Doing Right “For Love’s Sake”

Transcript

GRM 865
7/6/2003
Doing Right for Love’s Sake
Philemon 8-14
Gil Rugh

The book of Philemon in you Bibles, little one-chapter letter written by the Apostle Paul toward the back of your New Testament, just before the letter to the Hebrews. Hebrews is a larger book in the back part of you New Testament. Just before that, after the book of Titus. I and II Timothy, Titus, Philemon. One of those little letters that is unique, it’s not a heavy doctrinal letter. In fact, it probably is the other side, rather than being heavily doctrinal it is much more personal and intimate. In fact, it’s the most personal and intimate of any of Paul’s letters. You get a feeling of Paul pouring his heart out as he writes to Philemon in the section we are going to be looking at. It’s a letter written by Paul while he is a prisoner in Rome, imprisonment that is recorded at the end of the book of Acts. Paul wrote four letters, this is one of them, and the shortest of them.

It’s written to a man named Philemon in the city of Colossae, and it’s written on behalf of a runaway slave named Onesimus. Onesimus had run away, fled to Rome, by God’s grace had been saved. Now Paul sends him back to his master with a letter with a special appeal to Philemon, the master of Onesimus. Onesimus is in a precarious position. There were severe, legal consequences that could be meted out by the master for such an offense as running away. So, Paul is going to intervene on behalf of Onesimus.

In verses 4-7 Paul indicated his great confidence in the maturity and godly character of Philemon. Philemon had a testimony of verse 5, “love toward all the saints and a faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ.” So that faith and love manifest in his love brought joy and comfort to the Apostle Paul in his imprisonment. In verse 7, “I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you brother.” This is not Paul’s personal experience of the love of Philemon, but more so the love that Philemon has demonstrated to other believers has been a great blessing to Paul as he has heard that report. Philemon evidently being a convert of Paul’s himself. Now Paul rejoices to hear the evidence of Philemon’s transformed life.

What Paul is now going to do is ask Philemon to go another step, to grow a little more in the manifestation of his love in Christ Jesus, to go beyond what might normally be expected, to give up what are his rights and prerogatives as the master who has been defrauded in this situation and demonstrate love toward one who in that sense is undeserving, unworthy. He has earned punishment. Paul is going to ask Philemon not to mete out punishment, but to demonstrate love. Paul is going to apply pressure here. He is going to apply it in a gently way. He’s not going to resort to his apostolic authority, but he is going to encourage Philemon to do what will be such a blessing to Paul’s heart and such a benefit to other believers as well.

You’ll note verse 8 begins with the word, therefore. “Therefore,” in light of what he has just said about the blessing that the manifestation of Philemon’s love has been. “I have come,” verse 7, “to have much joy and comfort in your love because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. Therefore, I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper.” I have confidence, I have boldness. We know the Apostle Paul as one who was very bold, very confident. He would step up and exercise apostolic authority, when necessary, he would rebuke, when necessary, he would challenge and exhort, and sometimes he would plead. Paul says, “I have the confidence here to use the authority that is mine,” both as an apostle and as one who has had such an effective ministry in Philemon’s life as later, he’ll refer to in the letter. But he doesn’t follow that path. I might have confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper. That word order is just like it sounds in English. It’s an authoritative command from someone in a superior position. There is a gentleness but a firmness in what Paul says, and here he is not going to use his authority, but there is a reminder that he has it. But he has a reason in not exercising the authority that is his. He expects that his authority is recognized and will be recognized among those who are godly people, and Philemon is one of those. “I have confidence to order you to do what is proper.” This refers to what is fitting, what is right. This word is used in Colossians chapter 3 when Paul says, “wives are to submit to their husbands as is fitting in the Lord.” That’s the same word here. That’s the right thing to do, the proper thing to do. That’s important here because Paul is saying I have the confidence and the boldness to order you to do what is the right thing for you to do. So, you see what he is putting before Philemon here. I’m not going to give the order, but there is no doubt about what the right course of conduct is here. There is no doubt what is fitting and proper for Philemon to do as a godly man in this situation. So even though there won’t be a command from the Apostle Paul, there is proper conduct that is fitting here. I’m not going to order you to do what is proper. That’s an encouragement. He’s going to leave it in Philemon’s hands to do what is proper. He wants him to exercise his own will, as he’ll say in verse 14.

