The son says: "I am no longer worthy to be called your son." Notice what has happened. He sinned, failed, lost everything. Yet he moves beyond describing what he did and begins defining who he is.

Paul says: "From now on we regard no one according to the flesh." The Gate introduces a completely new way of seeing. 

Many people leave behind old labels only to adopt new ones.

Many Christians unconsciously believe: If I forgive correctly, then I can receive God's love.

Forgiveness is not pretending nothing happened

The son wants negotiation. The father restores family. The son offers a speech. The father offers an embrace.

The Father's declaration establishes identity. Not: "One day you may become." But: "You are."

The son's heart condemned him. The father knew more than the son knew.

The prodigal arrives home intending to earn his place. The father restores him before he earns anything.

Conviction says: This path is hurting you. Condemnation says: You are hopeless.

Many people have bad experiences, but they are not identity

The younger son says "I am not worthy." The elder brother says "I deserve more."

Faith is learning to believe what the Father believes

The son left the pigpen physically before he left it mentally

The Gate changes how we see others. Identity becomes more fundamental than behavior.

The Father's final word is not shame, punishment, failure, rejection

The broad road allows endless identities.

Both the Older and the Younger brothers had to surrender performance-based identities.

Only what the Father says

The younger son tried to bring the whole far country into the Father's house.