The opinion that would be given by the most extreme proponents of "grace" is as follows:

God answered the first son and said, "All of your self-righteousness is as filthy rags in My sight. Your works mean absolutely nothing to me. I hope you are not thinking you deserve a reward because you have tried to please Me!

"Don't you understand you are saved by My grace alone?—that there is nothing you can add to My salvation? If your works are to be added to My grace, then grace is no more grace. Jesus Christ alone is righteous. You will enter Heaven, not because you tried to please Me but because Christ is righteous.

"Your perseverance has nothing to do with your salvation. I have saved you by My grace alone and your answer reveals to me that you do not understand this thoroughly.

"You have acknowledged that Jesus died for your sins, and so I am obligated by My Word to allow you into Heaven. But it is not by any works of righteousness you have done, it is because you have professed faith in Christ.

"You really are wicked because you are implying that My grace is not sufficient for your salvation. You are setting yourself against Me in a legalistic, pharisaic manner, not allowing Me to save you by My unmerited favor. You are trying to present some righteousness of your own. But, My son, it is not what you have done, it is what Christ has done. Please remember that in the future!"

God said to the second son, "Well done! Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter the joy of your Lord. You acknowledged that Christ died for your sins. You called Him, Lord. You perceived correctly that it is only the righteousness of Christ that brings salvation.

"By not attempting to please Me you have caused My grace to shine as a jewel. My mercy is enlarged because I have saved you—you, whose conduct was so ungodly and self-centered. You have not worked but have believed in God who justifies the ungodly.

"When you left your wife and children I saw only the faithfulness of Christ. When you fornicated I saw the moral purity of Christ. When you ignored My will I saw only the obedience of My Son. When you lied and stole I beheld the truthfulness and honesty of the Holy One of Israel.

"You never repented, but repentance is not necessary because you have been clothed with the righteousness of the Lord Jesus ever since you professed belief in Him.

"Enter the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world."

Do you truly believe that the God of Noah, Abraham, and Daniel would respond in this manner? It would be the logical consequence of much contemporary evangelical teaching.

The opinion that would be rendered by less extreme Christians is as follows:

God spoke to both sons and said, "Well done, good and faithful servants. Enter the joy of your Lord. Because you have believed in Christ Jesus, making a statement of faith in Him, each of you will be allowed into Heaven and given a beautiful mansion. You are complete in Christ. Your behavior in the world will not increase or decrease the power of My grace."

Thus we have made the commandments of God in the New Testament vain and useless by our traditions.

Again let us ask, do you truly believe that the God of Noah, Abraham, and Daniel would respond in this manner?

To be continued.