6. Adoption
As the younger son travels home by faith, the father, filled with love and compassion, comes running and embraces him! The father saw the son’s steps of repentance and came running to meet him where he was at, displaying his unconditional acceptance for children who choose the road less traveled. The father didn’t withhold love from his son or demand repayment for the squandered inheritance — He loved him unconditionally!
Mercy is not getting the punishment you deserve, while grace is undeserved kindness – doing wrong yet getting an unexpected blessing in return. After the boy confesses to the father, the father bestows grace on his child, blessing him with a robe, a ring, and sandals for his feet.
Each gift given to the son has eternal significance:
The robe represents righteousness, a covering for the younger son’s past sin. With this gift, the father is saying, “Your sins are covered – paid in full!” The prophet Isaiah wrote, “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10).
The signet ring represents a new identity. No longer was the younger son to be identified by his old, sin nature, “in Adam,” but as his new nature, “in Christ.” The young boy is now identified as a child of God, a saint, holy and adopted into the household of faith, an heir to God’s Kingdom! (The Apostle Paul describes believers, those with faith in God’s restorative plan, as saints, holy, and holy ones over 200 times in the New Testament).
The sandals represent the ability to walk in a new way. In those days, slaves were not given shoes. With this gift, the father was conveying to his son, “You are no longer a slave to this world. You are now given the ability to walk in a new way, on the path of righteousness.”
After the father bestows these precious gifts to his son, he welcomes him into the household of faith, kills the fattened calf, and throws a reunion party. Jesus, while speaking to his disciples, says, “There is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:7). Heaven throws a welcome home party every time a repentant child is transferred from the kingdom of darkness to God’s Kingdom — the kingdom of light!
CHAPTER INDEX: Introduction | The Prodigal Story | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Who are you in God’s Story?