Using “The Parable of the Prodigal Son” as my Conversion Testimony — Margaret Chan

From the mouth of the Sovereign One who is the Living “Word of God” [John 1:1; Revelation 19:13] came “The Parable of the Lost Son”, more commonly known as “The Parable of the Prodigal Son” [Luke 15:11-32]. Through Pastor Lee’s thorough teaching (with bulleted texts, colorful photos, vivid images and creative schematics), I am learning the objective doctrines and experiencing the subjective truths which are richly portrayed in the printed words of Holy Scripture. The following is what this parable taught me.

1. I was the prodigal child who was proud, capricious, lazy and rebellious. Having an ignorant mind and hardened heart of my own [Ephesians 4:17-18], I decided to leave home, and ended up wasting everything that my father had so abundantly provided to me.
2. But my Compassionate, Generous, Merciful and Gracious Father did not leave me in my wicked ways. Instead, He sent my True Elder Brother Jesus Christ to come and look for me. Jesus forsook His wealth, comfort, supremacy and glory to land Himself in this present evil age [Galatians 1:4] to “seek and save the lost” [Luke 19:10].
3. After years, in fact, decades of intense and persistent searching, Jesus found me in my fallen and unregenerate state. As soon as He saw me, He took pity and instantly sprang into action – to regenerate my mind, my heart, my will, and my direction [John 3:5; Titus 3:5] – so I no longer wished to stay outside as an outcast, but longed to return Home.
4. Not only that, Jesus Christ willingly shared His eternal inheritance with me by paying the hefty fine with His precious life, so I may freely come Home to my Father’s greeting arms, and enjoy everlasting security in the glorious presence of my Heavenly Father and my Wonderful Elder Brother [Romans 8:31-39].
5. The big brother described in the parable is a self-centered Pharisee who treats his father like a task master, and who boasts of his own righteousness in hopes of earning his father’s favor [Romans 10:2-3]. But [Hebrews 2:10-12] tells us that Jesus Christ is a different kind of Elder Brother who readily took on all the suffering, for our sake and for our benefit.
6. Now, I (the former prodigal) have been completely forgiven and have been welcomed Home to stay forever, totally free of charge. Salvation is all by grace [Ephesians 2:5, 8-9], God’s gift of grace [Romans 8:29-30], the righteousness from God that depends on faith in Christ and Christ alone [John 14:6; Philippians 3:9].
7. I was dead and is now alive [Ephesians 2:4-5]; I was lost and is now found [Luke 15:32]; I was darkness and is now light in the Lord [Ephesians 5:8]; I was alienated from God and is now reconciled to Him through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ [Colossians 1:21-22].

Let this moving and inspiring parable be my conversion testimony, in witness to the steadfast love [Psalm 136; Ephesians 3:18-19] of my King of kings and Lord of lords [Revelation 19:16]. Since I can never repay God’s amazing grace bestowed to me through His Beloved Son, I will do as [Psalm 116:13] says, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD”. I will exalt and give thanks, bow down and worship my Lord and my God Jesus Christ [John 20:28], now and forevermore, for He alone is worthy, worthy to receive all honor and praise [Philippians 2:5-11; Revelation 5:12].