worthiness, yet he remains estranged from his father. This mirrors the heart of the religious person who seeks to earn God’s favor through moral effort.

Such striving breeds self-righteousness, not forgiveness. Because they have not received grace, the religious cannot extend it to others. In verse 31, the father gently invites his son into personal relationship through faith—a call the religious often resist, preferring to labor in vain rather than rest in grace.

Faith and Inner Transformation

True faith is more than belief—it is the reception of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, resulting in an inward transformation by the Holy Spirit. Those who receive Christ walk daily with him in loving obedience, not out of duty but devotion. This promise of personal relationship is available to all, even the most hardened religious heart. Faith in the gospel is the only path to forgiveness and salvation—the only hope of true life.

God’s Joy in Redemption

God’s greatest glory is revealed in redemption. Jesus declares, “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7), and again, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

In every act of redemption, God’s justice, mercy, and love shine together in perfect harmony. Heaven rejoices because salvation magnifies God’s character. Christians, too, should rejoice, recognizing that every person’s greatest need is salvation through faith in Christ. Once enslaved by sin and separated from God, believers have been redeemed and set free by his power.

The elder son, however, could not comprehend this joy. Spiritually dead, he could not understand the miracle before him—that his brother, once lost, was now found; once dead, was now alive (v. 32).

God’s Relentless Pursuit of the Lost

God’s pursuit of sinners is relentless and rooted in eternal love. “But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Even when hearts grow cold and consciences harden, the Holy Spirit continues to stir and awaken the lost. Christ’s ongoing intercession before the Father reveals God’s active pursuit—he does not wait for sinners to come to him but initiates redemption himself.

God patiently calls for repentance, as Peter reminds us: “The Lord is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). His compassion precedes our turning, and his love endures even in our rebellion.

A Call to Examine Our Hearts

This passage invites believers to examine their own hearts. Do we still find joy in God and his word? When our delight in him fades, we risk becoming like the elder son—religious but distant, busy in service yet barren in love.

When serving becomes mere duty, knowledge turns cold, and worship loses its truth. True worship flows from a heart anchored in God’s word and shaped by faith, not emotion. To avoid falling into empty religiosity, we must daily fight to love Christ, walk by faith, and depend on prayer. Only then can our service be joyful, our worship sincere, and our relationship with God alive.

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True Christianity – John 14:15

The backdrop of John 14 is the Last Supper, where Jesus is preparing His disciples for His physical departure. The disciples are deeply grieved, disturbed, frightened, anxious, worried, and confused by Jesus’s predictions of betrayal and eventual absence, as they cannot imagine a world without Him.

Jesus offers comforts, urging them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God also believe in me”. He promises to prepare a place for them in heaven and to come back again to take them there. He also states they will perform greater works. Furthermore, Jesus promises to answer their prayers if they are made in His name, to His glory, and to His purpose.

Amidst these promises, verse 15 appears: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”. This verse serves as the qualifier, defining for whom those promises are given: those who love Jesus and obey His commandments. This relationship is the defining character of a genuine Christian. A true Christian is one who loves and obeys.

Love and obedience are inseparable. Love is the inner motive, and obedience is the outer expression.

Jesus says “If”. This is a first-class conditional particle which assumes the condition is true. If you truly love Jesus, the result (obedience) is assured. The use of “if” describes the natural outcome of authentic faith, rather than expressing doubt or serving as a threat. This is the inseparable connection between love and obedience.

Jesus uses agape for love. There are other types of love, but eros for romantic, philia for friendship, and storge for familial. Agape love is self-sacrificial, selfless, conscious, and empathetic. It is an ongoing, active reality and a continuing state of love. Agape is unconditional love centered on the well-being of the loved one.

Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1-2), demonstrates agape love. Abraham revered and loved God so much that he obeyed God’s commandment, even though it was painful and costly. Abraham obeyed before knowing a substitute would be provided, revealing that love for God is relational, not transactional.

The word keep means to watch over, guard, or preserve with careful intentional observance. The grammar indicates an assurance: you will keep (future indicative), which is a prediction of what genuine love for Jesus produces in a believer’s life.

