Philemon 1:15-16

GOD’S OVERRULING PROVIDENCE

‘For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?’

Philemon 1:15

We have here an encouraging view of the providence of God. St. Paul does not assert that it was the design of God in allowing Onesimus to run away from Philemon that he should return to him a converted man; but he says, ‘perhaps’ it was so. From this we infer that Paul believed that God permits evil in order that He might make it the occasion of great good; that He permits evil and overrules it for the evolution of a greater good. Notice here—

I. The minuteness of the operation of God’s providence.—It reaches not only to worlds and nations, to tribes and families, but also to the poorest and obscurest of individuals, and to every event in the individual life. Here was Onesimus, a mean servant running away from his master; but he never escapes the presence and oversight of God. A very pathetic example of this particular providential care of God we have in the case of Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 21:9). ‘His kingdom ruleth over all’; over the weakest as well as the mightiest, the tiniest as well as the greatest. Most clearly and encouragingly our Lord teaches the minuteness of God’s providential care (see St. Matthew 6:25; Matthew 10:29). To the poor, the weak, the suffering, the tempted, this aspect of Providence is full of comfort and help.

II. The beneficence of the operation of God’s providence.—‘Observe the wisdom, and goodness, and power of God in causing that to end so happily which was begun and carried on for some time so wickedly.’ How remarkable that in the godly household of Philemon, with its means of grace and ‘church in the house,’ Onesimus had been ‘unprofitable,’ wicked; yet when he had fled away from it he was led into the way of salvation, and became ‘profitable’! At Colosse means of grace seemed to harden him in sin; at Rome they were instrumental in converting him to God.

(SECOND OUTLINE)

THE MYSTERY OF SIN

This wonderful verse seems to throw some light upon God’s relation to the dark mystery of sin. St. Paul’s statement in the text implies that God permits sin in order that He might introduce by His overruling providence a greater good than would have been had it never occurred. Yet let no one attribute evil to Him. He permits it, and by His grace and wisdom brings good out of it; but between permission and origination how wide is the difference! Have we not here a contribution towards a satisfactory answer to the oft-recurring inquiries, ‘Why did God create man knowing that he would fall into sin, and that his sin would be so appallingly fruitful of evil?’ ‘Why did He permit evil in the world?’

I. To bind man more closely, lastingly, lovingly to Himself.—Now we are related to Him by redemption as well as by creation.

II. To awaken nobler developments of human character.—The innocence of seclusion and ignorance of evil is far less grand than the purity of those who have been tempted, and perhaps sore wounded, but have triumphed.

III. To manifest more conspicuously His own character and glory.—In His dealings with sinners we see the very heart of God.

’Twas great to speak a world from nought;

’Twas greater to redeem.

IV. To increase human joy.—The joy of gratitude for redemption, of deliverance from direst perils, of victory over subtlest, strongest foes. ‘Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.’ ‘We glory in tribulations also.’ ‘We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.’ What a hopeful and glorious aspect of Divine providence this is! Let us take encouragement and strength from it. If we are not presumptuous and wilful, out of our imperfections, failings, sins, struggles, and sorrows God will work in us spiritual strength and beauty, and bring to us a rich harvest of purity, peace, and joy.

But let no one turn the grace of God into lasciviousness.

(THIRD OUTLINE)

SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIPS

We have here an interesting glimpse of the pre-eminence of spiritual relationships. ‘For perhaps he therefore departed for a season,’ etc. We have here a threefold contrast: (1) ‘A season’—‘for ever.’ (2) ‘A servant’—‘a brother beloved.’ (3) ‘In the flesh’—‘in the Lord.’ But notice—

I. Christianity does not weaken any of the bonds of our civil or other earthly relationships.—Onesimus was servant to Philemon, and had wickedly run away from his service; but when he was converted to God he saw that it was his duty to return to his master. The Apostle also supports his return. The religion of Christ thus strengthened the bond between master and servant. So with other relationships. It urges obedience to kings, magistrates. So also with family relations. All just relations and duties it upholds and confirms.

II. Personal Christianity exalts and ennobles all other relationships.—Onesimus was now a better servant than ever he had been before his conversion. Formerly he had been ‘unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me.’ Servants who are truly religious are more conscientious, more faithful, etc., than those who are not religious. The rule holds good of all relations. Personal Christianity exalts all, sanctifies all.

III. Spiritual relationships are pre-eminent over all others.

(a) They are independent of differences of rank and condition. Though the servant of Philemon, Onesimus was now spiritually his ‘brother beloved.’ They are children of the same heavenly Father, have equal access to the same spiritual privileges. Peer and pauper, if Christians, are, as such, on an equality.

(b) They are perpetual in their duration—‘for ever.’ All relations which are simply bodily, material, civil, or political are but ‘for a season’; sooner or later they must be dissolved. But those which are spiritual are everlasting. Spiritual ties are delicate as gossamer, yet stronger than a cable.

(c) They centre and subsist in Jesus Christ—‘in the Lord.’ The closest, tenderest, deepest, holiest, most lasting relationships have their root in Him. One in Christ, we are one in the depths of our being, and one for ever.

Illustration

‘In nothing does Christianity differ more profoundly from some philosophies which seem to have a superficial resemblance to it, than in this: it does not allow a man to think of himself as an isolated unit, while forgetful of other men; it does not allow a class to entrench itself in its privileges or excellences, and to ignore the claims of other classes; it does not allow a race to stiffen itself in its prejudices, and to forget that other races are also members of the human family, and to claim gifts and endowments as exclusively their own.’