31 God’s salvation has two aspects: the outward, objective aspect, signified by the best robe, and the inward, subjective aspect, signified by the fattened calf; Christ as our objective righteousness is our salvation outwardly, whereas Christ as our subjective life for our enjoyment is our salvation inwardly—Luke 15:22-24; cf. Rom. 5:10.
42 All the objective doctrines are for the subjective experience; the objective Christ is “the best robe” of the God-satisfying righteousness to cover the penitent sinner (Jer. 23:6; 1 Cor. 1:30), whereas the subjective Christ is “the fattened calf” as the rich Christ (Eph. 3:8), killed on the cross for the believer’s life supply and enjoyment in resurrection (John 10:10; 6:63; 11:25; 12:24; 4:10, 14; 20:22).