The parable of the prodigal son is an analogy of a person who has left his calling, {God the Father} and went back to the world to where he was spiritually dead, and then repented and came back to God the Father. This is in stark contrast to the following scriptures, which state that it is impossible to repent if we fall away from receiving the Holy Spirit.

Heb 10:26  For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

Heb 6:5  and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

Heb 6:6  if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

Mar 3:28  “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;

Mar 3:29  but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”

The parable of the prodigal son shows the great love and forgiveness that God has for humans. This parable does not conflict with the above verses.

The younger son asked for, and received his inheritance. He received the portion due to him.

Luk 15:11  Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.

Luk 15:12  And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

We are sealed with the spirit of promise, which is the earnest, or down payment of our inheritance. At baptism, and laying on of hands; we receive the portion of spirit due to us from God.

Eph 1:13  In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 1:14  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

The prodigal son left his father and wasted his substance. He had none of his inheritance left. This person had the spirit of promise, and came to the point where he had no spirit left.

Luk 15:13  And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

He is completely back in the world.

Luk 15:14  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

Luk 15:15  Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

Luk 15:16  And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

The prodigal son then realises what he has done; he repents, and is happy to go back to the Father as a servant.

Luk 15:17  “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

The prodigal son not only lacked the physical food but also the spiritual food he needed. Notice what the scriptures say on this subject.

Luk 4:4  But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD.’

Luk 15:18  I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

Luk 15:19  and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”

The following verses show the great love and mercy; that God shows to a repentant person.

Luk 15:20  “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

Luk 15:21  And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Luk 15:22  “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

Luk 15:23  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

The prodigal son was welcomed back.

Luk 15:24  for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

The elder son did not understand the great love and forgiveness of God the Father.

Luk 15:25  “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Luk 15:26  So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

Luk 15:27  And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

Luk 15:28  “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

The faithful son had been a loyal son and had done the right thing, he had worked hard and been obedient. He could not understand why he had not been rewarded for his faithfulness and yet the unfaithful son had been rewarded. Notice the amazing answers to his questions.

Luk 15:29  So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

Luk 15:30  But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

There is a massive lesson in the next two verses. The loyal son would inherit all things. The prodigal son who left and then returned, was welcomed back with open arms, but he was not promised all things; he will be given eternal life in the Kingdom of God; but on a much lower scale than the loyal son.

Luk 15:31  “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

Notice the following verse: the prodigal son was originally with the Father, and left to where he was spiritually dead. When he returns, he is alive again.

Luk 15:32  It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

The question arises, how can the parable of the prodigal son fit in with the first verses I quoted, which say it is impossible to repent if we blaspheme the Holy Spirit.

The answer is that at baptism, we receive the down payment of the spirit; this is the promise of eternal life. We do not have eternal life inherent at this time, just the promise.

Eph 1:13  In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 1:14  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Eternal life comes with the receiving of the Holy Spirit of truth. The following verses need to be understood, as they relate to eternal life. The spirit of truth is another comforter, which remains with us forever. This spirit can be given many years after receiving the earnest of the spirit. Christ is talking to Philip, one of the Apostles who received the earnest of the spirit at baptism.

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever

Joh 14:17  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

The disciples received the earnest of the spirit at baptism. The following verse is Peter speaking. The Holy Spirit given at the beginning is the earnest of the spirit.

Act 11:15  And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.

The disciples received the spirit of life, or truth, on the day of Pentecost.

Act 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The earnest of the spirit is the promise of eternal life; the spirit of truth is eternal life inherent. During the time when we have the earnest; we can leave the church, completely lose the spirit, and then repent at some future date. Those who leave God’s church, and then come back to God; will have to accept a much lesser reward, than what they were originally offered. The earnest of the spirit is given by a loving God who is not willing that any should perish.

The prodigal son had the earnest of the spirit and left God, he was welcomed back. There are thousands of ex church of God members who have left God: they have not committed the unpardonable sin. If they repent, they will be welcomed back by God.

While in God’s church, we have the earnest of the spirit until we come to the knowledge of the truth. This is when we receive the spirit of life. After accepting the knowledge of the truth: there is no more sacrifice for sins. If we leave God at this time, we go into the lake of fire.

1Ti 2:4  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2Ti 3:7  always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Heb 10:26  For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

During our time in the church with the earnest of the spirit, we can leave and repent and come back.

During our time with the Spirit of life, if we leave the church, there is no more sacrifice for sins: We have done our dash.

The knowledge of the truth is the knowledge of eternal life, and is freely available on our website. To the best of our knowledge, this knowledge is not available anywhere else on the face of the earth. Only the very few will accept this knowledge, and qualify to be firstfruits to God and Christ. The following verses mean exactly what they say.

God is not willing that any should perish, but it seems only the few will accept eternal life.

Mat 7:14  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

We must accept the true knowledge of God as He reveals it.

Rom 10:2  For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.