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Scripture Reading: Luke 15:22-23; Eph. 6:15
We all know the story of the prodigal son in chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke. When the son returned, the father told his slaves to bring out the best robe and put it on his son, to put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and to bring the fattened calf and slaughter it (vv. 22-23). Although we are very familiar with this story, I am afraid that it is not easy to remember all the things that the father gave his son.
We may remember the best robe and the fattened calf, but do we remember the other things that the father gave to his son? It is good to have the best robe and the fattened calf, but there were other things given by the father. In addition to the clothing and food, we must also pay attention to the ring on the hand and the sandals on the feet. The robe signifies the righteousness of the Lord Jesus, and with this righteousness, we, as prodigal sons, have been accepted by God. With the robe, the prodigal son matched the father’s house. Since the Lord Jesus has become our righteousness, our robe, we have been accepted by God. The fattened calf signifies the Lord Jesus as our food for our enjoyment. God’s salvation not only clothes us outwardly with the righteousness of Christ but also satisfies us inwardly with the life of Christ. God has made Christ our bread of life. The Father has given us the Lord Jesus as the fattened calf, as the bread of life, so that we can have the strength to walk the path before us.
In the parable of the prodigal son, the robe and the fattened calf are the most important items, but the father gave his son two additional items. Although they may seem small, they are very important. Most believers do not mention these two items — the ring and the sandals — and of these two items, the sandals are the most easily forgotten.
The ring signifies a seal. Because the ring was given by the father, it signifies the seal of God. Today, when a bride wears a ring, she becomes one with the bridegroom, one who belongs to the bridegroom. In the same way, the ring of God signifies that we belong to God. In particular, the ring signifies that the Holy Spirit has become our seal. Although the ring represents the seal of Christ, the seal of God, and the seal of the Holy Spirit, how is this applied to us in our spiritual experience? Specifically, how can we prove that we have the seal of the Holy Spirit? How is this seal expressed?
When we do anything in our living, we do not walk as the Gentiles walk (Eph. 4:17); that is, we walk differently than the Gentiles because we have the flavor of Christ. This is the seal of the Holy Spirit, and this indicates that we are wearing God’s ring on our finger. If our walk does not express the seal of the Holy Spirit, it means that we need to put on the ring of God; it does not mean that we are not saved. A ring implies restriction. Those who do not obey the restriction of the Holy Spirit need to put on the ring. Christians should obey the restriction of the Holy Spirit. If we do, we will express the seal of the Holy Spirit, and people will know that we are Christians as soon as they see us. As Christians, we should express the seal of the Holy Spirit in our behavior.
Another item is the sandals. This item is easily neglected, but it is quite important. Sandals are for walking and for protecting the feet, but neither of these are the most important significance of the sandals that the father gave to his son. The most important significance involves separation from the defiled world.
As the prodigal son returned home, every step of his journey was in close contact with the defiled world. His feet were not separated from the world. However, when he arrived at the father’s house, he was separated from the world as soon as he put on the sandals. When a person is saved today, he not only receives the robe of righteousness, the satisfaction of life, and the seal of God; he also needs to be separated from the defiled world. Although we have been saved, we must ask ourselves whether we have put on sandals. Many Christians, realistically speaking, are “barefooted” and have not put on sandals. They are still connected to the world rather than being separated from it.
The most important significance of putting on sandals is to be separated from the world, but there is also the significance of being able to walk. We must be separated from the world in order to walk. Walking always follows separation. Walking with sandals on our feet will keep our walk from being defiled by the world.
According to spiritual experience, the “sandals” in Luke 15 are the gospel of peace in Ephesians 6:15. Christians should be separated from the earth, but we cannot lift our feet from the earth with our own hands. For example, when someone invites us to go to a movie, it is not sufficient to just say no. This is like using our hands to try to lift our feet from the earth. It is also not sufficient to find a convenient excuse for turning down the invitation. It is not even enough to tell people that we cannot go to a movie because we have believed in the Lord. All of these responses involve an effort to keep our feet from touching the world, but they ignore our need to walk. We must walk in the world, but in order to walk, we need to put on sandals.
When a person invites us to watch a movie, we should do more than say no; we should also preach the gospel to him. We should let him know that he too can be satisfied without watching movies. To put on sandals is to be separated from the defiled world through the gospel. Only those who are separated from the world can walk; therefore, putting on sandals involves preaching the gospel. Without preaching the gospel, we do not have sandals on our feet, and without sandals on our feet, we cannot walk, much less fight the spiritual warfare.
Wherever a Christian goes, he should preach the gospel so that he can be separated from the world; in this way, he will be protected. Therefore, sandals also have the significance of protection. Our walk depends on separation and protection.
Christians should put on sandals by preaching the gospel. This will separate us from the world and bring us under the restricted leading of the Holy Spirit. If we do not put on the sandals, we will not be restricted by the Holy Spirit. If we would be separated from the earth and kept by the Holy Spirit, we need to preach the gospel of peace.
