The God that Never Gives Up: The Prodigal, The Lost Coin, and Lost Sheep

In the Gospel of Luke 15:8–10, Jesus tells a short but powerful parable:

From a universalist perspective, the Lost Coin reveals the heart of God; persistent, intentional, and unwilling to accept permanent loss.

In this trilogy of parables in Luke 15, the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son, the emphasis is on divine initiative. God is not passive, waiting to see who makes it back. God is active, searching.

For those who hold to universal reconciliation, this word shines brightly. The persistence of divine love is not temporary. It does not grow tired. It does not stop at difficulty. It continues until restoration is accomplished.

When she finds the coin, the woman calls her friends and neighbors together and says:

“What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?”
 “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.”
 As Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10Visit. www.patristicuniversalism.com