But he became wrathful and was unwilling to go in. Then his father came out and began to entreat him. In reply he said to his father, ‘Here it is so many years I have slaved for you and never once did I transgress your commandment, and yet to me you never once gave a kid for me to enjoy myself with my friends. But as soon as this your son who ate up your means of living with harlots arrived, you slaughtered the fattened young bull for him.’ Then he said to him, ‘Child, you have always been with me, and all the things that are mine are yours; but we just had to enjoy ourselves and rejoice, because this your brother was dead and came to life, and he was lost and was found.”’

16. Can God’s forgiveness extend to spirit-anointed Christians who become involved in serious wrongdoing?

¹⁶ Centuries later, a spirit-anointed Christian in the congregation at Corinth, Greece, practiced sexual immorality with the wife of his father. The presence of this incestuous man endangered the spiritual welfare of the entire congregation and, therefore, the apostle Paul directed that he be expelled. (1 Cor. 5:1, 7-13) But this man was not cut off from association with the congregation for all time. Evidently regarding this man, after his having repented, we read: “This rebuke given by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary now, you should kindly forgive and comfort him, that somehow such a man may not be swallowed up by his being overly sad. Therefore I exhort you to confirm your love for him.” (2 Cor. 2:6-8) That repentant wrongdoer remained a spirit-begotten Christian, with the hope of gaining life in the heavens.

17. Why would it be improper for anyone to display an attitude like that of the older son in Jesus’ illustration?

¹⁷ The case of King Manasseh and that of the unnamed Christian in the Corinthian congregation indicate that wrongdoing does not automatically cancel out one’s opportunity of regaining a proper standing with Jehovah God.