Bible Studies

The Vices Of The Prodigal Son

by Olawale Ogunsola
11/04/23
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In part onebout the Prodigal Son, we examined the virtues of the person involved. As bad, or wasteful, as he was, he had certain attributes worthy of emulation, even as a Christian.

Here, a discussion of the vices that earned him the notorious name, "The Prodigal Son" will be undertaken. In Christ's story of the family of a father and his two sons, the Lord only mentioned what he did; He did not give him any name or appellations as contained in Luke chapter fifteen.

He was born once into the family because a child cannot be born into the same family twice. What can happen to a child is that he may lose his rights and privileges in the family, permanently or temporarily.

What were the vices of this son of his father? Here we go:
["13]“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living.
[14]About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve." Luke 15. New Living Translation (NLT).

What the NLT calls "wild living" is translated as "riotous living by King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible. Going by the statement above, the vices are:
*He went out of cover. He left his place of safety where there was a parental cover. He left his save Haven to expose himself to every youthful danger. No one could caution him of any impending danger. He was available for any invasion of the enemy of his soul.

The same was experienced by Dinah, the lone daughter of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. When she went out of the camp of Israel, his father, a Prince of the gentile saw her, took her and he defiled her.

As a son of the Living God are you not also hungry to leave your place of safety in Jesus Christ? In Christ, you are under the cover of the blood of Jesus Christ and instructions of the Living Manual, the Holy Bible. Not only that, faithful Ministers are available to guide and protect you and all your substances. Do not desire to leave your safe, Haven.

**Another vice of the Prodigal Son is that he gathered all his substances to depart to an unknown place. He had no second thought of any eventuality not planned for. He had no plan for the unknown. No provision for unforeseen circumstances. He went away with all his possessions without any leftovers to fall back on.

Are you not guilty of this vice also? Do you expose all your substances to every available danger? Do you protect all your substances? Do you preserve some of them when the need arises? Take this into consideration all the time so that you will not end up like the Prodigal Son.

***He went to a far country. He did not stay near so that he could easily stage a comeback home. A far country where he had nobody. A far country where he knew nobody to consult for anything.  A far country where he did not understand their culture or customs. He had no understanding of their way of life. A far country.

Where do you plan to go away from Christ? The farther you go, the more dangers you are bound to face. You want to walk in a terrain you know nothing about. How easy do you think that will be? Do not chase bitterness of heart. Remain with the Lord Jesus Christ.

****Wastages was his stock in trade. If he had invested all his possessions in a business and suffered losses, he would have had some pity. On what did he waste his possessions?  The older brother gave an idea of what consumed his substances:  "squandering your money on prostitutes!’(verse 30).

In other words, it can be said that he wasted his possessions on the pleasure of life. All his substances were taken away by the things of the world.

Beloved Pilgrim, are you not guilty of the same? Are you sure that if you are blessed by your Heavenly Father, you will not squander it on mundane things?

Let me draw this to a close by the experience of certain children of God a few years ago. They were burning for the Gospel and they requested the funds to preach the gospel. After some days, the Lord told them that there were some of His people who made the same request years earlier. He told them that He granted their hearts' desire but those people betrayed Him. That is a group of God's people there for you. They also read the story of the Prodigal Son but they also became "Wasteful People".

Beloved Pilgrim, are you sure that if the Lord blesses you, wastages will not take control of your life? Ask God to put His fear in you as well as His love. This has to be followed by having the ability to contact Him before taking any decision or step. Follow the instructions He gives you daily. Only then will you not disappoint your God. Stay blessed and prepared for the imminent coming of the Lord.
Scripture refrences:

Luke 15: 13-14; Genesis 34.