Philemon 1:1-25

Onesimus

Philemon 1:1

INTRODUCTORY WORDS

1. The march of the Gospel in the early years. The Early Church gave itself very definitely to the propaganda of the Gospel. This had been the command of God, and this was the leading of the Holy Spirit, who had come to make the Church His Habitation.

On the Day of Pentecost there were about three thousand saved. Shortly after, the number of disciples reached five thousand. So mightily did the Word of God increase and prevail.

2. Families which came to know God. The promise which had been made by the Apostle Paul to the jailer, seemed to have been a model with the Early Church. "Thou shalt be saved, and thy house." This word was in line with the ambition of Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

There was Cornelius and his household, the jailer and his household, Lydia and her household. There was the household of Aristobulus, and also that of Narcissus. Should this not be our aim whole houses; that is, whole families, for God?

3. The qualities which marked early Christians. The saints of the first century numbered many stalwart sons and daughters, pioneers of a vital faith, and a noble life.

(1) Their love and faith. We read of Philemon, "Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints." Love is the great call of God to saints, and it should be the outstanding manifestation of the new life in Christ Jesus. We love because He hath first loved us.

Faith is a second great factor in the believer's life. A great faith, undaunted, and unshaken, means a great service full of great undertakings, successfully wrought out. Both love and faith are manifested first toward the Lord Jesus, and then toward all saints.

(2) Their care for the needy. To Philemon Paul said: "The bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother." It is still true that he who sees his brother in need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion against him, can scarcely have the love of God in him.

(3) Their labor and soldierhood. Archippus, who evidently was a son of Philemon, is spoken of as a fellow soldier. This soldier life bespeaks the arduous labors and painstaking service exemplified among the members of the early Churches. Paul wrote to Timothy that he should endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He himself said, "So fight I," then he added, later in life, "I have fought a good fight." Let us join with the saints of old by placing ourselves among the soldiers of the Cross.

I. A SINNER SAVED IN A ROMAN JAIL (Philemon 1:10)

1. Onesimus a rejecter of the Gospel. Onesimus had been a servant in the house of Philemon. He evidently was a man trusted with his master's goods. The Apostle Paul may, more than once, have been a guest in the home of Philemon. Onesimus had been in the home of Philemon, and, therefore, he had been, beyond a doubt, an attendant in the Church which was in his master's house. His life proves that a man may sit under the sound of the Gospel, and be connected with a vitally Christian home, without being saved.

2. Onesimus a runaway slave. The reading of the Epistle to Philemon shows, in Philemon 1:15, that Onesimus had left his home; Philemon 1:18 shows that Onesimus had wronged his master, and Philemon 1:19 shows (along with Philemon 1:18) that he was in debt to his master. To us it is evident, therefore, that Onesimus had run away with his master's goods.

3. Onesimus saved in the time of his distress. The story of Onesimus, after he had departed from Colosse, was a story of his entrance into Rome, his wasting of his master's goods, his evident fast living, and his final arrest. All of this, however, brought him to himself. His extremity became God's opportunity. He had been arrested and placed in the Roman jail, where he met Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle, with great tact, pointed him to Christ, and he was "begotten again" through Paul's ministration.

II. A LESSON IN SOUL-WINNING (Philemon 1:10)

1. Paul a soul winner while in bonds. There are some of us, perhaps, who prefer to win souls in a public way. We like the big crowd, the influence of a public meeting, the preaching of a great sermon, and the altar call for penitents. We have no word to say against this.

We fear that some, if they were prisoners of Jesus Christ, might not press the message of salvation with their old-time fervor. Not so with Paul. He had begotten Onesimus while he was in bonds, chained to two Roman soldiers.

2. An opportunity made possible by man's extremity. This has already been suggested, but now it may be enforced. The Apostle was quick to realize the fact that Onesimus in jail, was Onesimus with a broken spirit and a contrite heart. He detected in Onesimus something that had not been there before. What Paul discovered was that Onesimus showed grief and sorrow over his sins. He had evidently come to realize his sin, and his sad behavior against his master.

