Here is a single word that changes everything: BUT. Jesus, however, continues the story with an amazing redemption for this pathetic son. His mind clicks. When the son came to himself he realized that his sin was not only against his earthly father but in the deepest sense against heaven, that is, against God himself. I do not believe, however, that it was any human conscience that caused this son to realize his sin. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that people can realize their mistakes and try to change it. In Biblical sense, the consciousness of realizing one’s sin that moves him or her to repentance can only be done by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the son was deeply sorrowful for the foolish mistake he made for walking his own way and finds words to say to his father before he sees him.
The Father sees his son at the distance. He runs to embrace him and love him. The son confesses his sin to him, and the father throws a party for him because he “was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”
Some of us have went to church only during for Sunday school. Somehow this world (e.g. videogame, girlfriend, boyfriend, partying, smoking, getting drunk) was more attractive than God; therefore, we chose to walk away from God and indulge in this world. At the end of the day, this world leaves you nothing but suffering and emptiness. However, no matter where we are at with God, we are either a friend of Him or a foe. Not everyone will have this “BUT” in their lives where they realize what in the world they are doing with their lives. Some will continuously be stiff-necked, stubborn, and arrogant to continue their folly, which in the end leads them to their destruction – hell.
Tommy Wong 