Two Prodigal Sons in One Family

In the account of the prodigal son in the Bible, most people think there was only one prodigal in that family who left and spent his wealth on himself, but there were really two prodigals in that family. The one who left and the one who stayed.

Let's not forget the son who stayed with his father but was disrespectful to him. He stayed because it was a benefit to himself and not to honor the father or he would have gone to the celebration for the other son as his father requested. There were actually two prodigals in that family.

Luke 15:11-32

Obedience reluctantly is not obedience. Obedience with a right heart pleases God.

Proverbs 23:7

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you."

Matthew 15:7-9 "…7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: 8‘ These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ ”…"

Our lips and our actions may appear to be right but if there is an ulterior motive of self-protection rather than love for God then there is deceptiveness. Manipulation of the feelings of others to gain something for ourselves is a sin.

Many people in our culture are not honest, they spend their lives attempting to impress others but have little concern about pleasing God.

We know them by their fruit, they are rude and mean to those they think are beneath them and all smiles and flattery to those they wish to impress who they think are popular or important people. They are quite easy to spot if you have ever been a scapegoat, the one who was treated disrespectfully by those who want to control us.

We are given these stories in the Bible to show us that just because someone is obeying their Father does not mean they have a right heart.

Proverbs 15:1-33

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent."