Philemon 17-20 says,...
Today's verses are Philemon 17-20, which read,
v.17 - If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.
Paul has written a personal letter to Philemon that is to be read publicly by his wife, son and the church that meets in his home. Paul brings up an issue that Philemon needs to address in a godly way and it will have an affect on him and all who read the letter. His slave, Onesimus, has run away from him and possibly with some of his resources. Onesimus runs into the arms of Paul in prison in the vast city of Rome. Onesimus gets saved and Paul is sending him back to Philemon to make things right. Paul is helping Philemon see that maybe this was God's plan all along so that the one coming back to him is not just a run away slave but now a beloved brother in Christ. Onesimus has had a true ministry to Paul in prison and is showing fruit of true conversion to Christ.
Paul is the one who shared the gospel with Philemon that resulted in Philemon, his wife, and his son coming to Christ. Paul now comes before Philemon with a request of him to accept Onesimus in the same way that he would accept Paul, himself. The joy to have Paul, his spiritual mentor and brother in Christ come visit him would also be the joy of having a lost soul who has been found by Christ, Onesimus, to enter back into his home.
v.18, 19 - But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even you own self as well.)
Paul is willing to pay any physical wrong made by Onesimus. Paul writes this part in his own hand as a personal I.O.U. to Philemon. If this was to mean so much to Philemon then Paul would make it right but I think Paul is trying to get Philemon to stop thinking about what was taken from him to what was given to Onesimus. What as taken from Philemon was just material things but what was given to Onesimus was salvation and eternal life.
Paul also stresses this by the debt owed to him by Philemon of hearing the gospel from him. Christ paid the debt on the cross for Philemon but Paul was used of Christ to share that message with Philemon. We should have a healthy debt to those who have shared God's word with us so that we could again be affronted by God to follow him. Those who shared do not save us but they were God's messengers of His love for us. Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son trying to get the older son to see the younger son's salvation rather than what was his materially, Paul is doing the same with Philemon to see Onesimus' conversion rather than stolen physical items.
v.20 - Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
Philemon's obedience to grant forgiveness to Onesimus and accept him into the fellowship as a fellow brother of Christ would bring many things.
Forgiveness is a powerful thing. It brings spiritual growth. It comes out of a time of sin but the power is in the obedience to God that brings maturity to the believer in Christ. How much spiritual growth have you not experienced because you have failed to forgive or to ask for forgiveness? How much maturity have you missed out on because you have not followed God's direction given many times by trusted followers of Christ who are your friends? Let forgiveness do its thing today. Let's pray.
"Lord, it is amazing to see the parable of the prodigal son played out in this passage between Philemon and Onesimus. May I see that the parable has also been played out in my life many times and may I evaluate how I have responded to it. Am I the father receiving the forgiven one back? Am I the forgiven one coming home following the obedience to God? Am I the older brother still holding out selfishly to my hurt and not offering the forgiveness that benefits all parties so much with spiritual growth? May I listen closely to my brothers and sisters in Christ who love me enough to speak to me of my needs to continue to spiritually grow in You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.17 - If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.
Paul has written a personal letter to Philemon that is to be read publicly by his wife, son and the church that meets in his home. Paul brings up an issue that Philemon needs to address in a godly way and it will have an affect on him and all who read the letter. His slave, Onesimus, has run away from him and possibly with some of his resources. Onesimus runs into the arms of Paul in prison in the vast city of Rome. Onesimus gets saved and Paul is sending him back to Philemon to make things right. Paul is helping Philemon see that maybe this was God's plan all along so that the one coming back to him is not just a run away slave but now a beloved brother in Christ. Onesimus has had a true ministry to Paul in prison and is showing fruit of true conversion to Christ.
Paul is the one who shared the gospel with Philemon that resulted in Philemon, his wife, and his son coming to Christ. Paul now comes before Philemon with a request of him to accept Onesimus in the same way that he would accept Paul, himself. The joy to have Paul, his spiritual mentor and brother in Christ come visit him would also be the joy of having a lost soul who has been found by Christ, Onesimus, to enter back into his home.
v.18, 19 - But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account; I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even you own self as well.)
Paul is willing to pay any physical wrong made by Onesimus. Paul writes this part in his own hand as a personal I.O.U. to Philemon. If this was to mean so much to Philemon then Paul would make it right but I think Paul is trying to get Philemon to stop thinking about what was taken from him to what was given to Onesimus. What as taken from Philemon was just material things but what was given to Onesimus was salvation and eternal life.
Paul also stresses this by the debt owed to him by Philemon of hearing the gospel from him. Christ paid the debt on the cross for Philemon but Paul was used of Christ to share that message with Philemon. We should have a healthy debt to those who have shared God's word with us so that we could again be affronted by God to follow him. Those who shared do not save us but they were God's messengers of His love for us. Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son trying to get the older son to see the younger son's salvation rather than what was his materially, Paul is doing the same with Philemon to see Onesimus' conversion rather than stolen physical items.
v.20 - Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
Philemon's obedience to grant forgiveness to Onesimus and accept him into the fellowship as a fellow brother of Christ would bring many things.
- First, it would refresh the chained Paul in prison to see a Christian he had mentored do what is right in the sight of the Lord.
- Second, it would impact the whole church that meets in his home of how to respond in this situation to someone coming and asking for forgiveness.
- Third, it would bring peace to his life as he gains another brother and is released of keeping his mind on his own stuff, his own self and his own hurt over the matter.
- Finally, he would be catapulting the life of the church and the life of Onesimus to go forward in their walk with the Lord rather than stalling them to continue to deal with an unresolved issue of not forgiving when forgiveness is needed and due.
Forgiveness is a powerful thing. It brings spiritual growth. It comes out of a time of sin but the power is in the obedience to God that brings maturity to the believer in Christ. How much spiritual growth have you not experienced because you have failed to forgive or to ask for forgiveness? How much maturity have you missed out on because you have not followed God's direction given many times by trusted followers of Christ who are your friends? Let forgiveness do its thing today. Let's pray.
"Lord, it is amazing to see the parable of the prodigal son played out in this passage between Philemon and Onesimus. May I see that the parable has also been played out in my life many times and may I evaluate how I have responded to it. Am I the father receiving the forgiven one back? Am I the forgiven one coming home following the obedience to God? Am I the older brother still holding out selfishly to my hurt and not offering the forgiveness that benefits all parties so much with spiritual growth? May I listen closely to my brothers and sisters in Christ who love me enough to speak to me of my needs to continue to spiritually grow in You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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