FOOLS ARE FOUND EVERYWHERE. In The Bible There Is A Story About A Foolish Son Who Wastes His Inheritance. Having an inheritance and throwing it away is what the first man Adam did.

What is a prodigal child?

Harry Riches · Answers

A prodigal child is someone like myself. In fact, when I became a Christian, just before I saw Lord Jesus Christ, a loud voice said, "My prodigal son." Since I was the only person in the room I assumed the voice was addressing me.

Why is a prodigal child someone like myself? To be honest, I have had so much good fortune in my life that I have squandered on foolish activities that I assume this is why I was called: "My prodigal son."

What is worse, having been called "prodigal" and learning that this meant that I could be God's foolish son, has not been easy. After having become a Christian, I have done so many foolish things that I am ashamed to tell all. The many experiences that I have had in the spiritual realm and the good fortune that also has come my way which I have somehow managed to squander so foolishly is heart-breaking. Yet the amazing thing is I possess an ever-abiding joy within.

The amounts of money that have through my own hands, and some of the decisions that I have made, must break the heart of the Lord God. What is worse, I think of the testimony I always expected to have that would glorify God. Instead, I have been a complete failure and brought more dishonor to the name of the Lord God rather than glory. Yet, amazingly, this joy within my heart has never left me regardless of my foolishness. The love of God through Lord Jesus Christ is amazing.

I think it could be possible that when I heard that voice call me, "My prodigal son," that our Heavenly Father was telling me that he cares for the ungodly because nobody asked to be born into this world of sinfulness and suffering only to eventually die. In this respect, everyone of us are children of God, only having been born descendants of Adam, we are prodigals and not righteous children of God. Still, God gives us joy, if we truly want salvation.

Adam was a prodigal son of God. He made the wrong decision and decided to walk by sight rather than walk by faith. When we walk by sight, we follow the Creation, rather than the Creator. To follow the Creator, we have to exercise faith. Faith comes from hearing, not by sight.

The prodigal child, from a biblical perspective, would have to be someone who walked by sight rather than faith. Yet, the Father loves the prodigal child and receives each one who is a prodigal child with joy.

Only those who walk by faith can be righteous in the eyes of God. Those who walk by faith accept the evidence that testifies to Creation having been created by the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent God.

Those who do not walk by faith say, "Where is God, I cannot see Him," as if He were a finite creature like themselves. In their ignorance (or is it just mere arrogance) they like to tell God what they think of His Creation and if they were Him, they would do a better job.

However, once we understand that faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the Word of God, we begin to seek God out more. The more we seek the Lord God, the more we begin to realize He loves us. Maybe this is the reason a prodigal child experiences the joy of salvation.

The story of the two sons that is often referred to as "The Prodigal Son" is also thought that it should be entitled "The Loving Father". This is because the father of the prodigal son welcomes his son back after he had squandered his inheritance. The father did not spurn his son. He actually threw a party for him, he was so pleased that his son had returned. Likewise our Heavenly Father longs for us to return to Him. And as the lamb was slain in the story of the story of the returning prodigal son, so too was Jesus, the Lamb of God, slain for our sake, so that we could partake of our Heavenly Father's good pleasure and experience the continual joy of salvation.

In all, I feel I have squandered my inheritance in God. This is what I think a prodigal child does. A prodigal child squanders the inheritance that God has given. Whether the child realizes what has happened and returns is another matter. For this is when a prodigal child becomes wise. Those who become wise cease to be foolish. From what has happened in my life, I can only say that as a prodigal son, Lord Jesus is my hope, my wisdom, my justification, my righteousness, my sanctification, my salvation, my all in all. Without Lord Jesus Christ, I have nothing at all. In knowing Lord Jesus, I possess the assurance of salvation, because I possess the joy of salvation.

• Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (Psalm 51:12)
• Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. (Habakkuk 3:18)

A true prodigal child realizes what was missed and appreciates what has been restored; therefore, the joy is all the more, greater than before.

Blessed Is The One Who Delights In The Law Of The Lord