3. Even jailbirds may be saved, and may become faithful saints. We are taking 3 and 4 together. Thank God, the chief of sinners may find salvation in the Chief of Saviours. In fact, there is no other saviour who can save to the uttermost. Not only that, but a great sinner may become a great soul winner; and also he may become a great and faithful follower of the Son of God, We cannot but feel that the return of Onesimus to Colosse proved everything we have just suggested.

III. THE UNPROFITABLE MADE PROFITABLE (Philemon 1:11)

1. Sin destroys human possibilities for good. How many derelicts there are along the shores of time. There is no city, nor town, nor village, that does not have its castaways. Sin produces vagabonds, useless parasites on the populace.

Some one may argue that only a limited number of sinners are parasites, etc. We reply that the tendency of sin, with all men, is to rob them of their integrity, their mind, their heart, their service.

2. Salvation the greatest boon for the good of mankind. Too many preachers have left the best for the secondary. They have sidetracked regeneration for reformation. They have turned from preaching the Cross, to a social gospel which is not the Gospel. We say it, and we mean it, that a real old-fashioned revival is the best thing for the country, the city, the nation, that lies in the possibility of any preacher's service.

3, What we were in sin; what we are in grace. In sin we were destroyers, tearing down, disrupting, wrecking the higher altitudes of life. In grace we are helpers, builders, constructors, lifting up the whole populace to better things.

IV. THE NEW LIFE IN THE OLD PLACE (Philemon 1:12)

1. "Whom I have sent again," Here is a very wholesome note. Onesimus, the sinner, was Onesimus running away; Onesimus, the saved, was Onesimus returning to his former place. There are two things suggested here.

(1) We must put a new life in the old place. Some men when they are saved have a desire to leave their former community, to get out of the old environment and associations of their sinful days. We are sure that what these men should do, is to shine their new light and live their new life, in the midst of the men of their former darkness and shame.

(2) We must make good that which we have undone. Onesimus was a runaway. Now that he had been born again, he had to restore his master's servant, and he had likewise to restore, so far as he could, his master's goods. Thinkest thou that the sinner must not rectify, so far as in him lies, the evil deeds of his past?

2. "Whom I would have retained with me." There is no doubt in our own mind that Onesimus would have liked to stay with Paul, and Paul plainly stated that he would like to have retained Onesimus, that he might have ministered unto him in his bonds. However, Paul knew that this could not so be. At least, it could not so be, without the consent of Philemon.

3. Whom thou shouldest receive forever. I am so glad Paul did not write, "I hope Onesimus will not backslide." When he said, forever, he meant that something had happened to Onesimus that would last. He expected no more runaway episodes.

V. RECEIVE HIM AS MYSELF (Philemon 1:16)

1. Not as a servant, but a brother beloved. Paul recognized in Onesimus a similarity to himself. He had spoken of Timothy, in Philemon 1:1, as a brother. He spoke of Philemon himself, in Philemon 1:7 and Philemon 1:20, as a brother. Now he asks Philemon to receive Onesimus as a brother.

If Philemon was Paul's brother, and Paul was a brother to Philemon, then, in Christ, a runaway slave and robber immediately was lifted to the status of brotherhood, and became one along with Timothy, and Paul, and Philemon.

2. Not merely now, but forever. Brotherhood begins among men at regeneration. It begins simultaneously with sainthood, but it does not end now. It reaches on into the eternal ages. Onesimus was to be a brother to Philemon on earth. He was also to be a brother in Heaven. When we sing, "Blest be the tie that binds," our minds usually linger around some earthly scene, where saints stand, holding hands, and bound in one great spiritual fellowship.

Hereafter when we sing of the tie that binds, let us see what Paul saw a fellowship, a brotherhood, "For ever." If fellowship is sweet on earth, what will it be in Heaven?

3. As ye would receive me. When the Apostle said: "Receive him as myself," he seemed to say several things.

(1) He said in effect, In Christ Jesus there is no difference. The rich and the poor, the high and the low, the great and the weak, stand together on one level. It is written: "One is your Master, * * and all ye are brethren."

In the Book of James the Holy Spirit gives due warning when He says: "Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, with respect of persons."

