Brothers, if anyone is entangled in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness, being careful for yourselves so you also are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:1-2
The parable of the prodigal son, recorded in Luke 15, is familiar and well-loved. Many people see it as a salvation story, illustrating how an unregenerate person turns to God. But others understand the prodigal to represent a regenerate person, because he is a son and has received his inheritance. If the latter interpretation is correct, then this would not be a story of his salvation, but of his restoration.
In this parable, we see the father’s forgiveness and full restoration of his repentant son. What we also see is a brother, resentful of and opposed to the restoration of his brother. The unforgiving older brother does a shameful thing to his father by refusing to attend the feast because of his resentment and condemnation towards his brother. What we do not see is that older son searching all the way to the pig-sty to go to his brother, showing him his fault in a loving spirit of forgiveness, inviting him to full restoration in his father’s household.
How often we, in the Body of Christ, are like that older brother! We should be the emissaries of our Father, going to our brother who has sinned and distanced himself in relationship from his Father and from the household of his Father. If we would go to him with a spirit of love and gentleness and forgiveness, we would have the opportunity to lighten the burden of his sin by taking the question of our forgiveness of him off the table, and in so doing, reassuring him of the unquestioned forgiveness of our heavenly Father, if he will only turn from his sin and return to the Lord. Instead, we do not go to him. We judge him. We think he should pay for what he has done. We don’t like the idea that he would receive full pardon and restoration by our Father, and we insult our Father when we refuse to join in the celebration of that restoration. We add to the burden of his sin rather than bearing it with him.
Do you have a brother eating with the pigs? Have you hesitated to go to him? Have you judged him deserving of what he is bringing on himself? In the words of Paul from Romans 2:4, “Do you disregard the riches of God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that His kindness leads to repentance?”
Consider today how you might be an instrument of God’s kindness to that brother. Can you envision a way that you might go to him and, not only help him realize the degradation of the sin in which he has been living, but to see the grace and mercy of God if he will just turn back to his Father?
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20