Philemon

Introduction

Can you think of someone you have wronged or offended? Is there someone who has wronged or offended you?

If you can honestly answer "No" to both questions, that’s great! Just realize that it won’t be long until a wrong or an offense occurs. I want to again share this anonymous poem with you:

Ever feel that way about others? Well, let me tell you a secret: Others feel that way about you, too! The truth is, it is difficult to navigate through relationships without there being friction.

Jesus addressed this problem often. When He did, He encouraged forgiveness as the solution to wrongs and offenses. Whether you need to ask for forgiveness or act with forgiveness, it is the spiritual dynamic by which relationships are maintained.

Christians sincerely desire to understand and apply biblical forgiveness. A lot has been written about it. Over the years I have recommended various authors and their books to help believers get a handle on forgiving one another. I have finally settled on the one book that best presents biblical forgiveness. It’s the letter we’ve just read – Paul’s letter to Philemon!

If you are… Or the next time you are… In a forgiveness situation… Read Philemon. In it you’ll find both the biblical practice of forgiveness and the biblical perspective of forgiveness.

We’ll organize our thoughts around two points: #1 Encourage Your Brothers And Sisters To Put Biblical Forgiveness Into Practice, and #2 Expect Your Brothers And Sisters To Put Biblical Forgiveness Into Perspective.

#1 Encourage Your Brothers And Sisters

To Put Biblical Forgiveness Into Practice

The story behind this letter is one of the most remarkable in all of Scripture. The apostle Paul was in Rome under house arrest awaiting a trial. It appears that Paul enjoyed some freedom while under house arrest. Commentators believe he was able to go out into the city and publicly proclaim the Gospel. On one such occasion among those who responded was a man named Onesimus. Whether immediately or after some short period of time Onesimus told Paul his story. He was a runaway slave trying to hide in the hustle-and-bustle of Rome.

I’ve told you before that slavery was common in the Roman Empire. As much as one-half of the total population, sixty-million people, were slaves. Slaves performed all kinds of work, not just manual labor. Slaves were both domestic and educated, laborers and professionals. They had no rights under Roman law. A master had the power of both corporal and capital punishment over his slaves. Runaway slaves, if captured and returned, would be mutilated if not murdered.

Onesimus was in a dire dilemma. Not only had he run away; Onesimus had robbed his master’s household before he fled. As a Christian he sensed he had wronged his master by running away but to return could mean death.

Paul inquired as to who his master was. "Philemon," answered Onesimus. Whether Paul smiled or laughed out loud is not recorded in the inspired text but I’m sure he had some such reaction. Paul not only knew Philemon, he knew him well. Paul had led Philemon to faith in Jesus Christ. Paul and Onesimus recognized the hand of God in these converging circumstances.

For all that, there were still several problems:

1. Onesimus had a problem in that he had wronged and offended Philemon. Though forgiven by God for eternity, Onesimus owed Philemon restitution.
2. Philemon also had a problem. He had been wronged and offended. Sure, Onesimus was now a Christian. But the other slaves in his household were watching him. If he forgave Onesimus without any restitution, wouldn’t they all run away and declare themselves Christians?
3. The Church that met in Philemon’s house had a problem. Should they simply forgive and receive Onesimus?

It is to address these difficulties that Paul wrote to his friend.

Philemon 1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,

Philemon 1:2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

Philemon 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul never considered himself a prisoner of Rome. He was "a prisoner of Jesus Christ." He was on assignment in Rome. The fact he happened to be a prisoner was God’s design. "Timothy" and others were with Paul – not as prisoners but as companions who followed him and ministered to his needs.

This letter is written to Philemon, and to "Apphia, Archippus… and the church in [their] house." Apphia was undoubtedly Philemon’s wife. Archippus may have been their son; or he may have been a traveling minister.

A "church" met in their house. The Church met in houses or other rented buildings for some two hundred years. It wasn’t until the third century, under Constantine, that the Church started meeting in its own buildings.

Paul was writing to all these people because all of them were involved with Onesimus. Philemon was his master; Apphia, as woman of the house, had the daily oversight of the slaves; Archippus, as a minister, would be responsible for directing the reaction of the church members who themselves would certainly have any number of possible reactions to the return of a runaway slave.

Philemon 1:4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,

Philemon 1:5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,

Paul had a dynamic prayer life. He kept tabs on his converts and churches. Nothing encouraged him more than a good report of their spiritual progress. I suppose nothing discouraged him more than their spiritual regress.

Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the Church were making spiritual progress. Paul heard of their "love" and their "faith[fulness]" toward the Lord. They put their love and faith into practice "toward all the saints."

Their practice of love and faith was about to be tested by the return of Onesimus. Paul said,

Philemon 1:6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

"The sharing of your faith" is not a reference to evangelism. It means the fellowship they shared together as a body of believers. "Effective" is put into action. "Acknowledgment" means to discern. "Every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus" is a reminder to always take the spiritual high ground.

Philemon would be the key, seeing it was he who was wronged. Paul addressed him personally.