Commandments refers to a direct order or command from an authority, specifically referencing Jesus’s own teachings throughout His ministry. Jesus’s words are not separate from God, but are the Father’s words (John 14:10). God’s word is living, eternal (Matthew 24:35), produces life and spirit (John 6:63), and brings truth (John 17:17) and freedom (John 8:31-32).

Genuine love and obedience must not be confused with the following:

  • Not Mere Emotion: Agape is conscientious and intentional. Human emotions are fickle and deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). Relying on theatrical or emotional church experiences does not produce lasting change; away from the stimulus, these individuals may look no different than non-believers. Instead, the believer must “Delight yourself in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4) so that their desires align with God’s will.
  • Not Mere Profession: Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-17); external confessions or good intentions are worthless if not followed by genuine action. Peter spoke big game, promising to die for Jesus, but ran when Jesus was arrested. When Jesus later asked Peter if he loved Him (Agape/Philo), Jesus followed the affirmation with the command to “feed my sheep”, showing that love must manifest in obedience.
  • Not Legalism: Legalism emphasizes strict adherence to rules to earn favor (“If I do this, then God will do that”). Many who prophesied or performed miracles were rejected by Christ because they lacked a relationship built on love (“I never knew you”—Matthew 7:21-23). The will of the Father is simply to love Him. Eternal life is about relationship: to know God and Jesus Christ (John 17:33). Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed (Matthew 6:1); the true test of faith is found in what you do in secret, when no one else is watching.

Agape love is a divine gift that we cannot create ourselves. Our love is responsive, granted because God first loved us, initiating His love even when we were His enemies.

In His absence, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit’s indwelling as Helper and Spirit of Truth (John 14:16-23). If anyone loves Jesus and keeps His commandments, the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) will make their abode in them. The Holy Spirit awakens our dead spirit and enables us to obey his commandments. After Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered Peter and the disciples with boldness and fervor to obey God rather than men, even when jailed or threatened.

The true demonstration of faith rests on the relationship between agape love and obedience. Jesus died for your entire life, meaning your previous life is forfeit, replaced by a new life granted through the Holy Spirit. Because the Triune God makes an abode in you, you are able to love God fully and completely. The transformative power of the Holy Spirit dwells within you. Do not limit God by believing that genuine obedience is “not possible in my life,” or only for “more faithful men,” because God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If you find yourself operating in a legalistic, emotional, or transactional manner instead of genuine, selfless love, the command is to repent and ask the Lord to grant you the love that enables you to obey His commandments.

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The Religious Son, Part 2 – Luke 15:25-29

We’ve been talking about the dangers of being religious. The word “religion” itself is sacred and good (James 1:26), referring to godly and true faith characterized by humility and love for God and others. However, in most circumstances, when referring to the religious, it carries a negative tone, characterizing those who are religious externally but not internally. This external religion is wicked, artificial, and ultimately useless (James 1:26).

The worst nightmare is believing you are a true Christian based on outward religious deeds, only to wake up and find that Jesus does not know you (Matthew 15:8-9; Luke 13:27). The sign of the truly religious is childlike faith. We’ve been going over the signs of external religion by examining the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son.

Characteristics of the Religious

1. They Cannot Value the True Knowledge of Salvation

The religious fail to appreciate the value of salvation in themselves or in others. The elder son’s response to hearing his brother come back safe and sound was to become angry. Instead of being joyful, this son could not appreciate that his brother was rescued and saved.

When a sinner repents, it is the most joyful moment for believers (Luke 15:1-2). We must appreciate how wonderful salvation is. Our salvation is unlike anything else. By common grace, a man can be great, like Caesar or Alexander the Great, but he cannot be saved. Salvation is God’s special, particular gift. It is precious because it overcomes death, for Jesus is the author of life (Acts 3:15). It restores completely, not even leaving any scars behind. There is nothing as valuable and amazing as the salvation of the sinner by God’s grace. The religious fail to understand or experience that.

2. They Lack the Fear of God

The elder son did not fear his father. When the father came out and began pleading with him to join the celebration, the son refused. While the Bible often presents God’s actions descriptively, because God says it, it becomes prescriptive, a command that must be obeyed (Psalm 9:10 example). While the father was asking, because it was his father, it should have been taken as a command.

Instead of fearing and obeying, the religious rebuke and scold the Father, demanding recognition for their works. They think they have credit with God. They present their own merit as the basis of their boldness before God. Their obedience is superficial. When things go against their expectations, they turn their obedience into evidence against God. It is only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we can know how to fear God rightly. Jesus loved the Father and feared Him up to His death.

3. They Are Full of Self

The religious are me-centered. Every Christian must practice self-denial, which is not self-hatred, but surrendering our own will to God’s will (Galatians 2:20). The religious son’s words are proof of his self-focus (Luke 15:29). He says, “Look!” or “Behold!”—demanding attention. He continually uses the word “I”. I did this, and I deserve that. If we fail to deny ourselves, we cannot follow Christ properly. This self-focus manifests as self-righteousness and self-serving.

The religious rely on performance: “For so many years I have been serving you and never have I neglected a command of yours”. Self-righteousness goes against God’s grace and relies on works. It denies our need for God, produces pride and contempt toward others (Luke 18:11-12), and blinds the heart (1 Timothy 1:13).

Self-serving means putting self-interest above others. The elder son wanted to celebrate by himself, demanding a goat so he could “celebrate with my friends” without his father. He desired no relationship with his father, and the father’s joy was not his joy.

4. They Lack the Knowledge or Ability to Forgive

The religious desire to be forgiven but not want to forgive others. The elder son holds onto his bitterness and accuses the younger son of his past sins, calling him “this son of yours” and recalling how he “devoured your wealth with prostitutes”.

  • The reason they cannot forgive is that they themselves are not forgiven.
  • They are legalistic, loving cause and effect, and believe forgiveness is earned, not gifted. They believe there should be consequences for sins and that forgiveness must be earned by good deeds.
  • Fail to understand the Father’s love and care. “Child, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours”. God loves so much that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, so that we might be forgiven through faith in Him. (John 3:16) Jesus is our most precious gift from our loving Father.
  • God’s forgiveness is the complete removal of sin and guilt through Christ, both legal and relational (John 8:11). It is unearned and unconditional for those in Christ. In Christ alone are we forgiven.
  • The forgiven are humble, open to correction, and free from pride (2 Samuel 16:11).
  • Forgiveness covers a multitude of sins. Love seeks reconciliation rather than making others’ sins bigger than they need to be. Forgiveness doesn’t mean we condone sin or tolerate sin, but it means we overcome sin.
  • Forgiving others is the best way to experience the forgiveness and love of God, allowing us to understand the heart of Christ and the Father.

The religious son is not genuinely born again and therefore has not experienced or tasted the true forgiveness of God. We must seriously examine ourselves daily to ensure we are not living as the religious son, but as true believers who have been transformed internally and convicted in Christ alone.

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The Religious Son – Luke 15:25-28

In today’s passage, we are introduced to the elder son. At first glance, he appears upright and obedient, yet beneath the surface lies a spiritual condition more troubling than that of the prodigal son before his repentance. A modern illustration helps clarify this dynamic. In 2008, Rachel Lee, a teenager from Calabasas, California, seemed like any ordinary high-school student. Outwardly, she was a dutiful daughter, but privately she lived a double life. Lee became the ringleader of the “Bling Ring,” a group of seven teenagers who burglarized celebrity homes over the course of a year, stealing nearly $3 million in possessions. Her case illustrates the danger of appearances: she looked respectable, but her hidden life revealed something entirely different. Similarly, the elder son projected religious devotion while inwardly harboring sin, pride, and hypocrisy. His legalism exposed the fact that he was not a true son but merely religious, and his reaction to his brother’s return revealed his lack of relationship with the father.

A Callous Heart

The elder son’s initial response to his brother’s return was anger and hardness of heart. He could not grasp his father’s compassion because he did not share in his father’s love. Even when the father personally came and pleaded with him, the elder son refused to celebrate the forgiveness shown to his brother. His actions revealed the emptiness of outward religiosity without inward transformation. As John reminds us, “No one who denies the Son has the Father” (1 John 2:23–24). The elder son’s inability to rejoice exposed that he was not truly a child of God (1 John 3:1). Likewise, throughout history and even today, many reject the Father because they do not know or love the Son, Jesus Christ. Religion without Christ is deadly; it led people to hate and crucify Him. Yet for those who believe, Christ secures eternal fellowship with the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth.

