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>>I believe that the Prodigal Son is the model for Romans 1, the older brother for Romans 2- The older brother didn’t lust for pig slop- he had that advantage- but missed the fac that he was just as far away-<<

That isn’t the way I see it (nor is how it is taught). The lesson is that God always embraces those who left His Grace upon his/her return. And as much as I (as just an average guy) understand that point, it still seems to suck to be the Brother who stayed home and tended the fields and the cattle.

It looks like the brother who stayed home was taken for granted and the one who “strayed” got all of the fun and none of the repercussions.

No man knows the hour of His return. The prodigal son changed his ways and returned to the Father and was forgiven. But, had he perhaps returned more slowly, then the Day of Judgment might have come without warning, and the opportunity might have been lost. In which case, the brother who stayed home would have been saved, but the son who left home would have missed his opportunity.

If you always do the right thing, you play it safe, and that is a good choice.
If you run and play the field, while you can come home and be forgiven, you also take a risk. Some who decide to have fun lose their way and never return, or may return too slowly and miss their opportunity entirely.