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Arlissa Bacon
Mr. Tawes
British Literature/Comp.
3, March 2015
Son or Servant

How does one become a part of the family of God? When they hear the gospel, confess of their
sins, and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, they are at that moment born into Gods kingdom as His
children and become heirs with Him for eternity (Romans 8:14-17). People are in vicious cycle of
proving their worth to others and God. Are you working from a servant mentality or a son and daughter
relationship?(Hino, David) In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the variation of roles of servant and son
display the theological concept that Christians are part of the family of God.

The roles of a son somewhat sound like the roles of a servant, but they a quite different. A son is a
male offspring of his parents. A son, or daughter, is supposed to obey their parents. Children are to
perform duties and chores for their parents as well. The prodigal sons father had two sons which were
his heirs. He divided his property between the two sons. The younger son left home, and spent all that he
had that is why he is called the Prodigal son. Prodigal means spending money or resources freely and
recklessly.

The prodigal sons father had servants. A servant is a person who performs duties for others,
especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or as a personal attendant; a devoted and
helpful follower or supporter. Servants are looked upon simply as people employed to undertake a task.
Each believer is called to be a servant, and Gods view of a Christian servant is very different from that of
mans view of a servant. Believers serve God, and are followers of God, but are still apart of his family.
Mans servant is just business or just a job or task.

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In the story of the prodigal son the younger son wanted to go out on his own live life, or what he
thought was life.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to
be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed
pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him
anything.(NIV Luke 15:14-16)
So, the son basically left home to be a servant for someone else, and he was homeless eating pig
food. He could have stayed home, been a good son, and helped his father. The son let temptation get a
hold of him. He thought he was going to go live it up freely, but things did not work out as planned.
When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my fathers hired servants have food to
spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I
have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like
one of your hired servants. So he got up and went to his father. (NIV Luke 15:17-20)
This can be seen as a sinner leaving the family of god to go serve the devil. The son left a good
house, good life, good family, to go struggle in the world. There are still prodigal sons today. At times we
are drawn away by our desires which cloud our thinking and judgment, and also keep us from hearing our
heavenly fathers voice; therefore, removing us from our fathers presence. Sinners today fall short; feel
shame and guilt, then repent to the father just as the prodigal son did. The prodigal sons father had
servants that were living good and eating well. He had all he needed right at home just like sinners have
all they need with God, and being in the family of God.
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and
was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son
said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called
your son.

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But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his
finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Lets have a feast and celebrate. For this
son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.(NIV Luke
15: 20-24)

Although the son did what he wanted to do, left home and spent all that he had. When he came
home and asked his father to take him back and forgive him, his father, without thinking twice opened his
loving arms and was elated to take him back. That is the good thing about having a loving family, or
father, which cares for you.

There several benefits of being in the family of God. God has unconditional love for his family
and he will never leave nor forsake his children, unlike an earthly father, who has limitations in love,
forgiveness, patience, tolerance, etc. No matter what anyone does he will continue to love and take care
of his children. The biggest sinner in the world can ask God for forgiveness and be accepted into the
family of God. In the family of God his sons are also his servants. His sons are his servants by being the
hands, mouth piece, and feet of God. They are his hands by building spiritual houses ,his mouth by
spreading the gospel and helping and encouraging others, his feet by going where he tells them to go.

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Works Cited
"BibleGateway." Luke 15:11-32. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.

Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2015.

CAHino, David. "Servants and Sons." Servants and Sons - The Light - a Community of Believers | Signal
Hill, CA. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2015.