1 John 2

Reconciliation (Philemon 1-25)

9:00 PM




Paul writes this brief letter to Philemon, a Christian brother, asking him to forgive and take back Onesimus (his former slave). Onesimus had run away from Philemon and apparently he had stolen from him. But now he has become a Christian and is helping Paul in prison.

As Paul greets Philemon showing his love and respect, he also appeals on behalf of “his spiritual son” Onesimus:

“I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.” (12-14)

Paul’s appeal is powerful because he stood beside a guilty man and said to the owner of the slave, “I know this man is a criminal and deserves punishment. Yet this slave is now of my family, so if you punish him punish me also. I stand beside him to take his punishment.” This is what Jesus does for us before our master, God the Father!

“My little children (believers, dear ones), I am writing you these things so that you will not sin and violate God’s law. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous [the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father’s will in every way—purpose, thought, and action]. 2 And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2)

“Here we see how Paul lays himself out for poor Onesimus, and with all his means pleads his cause with his master, and so sets himself as if he were Onesimus, and had himself done wrong to Philemon. Even as Christ did for us with God the Father, thus also does Paul for Onesimus with Philemon. We are all his Onesimi, to my thinking.” (Luther)

Now that Onesimus is in Christ he is not a slave of sin anymore, just as we were, too:

“For we too once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various sinful desires and pleasures, spending and wasting our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.” (Titus 3:3)

In Christ Onesimus is now a useful person -by the fact: Onesimus means profitable, useful- (1:11)

 “It is significant to note that Paul claims that in Christ the useless person has been made useful.” (Barclay)

When Paul said to Philemon, “charge the wrong of Onesimus to my account,” (18-19) he essentially did for Onesimus what Jesus did for us in taking our sins to His account:

“ He personally carried our sins in His body on the [a]cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been [b]healed.” (2 Peter 2:24)

 Paul mentioned one more thing. “Philemon, remember that I have a lot of credit on your account, because you owe me even your own self besides.” Paul could afford to pay Onesimus’ expenses because there was a sense in which Philemon owed Paul his salvation!
Onesimus was obligated to return to his master. When we wrong somebody, we must do our best to set it right. We must make an effort for reconciliation!

“So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and while there you remember that your brother has something [such as a grievance or legitimate complaint] against you, 24 leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.” (Mat. 5:23-24)

 Being made a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) does not end our responsibility to make restitution; it increases our obligation, even when restitution is difficult.

When Paul mentioned: “Knowing that you will do even more than I say” (21), he writes with confidence and hope, knowing through Philemon’s testimony (4-7), that he was a generous man. So that is why Paul could expect that Philemon would take Onesimus back, not as his slave but as a brother in Christ! (Gal. 3:28-29)

“Philemon was Paul’s son in the faith, yet he entreated him as a brother. Onesimus was a poor slave, yet Paul besought for him as if seeking some great thing for himself. Christians should do what may give joy to the hearts of one another. From the world they expect trouble; they should find comfort and joy in one another.” M. Henry

When I try to put myself in Philemon’s place I ask myself: “Would I have accepted Onesimus back into my house liberally, with joy and in total forgiveness?

“Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave [a]you.” (Ephesians 4:32 AMP)
“… bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive.” (Colossians 3:13 AMP)

I pray my Heavenly Father for this to become a reality in my life!
Mari




Becky Austin

RESTORATION { Philemon 1 }

12:14 AM





The book of Philemon is only a single chapter, a single letter written for a very important reason.  In this letter, Paul issues a plea  on behalf of a runaway slave.  This slave was named Onesimus which means " useful."  We are not given the details, but somehow this slave came into contact with Paul while he was a prisoner in Rome and a very special bond was formed between them. Paul became like a father to Onesimus and although he wanted to keep him with him because he was such a comfort and help, he also wanted to do the right thing and send him back to his owner, Philemon. 

We know that Onesimus was serving in the home of a Christian family from the greeting Paul gives in his letter : “I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints,” (v1). But Paul is aware that because Onesimus did not leave his master under favorable terms, there could be ill feelings or perhaps hesitancy to receive him with open arms. 

 Paul wants Philemon to know that Onesimus has changed and Paul pleads on behalf of Onesimus for full forgiveness and restoration. “I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.” (V10-12)

Can you see in this story the same love of our Heavenly Father.  He takes us as we are, running away from righteousness to indulge our sinful desires.  We were of no use to Him and yet He takes us under his wing and transforms us through a close relationship into a vessel that is useful for glorifying Him and useful for the work of His kingdom. He gives us full forgiveness and restoration and He tells us we are His very heart. 
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are...”‭‭ (1 John‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭)

Paul also references that there may have been a divine purpose in Onesimus leaving his master and ending up being taught of Paul. “For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” ( v15-16). We may see our loved ones go down wrong paths and make foolish decisions, but God in his sovereignty can redeem such situations and intervene in ways we might not imagine possible.  This should encourage us to keep praying for the lost and wandering souls in our lives.  Pray that God would pursue them with a great love.

Paul closes his letter with a promise to make good on Onesimus' behalf anything that he owes and to take full responsibility for restitution.  “So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self." (v17-19)

Again, we see the picture of Christ making full restitution and payment for our sins and debts.  On our behalf, Christ reconciles us to God.  God accepts us as he would accept Christ.  
“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”‭‭ (Colossians‬ ‭1:19-22‬ ‭)

This letter is a beautiful display of love, forgiveness, transformation and restoration.  Paul intervenes to restore Onesimus to Philemon.  Christ intervened to provide full restoration between us and our Heavenly Father.  We should praise and thank him for seeing value in us and we should strive to see value in others.  Pray for others, forgive them and desire to promote restoration whenever possible.