Lack of Joy

One of the clearest marks of this emptiness is the absence of joy. Christian joy—rooted in salvation through Christ—naturally produces obedience and fellowship with Him. When the elder son approached the house and heard music and dancing, he should have recognized the joy of a household celebrating new life. Instead, he demanded an explanation from a servant, revealing his own lifelessness. In first-century Palestine, such celebrations signaled momentous occasions, but the elder son remained detached and unmoved. His blindness mirrors that of many who lack the Spirit; without true salvation, they cannot perceive the joy of heaven.

Christ, however, desires His church to be marked by joy. A joyless church risks rejection, as Christ warned the church in Ephesus in Revelation. Even as Jesus endured the cross, He did so “for the joy set before Him” (Heb. 12:2). Paul reminds us that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). As Martyn Lloyd-Jones observed, Christian joy is not fickle or circumstantial but flows from the assurance that one’s sins are forgiven and that one has been adopted into God’s family. Without that joy, one has not yet grasped the heart of Christianity.

Selective Listening

The elder son also illustrates another danger: selective listening. The self-righteous resist any truth that exposes their sin or undermines their pride. He sought only to magnify his external righteousness and rejected his father’s grace. Likewise, the religious often rely on half-truths and head knowledge rather than repentance and faith. Yet the gospel calls for more than intellectual assent. Salvation requires hearing, believing, and receiving God’s grace through Christ, which alone leads to eternal life (Rom. 6:23).

Easily Agitated

Finally, the elder son embodies the agitation and anger that flow from self-righteousness. When he refused to enter the celebration, his bitterness revealed a heart untouched by grace. He resented the father’s mercy toward his brother and failed to see his own desperate need for it. This is the hallmark of the religious but unconverted: their lives remain marked by pride, anger, and lawlessness because they have never been transformed by the Spirit.

The story of the elder son compels us to self-examination. Are we living in pride, clinging to outward religion, yet devoid of joy? Do we respond with anger and resentment rather than grace and humility? Scripture warns that no one enters heaven by religious performance or outward acts. Salvation is the free gift of God’s grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, received by faith alone. Tomorrow is not promised; today is the day of salvation. Let us examine ourselves honestly to see whether we are merely religious—or truly saved.

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True Conversion According to Christ, Part 2 – Luke 15:20-24

We’ve been exploring the characteristics of true conversion as revealed in Luke 15:20-24, focusing on the prodigal son’s return. Regeneration is an act of God, renewing the mind and changing the heart of a man for repentance. After regeneration comes conversion. True conversion is not mere profession but a genuine possession of faith, evident through a changed life and character. It marks the beginning of a struggle against the world for every Christian. Conversion is the outward display of an inward regeneration, a new direction in life, where we are justified and undergoing sanctification, though not yet glorified.

True conversion is characterized by three key elements: Self-Denial, God’s Righteousness, and Joy.

Self-Denial
True conversion initiates a journey of self-denial, where we give up our sinful desires and ambitions to live for Christ, saying “no” to our will and “yes” to God’s will. The prodigal son’s words in Luke 15:21, expressing unworthiness and a desire to be a hired servant, starkly contrast with his earlier demanding attitude in Luke 15:12-13. This shows a profound shift from self-will to humility.

  • Humility as the Foundation: Humility is the soil from which self-denial grows. It involves genuinely admitting guilt, like David in 2 Samuel 12:13, and acknowledging our inability to be righteous (Romans 3:10). This is a denial of pride and self-righteousness.
  • Continual Repentance: Self-denial is an ongoing lifestyle, not a one-time event, flowing from continuous repentance.
  • Jesus, Our Example: Jesus perfectly exemplified self-denial and humility, being obedient to the point of death, stating, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Philippians 2:8, Luke 4:20-42).

In self-denial, a truly converted person will always welcome God, His nature, and His will first.

Righteousness of God True conversion means putting on God’s righteousness and becoming like Him. God declares, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” Before conversion, the sinner is spiritually bankrupt (Proverbs 14:12); however, God’s way is to renew and restore the sinner.

