Review

I re-read The Prodigal God by Tim Keller on Sunday. I’m not entirely sure why I re-read it, though. My first time through, parts of the book tweaked me, and I wanted to revisit the book to see what my problem is. Basically, the book is analysis of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which Keller says should be renamed the Parable of the Two Lost Sons because both sons are lost and that calling one prodigal betrays the definition of prodigal “recklessly spendthrift”. Keller argues that, in this a parable, God is the Prodigal One, spending recklessly to reconcile His children to Him. On that point I completely agree. I had never though of this parable in this way until I heard Keller preach on this passage (Luke 15:11-32) and then read this book. I’m truly grateful to have my eyes opened to this.

However, throughout reading the book I felt defensiveness growing up in me. Keller contrasts the younger brother, who lived a life of selfishness, with the elder brother, who lived a life of self-righteousness. In fact, Keller seems to portray the elder brother as the worse of the brothers, primarily because he never reconciles with his father and continues to keep him at arms length. Is my defensiveness because I see much of the elder brother in myself? Am I really trying to keep rules in order to manage God? I was stung by these two quotes

Careful obedience to God’s law may serve as a strategy for rebelling against God (Page 37)

If, like the elder brother, you seek to control God through your obedience, then all your morality is just a way to use God to make him give you the things in life you really want. (Page 39)

I don’t know if I act like an elder brother or not, but the fact that I had such a reaction to this book tells me that there may be much of the elder brother in my soul. I need to constantly die to self and obey God not out of a desire to control Him but out of a appreciation and love.

More Quotes

If the preaching of our minsters and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did. If our churches aren’t appealing to younger brothers, they must be more full of elder brothers than we’d like to think. (Page 15)

Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life. (Page 43)

Mercy and forgiveness must be free and unmerited to the wrongdoer. If the wrongdoer has to do something to merit it, then it isn’t mercy, but forgiveness always comes at a cost to the one granting forgiveness (Page 83)

Rather, he (Jesus) is saying that the inevitable sign that you know you are a sinner saved by sheer, costly grace is a sensitive social conscience and a life poured out in deeds of service to the poor. Younger brothers are too selfish and elder brothers are too self-righteous to care for the poor. (Page 112)

If we say “I believe in Jesus” but it doesn’t affect the way we live, the answer is not that now we need to add hard work to our faith so much as that we haven’t truly understood or believed in Jesus at all. (Page 124)