When it comes to living life, there seems to be two approaches that people take… That of self-discovery, such as the younger son who flaunted authority in favor of his own desires, and that of moral conformity, as seen in the older son who was obedient in every way.  Whichever way you identify with, both ways lead to sin.  In both instances, the sons’ hearts are more alike than not, creating distance between themselves and their father.  The younger son’s distance is obvious through his disobedience, but the older son’s distance is more subtle… It is through obedience that the father owes him something.  The same can be said for people today.  The self-discoverer distances himself from God through wild living, while the moral conformist distances himself from God by having the expectation that God owes him for his righteousness.  “Sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life.”