The Father’s immediate response to the prodigal son illustrates God’s swift and complete restoration:

  • No Rebuke, Quick Healing: The Father does not scold or delay; His primary concern is to heal and restore the son quickly. God is ready and quick to save, not requiring a long journey or process (Acts 8:37).
  • The Best Robe: This new garment signifies honor and covers every sin, representing the righteousness of Jesus Christ that believers put on, uniting them with Christ and covering all their sin.
  • A Ring on His Hand: The ring is a sign of an heir, power, and authority, signifying permanent belonging to God, sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).
  • Sandals on His Feet: Sandals symbolize freedom and full access to God, unlike slaves who walked barefoot. We, through Christ, have complete access to God’s presence, not needing to remove our “sandals” (John 1:12, Hebrews 4:16).
  • The Fattened Calf: This special calf, reserved for momentous celebrations, represents God’s abundant, sweet, and limitless grace (Hosea 14:1,4). It demonstrates how God makes us righteous in His righteousness.

This righteousness is transferred to the sinner through saving faith. Saving faith is not just an intellectual belief but a life-transforming reliance on Jesus Christ. It acknowledges Jesus as the only way and is evidenced by obedience: “faith without works is dead”. True saving faith brings a quick and continuous change from the inside out, leading to a life lived on God’s terms, not our own.

Joy True conversion brings profound joy, both to God and to the converted.

  • Heaven’s Joy: There is immense joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7, 10, 23-24). God rejoices over the lost being found and the dead coming to life, understanding that being spiritually dead and lost is the “worst of the worst” condition (Luke 15:23-24).
  • Jesus’ Joy: Jesus Himself, “for the joy set before Him, endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2), finding joy in the salvation of the lost and dead, even amidst His suffering.
  • Our Joy: If God is joyful, we should also be. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, not something we conjure up ourselves, but something we must actively seek by spending time in God’s presence, His Word, and prayer.
  • Cultivating Joy: Lacking joy can stem from a lack of assurance of salvation, neglecting devotion, a lack of gratitude for God’s forgiveness, a lack of expectation for future glory, or misunderstanding trials and suffering. We can experience deeper joy by understanding God’s faithfulness through trials (James 1:2-4) and continually seeking His presence.

True conversion, therefore, encompasses self-denial rooted in humility, the imputation of God’s righteousness through saving faith, and an active, Spirit-given joy that reflects God’s own delight in salvation. May we reflect on our salvation and examine whether we have these characteristics. May we also remember that we are called to cultivate and develop these characteristics as we grow in Christ.

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True Conversion According to Christ – Luke 15:21

Before true conversion can take place, there must first be regeneration—the inward work of salvation that forms the foundation of genuine faith. Put simply, without regeneration, there is no authentic conversion. Salvation begins with this inner transformation and then becomes visible outwardly in the believer’s life. In today’s passage, particularly verse 21, Pastor Paul highlights what it means to be converted and what ultimately causes conversion.

True conversion is not a vague feeling but a concrete reality. Just as the Holy Spirit stirred the prodigal son to rise and return to his father (v. 20), so too does the Spirit initiate action in the sinner. Regeneration is monergistic—the Spirit works alone—while conversion is synergistic, as God’s grace moves the sinner to respond in repentance and faith. Like sheep that often wander, sinners repeatedly stray, yet are drawn back to Christ through salvation, turning from sin and redirecting their lives toward God (1 Peter 2:5).

C.H. Spurgeon captures this relationship between regeneration and conversion:

“Regeneration and conversion, the one the secret cause and the other the first overt effect, produce a great change in the character…. And as there is a change in character, so there is a change in feeling. The man had been an enemy to God before; but when this change takes place, he begins to love God…. Conversion is the beginning of a life-long conflict; it is the first blow in a warfare which will never end till we are in glory.”

Marks of genuine conversion include:

  • A deep hatred of sin and a sensitive conscience toward it, accompanied by the desire to please God through faith.
  • A transformation of mind and nature that loves Christ and seeks to live according to God’s will.
  • A childlike faith (Matthew 18:3).
  • A daily reliance on the resurrection of Jesus as the center of Christian life.

