The last of these illustrations revolves around three principal characters, a father and his two sons. The father represents Jehovah God; the older son, the scribes and Pharisees, and the younger son, the sinners and tax collectors. Being Jews, the sinners, tax collectors, Pharisees and scribes were all brothers and members of a nation that was in a covenant relationship with God. But the Jews had not kept God’s law perfectly and, therefore, all of them, including the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes, needed to repent and come into a right standing with God by accepting Christ Jesus. (Compare Acts 2:38; Romans 3:9-12.) The illustration of Jesus thus reflected actual circumstances and showed what was required to gain God’s forgiveness.

THE CONDITION OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE ASTRAY

10. How are many today like the younger son of Jesus’ illustration?

¹⁰ A considerable number of persons today have taken a course much like that of the younger son when leaving his father’s house.a Some, to escape temporary abuse or persecution from friends, relatives or others, have abandoned true worship. Others have preferred the course of independence from God because of wanting to engage in the very things that are condemned by him, including sexual immorality, thievery and drunkenness. (1 Cor. 6:9, 10) Still others, believing that serving Jehovah takes too much time away from the pursuit of pleasure or hinders one from getting ahead in the world, have stopped their study of the Bible. Regardless of whatever other reasons there may be, those who have held back from doing the divine will or who have stopped doing it show that there is something more important or worth while to them than faithfully serving their Creator.

11, 12. What is the condition of those who have gone astray?

¹¹ All such persons are spiritually famished and far removed from Jehovah God, as if in a distant country. They are a part of Satan’s world and in slavery to him, for “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) Compared with the service of the Creator, their slavery to Satan and his world is no more rewarding than the job of herding swine (animals that were unclean according to the terms of the Mosaic law) would have been for a Jew in the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Those who have chosen to lead a debauched life as adulterers, fornicators, homosexuals, thieves, and the like, are in a state of spiritual ruin and degradation.

¹² While many who are no longer associating with God’s people may not be leading a debauched life, they have, nevertheless, lost much. Devoid of spirituality, their life is often one of constant frustration. Not infrequently does their desire to get ahead in the world lead them to adopt dishonest business practices. (Compare Proverbs 28:20.) Often they devote so much time and energy to maintain a position in the world that their children are left without needed guidance and discipline. As a result many eventually have to endure the pain that comes from seeing their children take a wayward course and ruin their lives. The experience of those who become involved with material things to the exclusion of true worship is well summed up by the apostle Paul: “Those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.”​—1 Tim. 6:9, 10.

RETURNING TO JEHOVAH

13. What can those who see themselves in the position of the prodigal son do to improve their situation?

¹³ Those who see themselves in the position of the prodigal son, however, need not remain in this wretched state. But, like the prodigal son, they can put forth efforts to return to the house of their Father and to his service. This includes heartfelt repentance, abandoning their independent course and petitioning God for forgiveness of their sin. This agrees with the words of the prophet Jeremiah regarding those who had experienced, not God’s forgiveness, but his adverse judgment for failing to repent of their transgressions: “Do let us search out our ways and explore them, and do let us return clear to Jehovah. Let us raise our heart along with our palms to God in the heavens: ‘We ourselves have transgressed, and we have behaved rebelliously.”’​—Lam. 3:40-42.

14. What feelings may some have about returning to Jehovah?

¹⁴ For many who no longer share in Jehovah’s service the way back may seem very difficult. Ashamed and fearing that they might not be accepted in a loving manner, they may dread the thought of having to face persons who have continued to serve Jehovah faithfully. Possibly those who have strayed have not prayed to Jehovah for a long time and, in view of what they have done, perhaps feel that they are not fit to live and could never gain God’s forgiveness. Are such fears warranted? Not at all. Jesus’ illustration and the many historical examples of Jehovah’s forgiving the transgressions of his people prove that his mercy is extended to all persons who return to him with a complete heart.

15. How does the case of Manasseh illustrate that Jehovah forgives in a large way?

¹⁵ A case in point is Judean King Manasseh. The Scriptural record concerning his sins reads: “He went on to build altars to all the army of the heavens in two courtyards of the house of Jehovah. And he made his own son pass through the fire, and he practiced magic and looked for omens and made spirit mediums and professional foretellers of events. He did on a large scale what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes, to offend him. And there was also innocent blood that Manasseh shed in very great quantity, until he had filled Jerusalem from end to end.” (2 Ki. 21:5, 6, 16) Finally, when Manasseh found himself a captive in Babylon, he repented and kept praying to Jehovah. Despite Manasseh’s former conduct, Jehovah “heard his request for favor and restored him to Jerusalem to his kingship.” (2 Chron. 33:11-13) Few persons have acted as wickedly as did King Manasseh and, yet, on the basis of his repentance, he became a recipient of Jehovah’s mercy.

