Liba Hopeson
In Luke 15, one of the most common misunderstandings is that the parable centers primarily on the prodigal son. However, careful readers recognize that the traditional title, “The Parable of the Prodigal Son,” does not fully capture its true focus. Jesus told this parable primarily in response to the self-righteousness and spiritual pride of the Pharisees and scribes, to reveal that they too were lost, even though they appeared outwardly righteous. As tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to hear Him, the religious leaders grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1–2). In the story, the elder brother embodies their spirit — those who outwardly appeared righteous but inwardly resented the grace and mercy of God extended to repentant sinners.
The elder brother was lost even though he had never left home. When he heard that his younger brother, who had gone astray, had returned and was welcomed with a joyful celebration, he became angry and resentful. Instead of joining the feast, he stayed outside, and the father, full of kindness, came out to plead with him. Yet the elder brother refused to enter, choosing instead to voice his complaints and bitterness. His reaction revealed that, though he lived in the father’s house, his heart was distant from the father’s love and purposes. His inability to rejoice over the repentance of his brother exposed a deeper problem: he lacked true love and mercy. In this way, he stood as a picture of the Pharisees and the scribes, who could not celebrate when tax collectors and sinners turned to Jesus in repentance. True belonging to the Father is not shown by mere outward obedience, but by a heart that delights in grace, rejoices over repentance, and shares in the Father’s joy.
Today, many people could be lost within the church, just like the elder brother who could not rejoice when his younger brother repented. They are trapped in their religiosity, missing the true heart of the Father. The elder brother was lost while still living at home — and in the same way, many are lost today while faithfully attending churches. Even when a sinner genuinely repents, testifies, and bears witness to God’s work in their lives, those lost within the church often continue to judge them. Instead of rejoicing, they speak about the person’s past failures, belittle their transformation, and say that they should not pretend to be good now because of their former way of life.
I am by no means condoning sin or suggesting that sinful living is acceptable. However, many believers struggle to rejoice when sinners repent and begin to serve God with zeal and sincerity. Instead of celebrating, they continue to speak of the sinner’s former life and refuse to accept the transformation that God has brought about. In doing so, they reveal that they are lost in the very place where they should have found grace.
Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus comforted sinners, the oppressed, and the marginalized. Yet He often confronted the religious leaders — those who were proud, self-righteous, and blind to their own need for grace. Scripture says that Jesus was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). In my understanding, He acted with clear purpose: He comforted sinners so that they might repent and be restored, and He challenged the self-righteous so that they, too, might recognize their need for repentance. But it was far more difficult for the self-righteous to humble themselves and turn back to God.
When Jesus spoke strong and piercing words of truth, some today might mistakenly think He was being harsh or rude. Worse still, some may misuse such Scriptures to justify their own unkind or judgmental behavior. Yet the crucial question remains: when we speak the truth, do we also possess the grace and love that Jesus showed? Sadly, we often use Scripture to justify wrong attitudes instead of allowing it to transform our hearts.
Today, are we truly like Jesus — comforting the brokenhearted and calling the self-righteous to repentance? I fear that, in many cases, the opposite is true. The self-righteous are often applauded, while repentant sinners are still condemned. One clear example is our treatment of those struggling with addictions like alcoholism: instead of showing grace and inviting them into restoration, they are harshly judged and excluded. Meanwhile, those who attend church regularly are assumed to be good Christians, often without a true examination of their hearts.
I am not suggesting that attending church is unimportant — it is vital for spiritual growth. But if the true Gospel and the call to genuine repentance are not faithfully proclaimed, many who faithfully sit in our pews may still remain lost within the church. My prayer and concern is that religious people would not be lost in their religiosity. Unless we understand both Scripture and the realities of people’s lives today, we risk making it extremely difficult for the religiously lost to find their way home to the Father. Ask yourself: Am I lost within the church? Pray that you will not become the elder brother of today — but rather, that you will have the heart of the Father, full of grace, truth, and joy over every soul that returns home.
In Jesus’ time, the religious leaders and teachers placed heavy burdens on the people. They added many rules that God never gave, and were so focused on strict obedience to these man-made traditions that they overlooked the pain they caused. They were legalistic and harsh, not gracious or compassionate. They valued truth and justice—but failed to show love and mercy. Jesus, on the other hand, was full of both truth and grace. Sadly, something similar seems to be happening in the church today. Many of God’s servants appear to be more concerned with upholding rules and regulations created by us—rules not always rooted in Scripture. Like the elder brother in the story of the prodigal son, some mission workers and leaders seem to take pride in being “good” and “religious,” but they struggle to show grace to those who fall or fail. Instead of helping people experience God’s mercy, they end up making it harder for them to come home.
A troubling sign of this is how church discussions often revolve around our rule books rather than the Bible. When younger believers or theology students point out that some of our practices are unbiblical, older leaders often resist change. They argue that we must stick to tradition. Those who speak up are sometimes unfairly labeled as “liberals,” even when their concern is simply to be faithful to God’s Word.
To be clear, I am not saying that the church should abandon rules or embrace a free-for-all lifestyle. We do need principles to guide us. God has given us commandments, and the Bible is our authority. For example, church discipline is biblical. But it should never be used as a weapon. Church discipline is not about punishing people or driving them away—it’s about restoring them with love. Sadly, some leaders misuse it in a harsh and legalistic way, and as a result, many church members feel unloved and rejected.
So here’s a question we need to ask ourselves: Are we becoming like the elder brother—so focused on rules, reputation, and being right that we miss the heart of the Father? Sometimes the people who need to repent the most are not those outside the church, but those inside—those who are religious, respected, and think they’re doing everything right. It’s not easy for such people to admit they’re lost, because they’re so confident in their own goodness. And if these “elder brothers” happen to be church leaders or theology students, repentance may be even harder.
That’s why we must not only pray for the lost who never come to church—we must also pray for the religious people inside the church. Because being religious is not the same as being right with God. And without grace, even the most devout can be far from the Father’s heart. Our hearts must be like the father’s in the parable — longing for the return of the lost, hoping and praying that sinners will repent and come home to God. We must not be like the elder brother who grew angry at the sight of his brother’s restoration. “The elder brother was lost at home—don’t be lost in the church.”