But how does a sinner come to be converted to Christ? Conversion is possible only by God’s grace. When grace is fully applied to the heart, it becomes God’s effectual call to repentance. This grace was already at work in the prodigal son’s heart long before he reached his father’s home. Even in the far country, God’s grace was preparing him to return. In the same way, God’s grace works in sinners before repentance takes root, shining its light into their hearts.

As the prodigal son repented and set out for home, his father saw him from afar. The father’s love had already chosen restoration; his heart was waiting in compassion to receive him. God’s love operates in the same way—grace and compassion make repentance possible. However heavy the sin, God’s grace abounds even more.

The father’s swift embrace and kiss symbolize this truth. God’s grace is never sluggish or hesitant; it comes quickly, covering guilt and sin with strength and love. Frederick Lehman beautifully expressed it:

“The love (grace) of God is greater far, than tongue or pen can ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell. The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave his Son to win. His erring child he reconciled and pardoned from his sin.”

This kiss signifies reconciliation—the forgiveness of sins, the restoration of a relationship, and the gift of a new beginning. As John MacArthur explains,

“Here in this father the Lord Jesus Christ presents Himself, the one who left the glory of heaven, came to earth and bore the shame and humility to embrace repentant sinners, who come to Him in faith, and give them complete forgiveness and reconciliation.”

It is vital to remember that repentance alone does not merit salvation. Repentance without grace has no power, and grace without repentance bears no fruit. Grace is the cause; repentance is its effect. The prodigal son illustrates this:

  • He knew his sin was ultimately against God the Father.
  • He understood that the fear of God outweighed all other fears.
  • He recognized that sin leads to eternal death.
  • He showed thanksgiving and humility, without which repentance cannot endure.

Thus, the story calls us to self-examination. Is our conversion genuine, grounded in God’s grace through the Spirit’s regenerating work? The truly converted continually turn their gaze toward God, just as a sunflower follows the sun. May we strive to bear fruit for His glory, relying wholly on His grace.

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Genuine Repentance: The Sure Sign of Regeneration – Luke 15:17-20

Introduction

When God regenerates a sinner, they must have real, genuine repentance. This is the sure sign of regeneration and part of their assurance of salvation. While this message goes over the points of repentance, it might cause us to question whether we are real Christians or not. However, its purpose is not to create doubt but to place our salvation firmly on Jesus, who has done everything for us. Regeneration means to be made new, to be born again, and it is a gift of God.

Consider the story of Lucinda Wilson, who went to jail for being suspected of murdering her fiancé’s ex-girlfriend. After three months in jail, she was released due to insufficient evidence. She began attending Bible study and became a Christian. After her conversion, she confessed to her church and to the public that she had indeed murdered the woman. She remains in jail to this day, serving a life sentence, paying the punishment for her crime. This is the sign of a true Christian — understanding and willing to sacrifice even their very life for the sake of repentance.

There are many nominal Christians who may be steady, consistent, and knowledgeable, yet they show no sign of regeneration. They go to church. They look like a Christian and act like a Christian. Those who have not repented are pretending. They are not born-again because regeneration results in true repentance.

Signs of True Repentance

A Changed Mind

Genuine repentance brought by regeneration (new birth) alters the mind of the sinner 180 degrees. The sinner’s direction is completely reversed. Repentance starts with the sinner’s mind first. This is a sudden and immediate change, not a gradual one. Ephesians 4:17-20 shows us the unregenerate unbeliever. Their minds are darkened and given over to every kind of impurity. Luke 15:17 says, “When he came to himself”. The prodigal son came to his senses. Before this moment, he had done whatever he wanted, living a life of unbridled sin. But suddenly, he came to himself. This is regeneration.

Regeneration is monergistic, meaning God acts alone. It is not like conversion which is synergistic, involving both God and man. Regeneration is completely done by God alone. Regeneration precedes faith and starts in the mind. The son’s understanding and view of his father is now different. “How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!” Before, in verse 12, the son hated his father and wanted nothing to do with him. He probably considered his father a tyrant and left. When someone is regenerated, they gain a new view of God. They turn toward God and see Him as loving and merciful. Consider Moses. He was a murderer who rejected God and escaped to the desert for 40 years. But later in Exodus 34:6, Moses declares, “Yahweh, Yahweh, God who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding with loyal love and faithfulness”. Regeneration first changes our view of God.

Fear of Death and Judgement

Regeneration causes a fear of death. Before being regenerated, the son lived life as he pleased without fear of consequences or death. This is how society lives today—doing whatever they want without fearing death. But death is terrifying because after death comes judgment. “I am dying here with hunger” represents spiritual death. Many Christian testimonies include the sudden realization of God’s judgment and becoming fearful of death. John 3:18 reminds us that we all face judgment. John Bunyan cried out, “My soul is dying, my soul is damning.” When God changes someone’s mind, they develop a fear of death and judgment.

Why is this process important? Without it, we cannot be genuine Christians. Consider Simon, the famous magician in the book of Acts. Simon believed and was baptized because he saw the miracles, but his salvation was based on the signs and not on repentance. So was Simon born again? Acts 8:19 shows that Simon was still pursuing the same power and magic arts. His mind was not changed, so his actions did not change. A changed mind leads to changed action.

A Desire for Accountability

True repentance wants to be held accountable. Returning to Lucinda Wilson’s story, she could have continued her life as a Christian. She had repented to God, so shouldn’t that be sufficient? The case was cold. Yet, by true repentance, she wanted accountability; therefore, she confessed to her church and to the police. We see in the modern church a repentance that doesn’t lead to change. People repent, but nothing changes. True repentance leads to accountability. Another example is Zacchaeus who desired to repay anyone he had wronged and give half his possessions to the poor. Zacchaeus’s desire to right his wrongs was not his earning salvation but the result of his repentance, showing his desire for restitution (Luke 19:8). Jesus accepted Zacchaeus’s repentance (Luke 19:9). In Luke 15:18, the prodigal son decides to return to his father. No matter how he might be received or what he might have to endure, he desired to confess to his father.

“I have sinned against heaven”. Sin is serious because it goes against God. “Every sin is an act of cosmic treason, a futile attempt to dethrone God in His sovereign authority.” (R. C. Sproul) Even earthly nations treat treason with capital punishment. Sin is treason against God. Because of its seriousness, we must confess every day. God remembers every sin. No sin is too small. Matthew 12:36 reminds us that we will give account for every careless word. God is sovereign, omniscient, and omnipresent. Even before there is a word on our tongue, He knows it all (Psalm 139:4). True repentance takes sin seriously and desires accountability. The accountability also portrays the power of God’s grace, when even the most wicked sins are confessed because they have been forgiven.

Humility

True Christians try to be humble in all circumstances. If we mess up, do we ask for forgiveness? This is a sign of humility. How do we know the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was qualified and accepted by God the Father? Whatever happened with Jesus and to Jesus, he dealt with it in humility. Everything He did was done in humility, from His birth, to His ministry, to His death and resurrection.

The prodigal son confesses, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” The son no longer claims any right to any title. He can only ask, actually demand, to be made a servant. Humility is a sign of true repentance.

The Apostle Paul was also humble. In Romans 7:24, he wanted to be righteous but admitted in reality that he was a wretched man. Paul’s humility began at his conversion (1 Timothy 1:15). Humility is not learned but given with our born-again life. Christians are not called to be like Christ by our effort, but we are given all that we are at our new birth. Richard Baxter wrote, “The very design of the gospel is to abase us; and the work of grace is begun and carried on in humiliation. Humility is not a mere ornament of a Christian, but an essential part of the new creature. It is a contradiction in terms, to be a Christian, and not humble…” Christians are not trying to be humble. We start off humble if we truly are born again and have true repentance.

Conclusion

We are all prodigal sons. Since Adam and Eve sinned, the bridge with God has been burned. All of us are sinners committing treason against God. True repentance is surrendering on Jesus’ terms and submitting to Him. Regeneration is a gift of God. Without true repentance caused by regeneration, we cannot be called Christians.

To those who are not born again, we continually pray for them and share the gospel. As we understand the precious gift of regeneration, we show the world that by God’s mercy, they too will be regenerated.

