I BESEECH THEE FOR MY SON ONESIMUS

Philemon 1:10

Morning Meditation 9/12/2014

"I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:"

First a word about Onesimus. He is the subject of this book. "He becomes useful, a slave who, after robbing his master Philemon (q.v.) at Colosse, fled to Rome, where he was converted by the apostle Paul, who sent him back to his master with the epistle which bears his name. In it he beseeches Philemon to receive his slave as a "faithful and beloved brother." Paul offers to pay to Philemon anything his slave had taken, and to bear the wrong he had done him. He was accompanied on his return by Tychicus, the bearer of the Epistle to the Colossians," (Philemon 1:16, 18).

"The story of this fugitive Colossian slave is a remarkable evidence of the freedom of access to the prisoner which was granted to all, and "a beautiful illustration both of the character of St. Paul and the transfiguring power and righteous principles of the gospel." --Easton's Bible Dictionary.

THE COMMUNICATION OF OUR FAITH

Philemon 1:6, "That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

This is the appeal that Paul makes to Philemon concerning a runaway slave who had stolen from his master. Faith is dead if we do not add works to it and help people in need. Their life starts all over when they get saved. All sin is forgiven and forgotten. I speak of the new birth and the spiritual kingdom. I do not say if a man commits a crime and then gets saved that he should not have to pay the penalty for his crime. But so far as God is concerned, he is forgiven and when God forgives He forgets.

It is not enough to trust the Lord for salvation. One must serve the Lord according to the heavenly guidelines.

THE EFFECTUAL COMMUNICATION OF OUR FAITH

Philemon 1:6, "That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

It is one thing to communicate our faith, it is quite another thing for us to do it effectually. Think about it. There is a lot of sound preaching that comes short of bringing conviction to the sinners heart. Apart from this men will not be saved.

I believe the illustration of this truth is found in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

There is and will be no effectual communication of faith until we are willing to practice what we preach. Is the Holy Spirit present in your services to get past the resistance to the conviction of the need of the Gospel?

THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF EVERY GOOD THING

On this point John Gill comments: "by the acknowledging of every good thing that is in you in Christ Jesus; the meaning is, that every good thing that is in the saints, or among them, should be acknowledged to come to them in and through Christ Jesus, in whom all fulness of grace dwells, and from whom all is imparted; and that every good thing that is communicated, or done in faith, which is effectual to any good purpose, should be owned as done by the grace and strength of Christ, and be done to his saints, as if done to himself, and be directed to his glory: the phrase, "in you", respects not Philemon only, but Apphia, Archippus, and the church in Philemon's house."

Paul makes it clear that the use of abilities given us of the Lord is to be acknowledged as coming from Him and not ourselves. Philemon 1:6, "That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." It was important to Paul that the effectual working of God that is being worked out in the growth and training of the house-church be continually acknowledged as coming from Christ. Paul presented a living Christ who is working in and through His people when they will let Him.

PAUL'S PLEA TO PHILEMON

Paul's plea for Onesimus to be restored to fellowship is a great example as to how things worked in the early churches. Philemon had met Paul in Rome and responded in faith to the gospel. What can now be done to reconcile the slave to his owner? First, he is to return and make things right over what he had taken from him in his flight to Rome. It is implied that what he had stolen from his master had already been spent. So Paul sends Onesimus back empty handed but a servant who had repented and is now willing to make any restitution that is necessary. Philemon 1:16-18, "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? If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;"

I have not covered this book in detail but rather given the glorious story of the effectual working of the gospel.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White