16. Can God’s forgiveness extend to spirit-anointed Christians who become involved in serious wrongdoing?

¹⁶ Centuries later, a spirit-anointed Christian in the congregation at Corinth, Greece, practiced sexual immorality with the wife of his father. The presence of this incestuous man endangered the spiritual welfare of the entire congregation and, therefore, the apostle Paul directed that he be expelled. (1 Cor. 5:1, 7-13) But this man was not cut off from association with the congregation for all time. Evidently regarding this man, after his having repented, we read: “This rebuke given by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary now, you should kindly forgive and comfort him, that somehow such a man may not be swallowed up by his being overly sad. Therefore I exhort you to confirm your love for him.” (2 Cor. 2:6-8) That repentant wrongdoer remained a spirit-begotten Christian, with the hope of gaining life in the heavens.

17. Why would it be improper for anyone to display an attitude like that of the older son in Jesus’ illustration?

¹⁷ The case of King Manasseh and that of the unnamed Christian in the Corinthian congregation indicate that wrongdoing does not automatically cancel out one’s opportunity of regaining a proper standing with Jehovah God. One who has become guilty of serious transgression can still pray to God and, if he is sincerely repentant, his prayers for forgiveness will be answered. (Compare Isaiah 1:15-19.) Certainly if Jehovah can be so forgiving, no one who claims to be his servant would want to reflect the unmerciful attitude of the older son in Jesus’ illustration.

AVOID PRESUMING ON GOD’S MERCY

18, 19. Why is it dangerous to presume on God’s mercy?

¹⁸ Of course, this does not mean that a person can presume on God’s mercy and continue in a wayward course. When the Israelites, in the time of Jeremiah, became so set in wickedness that there was no possibility of their repenting, Jehovah declared: “If Moses and Samuel were standing before me, my soul would not be toward this people. There would be a sending of them away from before my face, that they might go out.” (Jer. 15:1) There being no basis for extending mercy to the unrepentant nation, Jehovah, in execution of his judgment, allowed the Babylonians to desolate Judah and Jerusalem. (Lam. 1:3-5) During this calamity he did not listen to prayers for help. That is why the prophet Jeremiah lamented: “You have blocked approach with anger, and you keep pursuing us. You have killed; you have shown no compassion. You have blocked approach to yourself with a cloud mass, that prayer may not pass through.”​—Lam. 3:43, 44.

¹⁹ An individual who proves himself to be unfaithful to Jehovah God is in a very serious position, one deserving of death. If he remains in an unrepentant state, he cannot escape the execution of God’s adverse judgment. Hebrew Christians were told: “If we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment and there is a fiery jealousy that is going to consume those in opposition. Any man that has disregarded the law of Moses dies without compassion, upon the testimony of two or three. Of how much more severe a punishment, do you think, will the man be counted worthy who has trampled upon the Son of God and who has esteemed as of ordinary value the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who has outraged the spirit of undeserved kindness with contempt? For we know him that said: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will recompense’; and again: ‘Jehovah will judge his people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”​—Heb. 10:26-31.

20. Why is there no reason for anyone to become hardened in a sinful course?

²⁰ But there is no reason for anyone to become so set in a bad way that there is no possibility of his ever repenting. Just as Jehovah God has not forced anyone to serve him, so he has never compelled anyone to remain on the side of his adversary, Satan the Devil. Instead, Jehovah has made it possible for individuals to appeal to him for forgiveness on the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. Any who refuse to take advantage of this provision and continue walking according to their own standards, rather than those of the Creator, are deliberate wrongdoers. By their course of action, they reject the application of the benefits of Jesus’ sacrifice in their behalf. Hence their transgressions stand against them, there being no other sacrifice with sin-atoning value. So they must pay the penalty for their transgressions​—complete destruction in execution of God’s vengeance.

21. What blessings come to those who repentantly return to Jehovah?

²¹ Meanwhile, however, by means of his Word, Jehovah warmly appeals to all who have forsaken him to return to him as their God. A person’s responding to that invitation leads to lasting blessings​—freedom from enslavement to the world and its god Satan the Devil, an end to a spiritually famished condition, contentment, happiness, pleasant association with loyal servants of Jehovah, and a purposeful life in the service of a loving and merciful heavenly Father. On earth, Jehovah’s servants will confirm their love for any who repentantly return to him and, in the heavens, the angels will rejoice. If you are among those who have gone astray, do not hesitate to respond to Jehovah’s invitation originally addressed to the Israelites: “Return to me, and I will return to you.”​—Mal. 3:7.