The story of the prodigal son is not just a parable. It’s our story. It’s the story of every sinner who has been regenerated by God’s grace and brought to genuine repentance. May we all examine our hearts to ensure we have experienced this supernatural work of God that transforms our minds, gives us a proper fear of judgment, and leads us to humble accountability before our Heavenly Father.

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The Power of Regeneration – Luke 15:11-17

Without regeneration, humanity inevitably falls into insanity and reckless living. No one can escape the power of sin and death by their own efforts. Left to ourselves, only divine justice would remain, for without regeneration every person breaks God’s law.

The parable of the prodigal son illustrates this truth vividly. The younger son violated both social and moral norms by demanding his inheritance before his father’s death—an act that symbolized dishonor and rebellion. Not only did he reject his father’s authority, but he also pursued the fleeting pleasures of the world. After receiving his portion, he journeyed to a distant country where he squandered his wealth in reckless indulgence (Luke 15:13). His situation worsened when a severe famine struck the land, leaving him destitute (v. 14). In the biblical context, famine was often perceived as a sign of divine warning or judgment.

In desperate times, sinners often misdiagnose the root cause of their suffering. The prodigal, seeing his situation only as financial, sought employment under a local citizen (v. 15). Yet his true problem was spiritual, not material. Like unbelievers in every generation, he turned to human solutions while ignoring the only answer—God. Scripture makes it clear: salvation is never achieved through human effort or righteousness, but only through God’s mercy and the washing of rebirth by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). Though he worked to earn a wage, his degradation was such that he longed to eat the food given to swine—animals considered utterly unclean by Jewish law.

His physical hunger mirrored a deeper spiritual hunger. Though once surrounded by companions when he had wealth, he now found himself alone, abandoned, and on the brink of death. This loneliness, shame, and desperation symbolized his spiritual state: estrangement from God and impending eternal death.

The true cause of his downfall was sin. Sin leads to folly, for wisdom is found only in the Lord. Like the prodigal, sinners are driven into humiliation, misery, and destruction. The ultimate outcome of sin is eternal punishment: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Regeneration, by contrast, is a spiritual resurrection. It is the Holy Spirit who awakens the soul, bringing awareness of spiritual death and the need for new life. In verse 17, we see the Spirit at work when the prodigal “came to his senses.” Prior to this, he had exhausted every means of escape based on his own reasoning, yet failed miserably. The turning point comes only through God’s grace, for regeneration precedes and produces true conversion.

Those who are born again are born of God. As Scripture testifies, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them” (1 John 3:9). William Gurnall captures this distinction memorably: “A sheep may fall into a ditch, but it is the swine that wallows in it.” Regeneration is solely the work of the Spirit, as Jesus taught in John 3:8: “The wind blows where it wishes… so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” The Spirit alone causes the sinner to recognize his lost condition and awakens him to new life.

Theologians have called this view of regeneration monergism—the belief that only God can impart spiritual life. As R.C. Sproul explains, “Regeneration must happen before we can put our trust in Christ. Before we can reach out for the life preserver, we must first be given life.” Without God’s sovereign initiative, faith itself would be impossible.

The doctrine of regeneration is therefore central to salvation. Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Spiritual blindness renders a person incapable of perceiving God’s reign or submitting to His rule. Only regeneration opens the eyes, granting both the vision of the kingdom and the capacity to live as God’s people.

The prodigal’s failure to “self-regenerate” underscores a universal truth: no sinner can raise himself from spiritual death. Just as a corpse cannot revive itself, so too humanity is helpless apart from the life-giving power of God. After the Fall, Adam and Eve transmitted a sinful nature to all their descendants, leaving humanity in a state of enmity against God. Yet Christ, the “last Adam,” came as a life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45). A.W. Pink describes regeneration as “the bringing of a soul out of spiritual death into spiritual life—a new creation, bringing something out of nothing.”

Conversion naturally follows regeneration. Whether immediate or gradual, the regenerated soul is drawn irresistibly to faith in Christ. True conversion is evident in a life that clings to the word of life (Philippians 2:16), hears Christ’s voice (John 5:25), takes refuge in God (Psalm 34:8), and develops a prayerful dependence on His grace. Such transformation is the unmistakable mark of those who have been born again by the Spirit of God.

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