PHILEMON 14
The Apostle Paul wrote in Philemon verse 7, “But without thy mind would I do nothing;
that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.” This sentence is a perfect example of
how a superior should enlist cooperation from those whom he commands. You
cannot command anyone unless they cooperate with your commands. Let’s look
carefully at this verse to see what method and attitude Paul used in order to
get cooperation from Philemon.
First Paul said, “Without
thy mind would I do nothing.”
In other words Paul did not want something to be done just because Paul said
that it should be done. Paul wanted Philemon to have full knowledge of the issue
and to fully understand what Paul was thinking about it. This was not a
situation of: “Do it because I said so.” Such a situation will never enlist the
best efforts of others even if they comply. It is very similar to the concept
of positive reinforcement. Why do people do what they do? They do it because
they want to do it. People will always put their best effort into something
that they want to do.
The same principle should be applied to child-rearing and to the
husband-wife relationship. In the family there are those in authority and those
under the authority, but the best situation is when there is a willing
cooperation, whether it be that of child to parent or wife to husband. The way
for the leader to enlist that kind of cooperation is not to just issue a
command, but to use the kind of method that Paul used. Paul said that he did
not want to just issue a command.
Paul wanted Philemon to willingly cooperate. Of course, if Paul
was correct in his evaluation of a situation, Philemon would come to the same
conclusion as long as Philemon had the same information. That was really the
reason for this letter. Paul was going to make a request, but Paul was also
making sure that Philemon understood the entire situation concerning Onesimus.
When people are true fellow-workers, then information is shared. There is open
communication. Christianity was not meant to be a religion with leaders in
charge of followers. It was meant to be a community of fellow-workers and
friends. Jesus said in John
In verse 15 of Philemon Paul states exactly what had happened, and
Paul gives his request for what he is asking Philemon to do. Paul wrote in
Philemon 1V15, “For perhaps
he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever.” Onesimus had departed Philemon. In some
way Onesimus had run away. He had fled. He had escaped. He probably left at a
time when he was needed most. Onesimus was not the first person nor the last person
to run away from difficulty or responsibility. But Paul made a contrast between
the small period of time that Onesimus was gone and the term “forever” in
reference to Onesimus’ return. When anyone returns to the Lord, the Lord
receives them forever. Jesus said in John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself…” “Christ receiveth sinful men, even me
with all my sin.” If Christ receives us, then we certainly should receive each
other.
Paul continued telling just how Onesimus should be received and
Paul wrote in verse 16, “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.” This is a good verse to use to show
that the best spirit of the New Testament is against the concept of slavery.
Onesimus had been a servant to Philemon, and Onesimus had become a runaway servant;
but Paul said that Onesimus should not be treated as a servant but as a
brother. The word that is translated “servant” means
“slave.” True Christianity changes things, and one of the principle things that
it changes is the relationships between human beings. Those who at one time
were master and servant should now be brothers because of their common
relationship to Christ.
In Philemon verse 17 Paul wrote, “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as
myself.” In this verse Paul
uses yet another word that shows the unique relationship that Christians should
have with one another. The word that is translated “partner” comes from a word that has to do with having things in
common. Of course, Christians have things in common. We have a similar past:
before we came to Christ we were lost souls. We have a similar future: an
eternity in the glories of heaven with our Savior. We have a similar present:
to face the challenges of living by faith in a world of woe and disappointment.
We really do have all things common. If you are a true Christian, every other
true Christian is your partner.
Paul told Philemon that if he was a partner, then Philemon would
have the same attitude toward Onesimus that Paul had. We can see from verse 18
that Paul attempted to have the same attitude that Christ has to every one of
us. Paul wrote, “If he hath
wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine
account.” That is exactly
what Jesus did for us. Our stripes fell on Him. Our iniquities fell on His
account, and His righteouness was credited to our
account. What a blessed thing that Jesus did for us. If Jesus the holy Son of
God did such a thing for us, then certainly we can do it for each other. True
Christianity is based upon the concept of the forgiveness of sins. The people
of the world get revenge on those whom they perceive to have wronged them. The
followers of Christ forgive those who have wronged them, because they
themselves have been forgiven.
The Bible says in Philemon verse 19, “I Paul have written it with mine own
hand. I will repay it; albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest
unto me thine own self besides.”
Evidently some time in the past Paul had done something of tremendous value for
Philemon. It may very well be that Paul introduced Philemon to faith in Christ.
Once you come to faith in Christ, of course you owe everything to Christ; but
you also owe something to the human instruments that God used in your life.
Paul counted on the fact that Philemon would have the decency to have the
proper gratitude for what others had done for him.
Paul wrote in verse 20, “Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord; refresh my
bowels in the Lord.” The
truth is that all Christians are tied together. What one Christian does affects
another. If one is weak, then the others suffer for it. In these last days we
see how much Christianity has suffered not from the people of the world, but
from those within its ranks. Paul’s joy largely came from other Christians: how
they responded and how they reacted to what was happening. When a believer sees
other believers serving the Lord and winning the battles of faith, it is
encouraging. It brings us joy to see the people of the Lord going forth in
victory. But when we see the worldliness of some, and the coldness of others;
and when we see the political phonies among the clergy, then we are stricken in
our hearts seeing how greatly those who call themselves Christians have failed.
When they have used the methods of the world, when they have comprised with
their unholy alliances, or when they have caused divisions by their unnecessary
quarrels; then we are sorrowful instead of joyful. We are
troubled when we think of the victories that could have been won and the work
that could have been accomplished in the name of Christ, but was not.
But at least the Apostle Paul knew that in this particular
situation the outcome was going to be good. Instead of revenge there was going
to be forgiveness. Instead of rejection there was going to be acceptance of the
one who had fallen but had now returned. This was the last word that Paul would
say about the matter of Onesimus. Paul wrote in verse 21, “Having confidence in thy obedience I
wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.” Paul knew that once everything was explained
to Philemon that Philemon would do exactly as Paul wished.
Paul said that he had confidence in Philemon’s “obedience.” The
word that is translated “obedience” comes from the same word as the word “to
listen.” When you listen carefully to what someone says, and you change what
you do because of what they said, then you obeyed. To be good at obedience, you
must be good at listening. If you want someone to obey you, do not give them
commands. Do what Paul did. Give them information about everything that you
think about a particular situation. If they are obedient, they will listen and
will end up doing the same thing that you would have done.
In the last four verses of the Epistle of Philemon Paul concludes
his epistle. In verse 22 Paul writes, “But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through
your prayers I shall be given unto you.” In verse 2 Paul had spoken of the church that was in Philemon’s
house. Now Paul is asking that Philemon prepare a lodging for Paul when Paul
visited. These things show that Philemon was well-to-do, and that Philemon used
his material possessions for God’s glory. That is what we all should do. One of
the reasons that God gives to you more than you need is not so you can hoard it
all to yourself, but so that you will use some of it for the spread of the
gospel.
When Paul said, “for
I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you,” Paul was demonstrating his knowledge
that he was totally dependent upon how the Lord worked things out. Paul wanted
to visit Philemon and the church in his house and minister to them, but it was
not going to happen unless they prayed about it and God arranged things that
way. Paul was not in charge. Jesus was in charge. This shows the way that a
church should get a pastor, and a preacher should find a congregation: prayer.
If prayer is made so that everyone is truly trusting in the Lord’s leading,
then God will bring the right preacher and the right congregation together.
Here in the conclusion Paul identified several other individuals
who also sent greetings to Philemon. Paul wrote in verses 23 and 24, “There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner
in Christ Jesus; Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.” Notice that Paul used the same two
words to describe these individuals that he used early in the epistle for those
to whom he was writing: “fellowprisoner” and “fellowlaborers.” They all had the same status. Paul was not above the others
because he was an apostle. They were fellow prisoners because of their common
connection to Christ. Their connection to Christ is why the world hated them
and persecuted them. They were fellow laborers because they were all involved
in the same great work: spreading the gospel of Christ according to His calling
and the doors that He opened for each of them.
Finally, Paul wrote in Philemon verse 25, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirit. Amen.” This prayer or
desire that Paul expressed is extremely important for Christians. We were saved
by grace, and we are totally dependent upon the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Ultimately it is not what we do that counts, it is what Christ does by His
grace. He must open the doors. He must strengthen us. He must give us wisdom.
He must win the battles. Without the grace of Christ, even if something appears
to be accomplished by human effort, it is all in vain. Notice that the Bible
says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with your spirit.”
It is what is inside of you that counts. As long as your spirit is strong, and
as long as your inner man is touched by His grace, then nothing will keep you
from being what God wants you to be. That is what really counts: who you are on
the inside. And that is why Jesus Christ is our everything. We owe everything
to Him: even the very person that we are. Because of
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Copyright; 2005 by Charles
F. (Rick) Creech
All Rights Reserved