Philemon 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

Philemon was a great brother… But it’s easy to "love" and "refresh" the saints when everything is going well. The situation with Onesimus would put his Christianity to the test.

Philemon 1:8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting,

Philemon 1:9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you - being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ -

You cannot compel or coerce love. Love depends upon the exercise of free will.

Philemon 1:10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,

Philemon 1:11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

Paul considered himself a spiritual father to those converted to Christ and brought into God’s forever family by his ministry. As far as we know he had no natural sons or daughters; but God more than made up for it in the supernatural realm!

There is a play on words in verse eleven. Onesimus means profitable. Paul told Philemon that Profitable was unprofitable but is now profitable. The indication is that Onseimus had been a lousy slave – only giving eye-service, always causing problems. He undoubtedly took advantage of his Christian master’s kindness. He was unprofitable as a slave, then even moreso in robbing Philemon to finance his escape. Now he was returning. As a believer he would prove to be a profitable, hard-working, dedicated slave.

Our first thought is that Christians should act to abolish slavery… But that is not at all what the New Testament emphasizes. Don’t get me wrong: The Bible doesn’t condone slavery, and everywhere its principles are applied slavery will disappear. Still it must be admitted that the Bible never concentrates on the restructuring or reform of society. It concentrates on the regeneration of souls. Society is changed as a result of individuals being saved. Saved individuals don’t overthrow society, they undermine it as they walk with the Lord.

By the way, many people who are "free" in the political sense are nevertheless slaves spiritually.

Philemon 1:12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

Philemon 1:13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.

Under Roman law you could retain a runaway slave if you had the owner’s consent. Paul would have liked to retain Onesimus – not as his slave, but as someone saved who now wanted to serve the Lord by serving Paul. Paul saw a greater good in returning Onesimus.

A great wrong had been done; a great offense had occurred. What should be the response of the Christians?

These verses are an encouragement to put biblical forgiveness into practice. For his part, Onesimus was asking for forgiveness. For their part, Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the Church should act with forgiveness. I don’t want to get into all the mechanics of asking and acting. The point is this: You should be ready, at all times, to both ask for or act with forgiveness.

One more thing about putting forgiveness into practice. Many times you will be in a position like that of Paul. You will know about, or hear about, a wrong or offense. It is your responsibility to encourage the individuals to ask for and act with forgiveness!

#2 Expect Your Brothers And Sisters

To Put Biblical Forgiveness Into Perspective

We struggle with the practice of forgiveness. There are always extenuating circumstances that give us pause in either asking for or acting with forgiveness.

Circumstances are never just earthly; they are eternal. You need to look beyond the earthy to the eternal. Paul takes us high above the extenuating circumstances to eternal considerations.

Philemon 1:14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

Philemon 1:15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,

Philemon 1:16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave - a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

It was up to Philemon… But he should have a bigger perspective than the offense done to him. Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the Church certainly prayed for the salvation of the slaves. Their prayers and preaching had no effect on Onesimus. He robbed them and ran. Now here he was – a "beloved brother."

Philemon 1:17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.

Philemon 1:18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.

Philemon 1:19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay - not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.

Philemon 1:20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.

Paul was willing to put biblical forgiveness into practice in his own life. Even though he had done nothing wrong, he essentially signs a promissory note with Philemon as beneficiary. Paul was willing to pay any debt owed by Onesimus.

Hidden in Paul’s remarkable offer are several illustrations. Onesimus owed a debt he could not pay; Paul was willing to pay a debt he did not owe. In the same way, only with much greater importance, you and I owed God a debt we could not pay – the debt of sin. Jesus was willing to pay the debt of sin He did not owe! On the Cross, He took your sins, He paid your debt. He said from the Cross, "It is finished!" One of the possible translations of "It is finished!" is paid in full.

Paul told Philemon to "put that on my account." The Greek word could be translated impute. He is illustrating the great Bible doctrine of imputation whereby your sin is imputed to Jesus Christ’s account and His righteousness is imputed to yours.

Once the debt was imputed to his account, Paul said "receive him as you would me." It’s another precious illustration. Once your sin is imputed to Jesus and His righteousness to you, God the Father receives you just the same way He receives Jesus.

The debt of sin cannot be cancelled. It must be paid. God’s forgiveness of sin is only possible because Jesus paid-in-full the debt owed by every man, woman, and child.

Philemon 1:21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

Philemon 1:22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.

Philemon 1:23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

Philemon 1:24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.

Philemon 1:25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Paul expected Philemon and the others to put biblical forgiveness into perspective. He expected them to see that eternal considerations outweighed earthly circumstances.

Did they put all this into perspective and practice forgiveness? Tradition has it that Onesimus went on to become a bishop in the early Church.

Conclusion

I’ll admit that the story of Onesimus is pretty amazing. You can be hard pressed to see these kinds of miraculous interventions in your everyday, garden variety wrongs and offenses. That doesn’t cancel out your need to have an eternal perspective on them.

Practice forgiveness. Be ready either to ask for or act with forgiveness. As Martin Luther said, "We are all God’s Onesimuses."