(2) He said in effect, If there is no difference in Christ Jesus, there should be no difference among ourselves. He wanted Onesimus to get the same cordial, heartfelt greetings as he knew he himself would receive at the hands of Philemon.

VI. PUT IT ON MY ACCOUNT (Philemon 1:18)

1. The doctrine of substitution. Onesimus must have owed Philemon a large sum. However, Paul said: "Put that on mine account." We owe the Lord Jesus Christ a far larger sum; yet He put all of our debt upon Himself.

How the words ring out, "He * * carried our sorrows"; "He hath borne our griefs"; "He was wounded for our transgressions"; "He was bruised for our iniquities."

Thank God that He bore the sin of many, even our sin.

2. He paid it all, all to Him I owe. Philemon was not requested to collect a part of what was due. Paul wanted him to put it all on his account. Neither does God ask Christ to pay a part of the debt we owe. When the Lord cried. "It is finished" there was nothing left to pay.

3. What we owe to God. When we think of what the Lord has done for us, do we not begin to wonder what we can do for Him? Think you that Onesimus, welcomed back again and forgiven his so great a debt, did not desire to serve his master with a new fervor?

To us it is absolutely impossible to know the depth of the goodness and grace of God in all that He has done for us, both on Calvary, in His empty tomb, and in His glorious present ministry, without being overwhelmed with a sense of our debt to Him. We can never love Him enough, praise Him enough, nor serve Him enough. The least that we can do is to bring to Him our little all and lay it at His feet, a willing sacrifice.

"Oh, my Friend, teach me to be Thine."

VII. THOU WILT DO MORE THAN I SAY (Philemon 1:20)

1. The superabounding Christian life. The Apostle held a very high conception of Philemon's love and spiritual life, when he said: "Thou wilt also do more than I say."

To most masters with a runaway, but now returning, slave, what Paul had requested would have been a large sufficiency.

Paul had asked that Onesimus should be received as himself.

Paul had asked him to be received forever not for a season.

Paul had asked that he should now be received above a servant, even as a brother beloved.

Paul had asked that all Onesimus owed might be put to his account.

After this, Paul said: "I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say."

It seems to me that one word should ring in our minds: "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." In this little Book of Philemon God seems to be saying that He found us fallen in Adam, but that He raised us far above the estate from which we fell. In other words, in Christ and His Blood, we are lifted far above what we were in sin, yea, far above what we were before sin had passed upon us.

The Garden of Eden was delightful. The fellowship which Adam and Eve had with God was wonderful. However, Heaven will be more delightful. To be forever with the Lord will be a fellowship far exceeding that which man had before the fall.

2. The grace of our Lord Jesus, which did all for us. Paul did not ask Philemon to act on any law basis. He carried Philemon into the realm of grace. When we think of grace, we think of the depths of sin to which we had fallen; then we think of the heights of glory to which we are destined to rise; and we see the hand of God lifting us out of the one and into the other.

3. Blest be the tie that binds. This expression from an old song to us is a fitting climax to the little Book of Philemon. Paul said: "Prepare me also a lodging," then he adds: "There salute thee, Epaphras, * * Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas." These are called fellow-laborers. It seems to us that Paul put out his arms and gathered all the saints into one great bond of love. Thank God, in these bonds, even Onesimus was not excluded.

AN ILLUSTRATION

When we think of Onesimus, we see him seeking after the lure of the world until he is engulfed in its meshes. Had it not been for God's grace, he had never been recovered.

We are reminded of this story:

"A party of men were traveling in Tibet. One of them became very thirsty, but there was no water. As they went on they saw some pools surrounded by marshy ground, where the thirsty man determined to quench his thirst. Those who knew the nature of the country begged him to wait until they should reach a safe place, but he would not listen, and said he would take care. He plunged ahead towards a pool and filling his hands began to drink. He called to his friends to tell them he had got his heart's desire, and even as he spoke he began to sink in the morass. Soon he was half buried and no one could venture near to draw him out, and his companions looked helplessly on as he sank, and at length he disappeared, perishing as so many do who drink the water of a sinful life. There is but one Water of everlasting life (John 4:14).