“從此就顯出誰是神的兒女，誰是魔鬼的兒女：凡不行義的就不屬神，不愛弟兄的也是如此。” 約翰一書３：１０失落的兒子與以色列國的歷史無不相同，他們雖被稱為“受撿選的民”，但卻周期性地在很長的時間裏把神的產業浪費在他們自己罪性的欲望裏。于是神帶領他們走過“曠野”，使他們謙卑，領他們悔改。
失落的兒子也有這個“曠野”的經歷──去放豬──這使得他悔改。曠野的經歷給人帶來悔改所必需的謙卑。甚至耶穌也代替我們，被帶到曠野去受魔鬼的試探。他對魔鬼的回答之一引用的就是申命記裏關于以色列人的曠野的經歷的經文：“他苦煉你，任你飢餓，將你和你列祖所不認識的嗎哪賜給你吃，使你知道，人活著不是單靠食物，乃是靠耶和華口裏所出的一切話。” 申命記８：３謙卑是所有品質中最重要的。因為謙卑總能把人帶回到神那裏。然而，注意到他悔改的動機并不一定總是可嘉的，而是自私的。但無論如何，這是接受神。因為悔改并非是徹底無罪的，而只是有足夠的謙卑，能夠認識到自己的罪，以及罪的害處。
所以我認為大兒子代表法利賽人之類的人，雖人他們覺得按自己的行為來說他們是“義人”，但從他們不愿饒恕的態度上講其實是不義的。事實上，這整個“失落”系列是這樣在路加福音第十五章裏開始的： 眾稅吏和罪人，都挨近耶穌要聽他講道。法利賽人和文士私下議論說：“這個人接待罪人，又同他們吃飯。” 路加福音１５：１，２
名義上的基督徒有兩種──無法的和墨守律法的。（其實有三種──但我認為“自由派”的人太偏異了，已不能算作“基督徒”了）一般說來，無法的基督徒愿意接受基督為救主，但不愿接受他為主，墨守律法愿意接受基督為主，但不愿接受基督為救主。當然，他們也許會在言語上接受，但行為卻是另一個樣子。因為我們的行為所表現出的是我們真實的信仰。
Rap| A man had two sons and the younger one
Wanted just to have some fun So he asked his father to give him his share Of his estate as it seemed fair. Then he went away and spent all he had On wild living being really bad But suddenly a famine came on the land For which he wasn't prepared beforehand He got a job feeding swine And though he was used to drinking wine He wanted to eat along with the pigs But he got nothing, no wheat or figs Then he finally came to his senses After he considered his consequences "My father's workers have food to spare, I'm starving to death while I'm working here. I'll go back to my father and say this too: I've sinned against heaven and against you. I'm not worthy to be called your son For I lost that right just to have some fun. Make me like one of your hired men." Then he got up and went home again. But while he was still a long way away
The older son was in the field.
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