He had planned his confession. He said, “I will say unto my father, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” The young man expected to plead his case with his father. He didn’t even hope to be reinstated as a son. But he was going to beg that he might be allowed to come back as a servant. Imagine his surprise when his father ran to meet him and welcomed him back into the family circle. The boy started to make his confession, but before he had had time to finish, the father interrupted him and said: “Bring forth the best robe and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat, and be merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost and is found.” Now this not only illustrates what an erring child of God must do to be saved, but it also represents God’s willingness to forgive him. This young man repented, he reformed, he confessed, and he prayed. He prayed to his father to take him back into his home. (He had planned his confession in his heart even if he were not allowed to express it all.) That is just exactly what an erring child of God must do. As we learn from Peter, James and John, he must repent, confess his sins, and pray for forgiveness. Just as the father of that prodigal son was eager to receive him back into his home, so our heavenly Father stands waiting to receive unto the bosom of his love all of his wayward children who will come back to him in humility, penitence, confession and prayer. Just as that father showered his son with blessings, so Jehovah will shower his wayward children who return to him with the blessings of forgiveness, protection, and encouragement. VI The Church’s Duty In conclusion it might be well to mention the duty of the church in reference to an erring child of God. It is the duty of the church and of all its spiritually-minded members to warn those who are living in error, to rebuke them, to reprove them and to exhort them with all long suffering and teaching, to admonish them to do these three things which are required of them in order to be forgiven by the Lord. When we do so, we shall in no wise lose our reward. I close then by calling attention once more to these verses in James, “Brethren, if anyone of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.” Now, there may be some erring children of God in this audience this morning. I want to do just what the Bible teaches me to do. I want to admonish you, urge you, and beseech you to take advantage of God’s goodness and God’s mercy and God’s willingness to forgive.