A Christian read the story of the prodigal son with a neighbor. Together they read of the young man who took his inheritance from his father and left home to try to enjoy the world. Going to a far country, he wasted all his money and was soon left without friends, without money, and without food. Hunger drove him to think again of his father's home. He returned home planning to ask his father to make him a servant in his house.
Seeing his wayward son coming a long way off, the father ran to meet him. He kissed him, brought out the best robe, put a ring on his hand, shoes on his feet and killed a calf to rejoice that his son had returned. He did not make him a servant, but received him back again as a son.
As the Christian and his neighbor read this story, the neighbor said, "He punished his son very little, didn't he?"
"Oh?" replied the Christian. "Did he really punish him very little?"
"Yes," the neighbor said. "His son had been very bad wasting all that money and the father punished him very little."
"Think again," said the Christian. "The father did not punish his son at all! God tells us this story so that we might understand the love in God's heart that wants to receive sinners into His own family as sons. God does not punish even a 'little' those who come to the Lord Jesus for salvation because the Lord Jesus suffered all that was necessary for our sins."
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).
Have you come to Christ to receive freely the forgiveness of sins? If you have, there will be no punishment for your sins—not even a little.