In verse 9 he said, “Yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you.” Now he has already referred twice to Philemon’s love for the saints. In verse 5, “I hear of your love toward all the saints.” Verse 7, I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love. The love he is talking about is the way that Philemon has refreshed the hearts of the saints, a manifestation of his love. Now for love’s sake I ask you to go a step further and make another sacrifice on this occasion. “For love’s sake I would rather appeal to you.” So rather than to command, I want to make a request. I want to appeal to you, I want to implore you, beseech you to do something that will be consistent with love, and a further demonstration of your love, and he adds weight to this. You realize and you get a sense of Paul’s concern here of the seriousness of the situation. Onesimus, the slave, has committed a serious offense against Roman law and against his master. There have been some of the things said in this letter which seem to indicate that Philemon has suffered some loss as a result of this. Even with a godly person there are sometimes when a godly person believes perhaps this goes beyond what they could be expected to do. This is more than I am ready to do. Paul puts quite a bit of subtle pressure on Philemon here. “I’m not going to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I appeal to you.” He emphasized this is proper, this would be consistent with manifesting love. This comes from a personal appeal, and who does this personal appeal come from? Since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, here I am, Paul, now in my elderly years. I’m the one giving this. Later Paul is going to remind Philemon in this subtle, not so subtle approach, you owe me your very life. I’m Paul the aged, how can you turn down this old soldier. Most commentators think Paul would have been somewhere around 60. I guess I can start referring to myself as Gil, the aged.

In Acts chapter 7 verse 58 we first come into contact with Paul, known as Saul, then, and there he was referred to as a young man. They laid their cloaks, remember, at the feet of a young man named Saul. Well, the years have gone by, now Paul refers to himself as the aged. He’s had a series; his life has not been an easy life. I’m sure his body manifested the years. They looked a Paul and said my you look awful young for a man of your age, and probably went away thinking, I thought he was a lot older than that, even if they didn’t say it to his face. Any rate, he’s Paul the aged. So, this appeal request comes from Paul, the aged, but it’s not enough that it’s expressed that way. Paul the aged, and where is this old man now? At home retired, enjoying the blessings of his twilight years, relaxing on the Mediterranean? No. Now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Paul, the aged, and the one now a prisoner of Jesus Christ. This puts strong pressure on Philemon no doubt. How can you reject such an appeal? How could you say no? I mean when Paul puts it on this level, for love’s sake, for the demonstration of the love of Christ in your life, I appeal to you. I, Paul, the aged, the one even in his elderly years who is now a prisoner for Jesus Christ, the one who has served so faithfully and paid such a price. You’re going to say no? I have to think if I were Onesimus I would be thankful for Paul willing to put himself out like that. Here you see the balance given to direct Philemon and put the pressure on Philemon to do what godliness requires, and yet not command him to do it. But really leaves him no choice. I mean how is Philemon going to sleep tonight if he sends a letter back telling Paul no? Not really a possibility.

Verse 10, “I appeal to you for my child.” So, you’ll note now, we will pick it up. Verse 9, “for love’s sake I rather appeal to you”. Let me remind you who I am that’s making this appeal. Now with that reminder he picks it up again. Verse 10, “I appeal to you.” Paul uses that word appeal twice. “I beseech you; I implore you for my child.” Now it’s become personal. It’s not only Paul making the request, but he’s making it for one he calls his child. It’s become very personal. My child, Onesimus. First time in the letter the name has come up. Now here you see all that Paul has said. We’ve come about halfway into this letter. Now for the first time you really get to the reason for the letter. You see Paul has carefully laid the foundation. We sometimes think of Paul as abrupt and harsh, lacking finesse. But you don’t read this letter and get that idea. He could be very soft and warm, and he’s not trying to manipulate Philemon. But he has a tenderness in his desire for Philemon to do the right thing, and a tenderness and a love for Onesimus to be properly cared for in this situation.

“I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment.” Now here it’s unfolding. How did he become Paul’s child? I gave birth to him, if you will, in my imprisonment. Paul wrote to the Corinthians in I Corinthians chapter 4 verse 15 and said, “I became your father through the gospel.” The same context in I Corinthians 4:17 he refers to “Timothy as my beloved and faithful child in the Lord.” What a legacy Paul had, children in the Lord. This is my child, Onesimus. Paul, the aged, imprisoned in Rome, but giving birth to spiritual children. By God’s grace Onesimus ends up on Paul’s doorstep, so to speak, in Rome, and hears the gospel. I Peter chapter 1 verse 23, “for you have been born again, not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God.” You know if we want spiritual children what we have to do? Sow the seed of the gospel. People are born again by the living and abiding Word of God. Look and say how precious it is to have spiritual children, go to write a letter and say I’m writing on behalf of my child whom I gave birth to in my imprisonment. How did that happen? Paul shared the good news of Jesus Christ with Onesimus; and he believed and was saved. It’s just that simple. We are born again by the living and abiding Word of God. By God’s grace we become instruments that He uses to carry this seed of the gospel to people. Many, many, many who hear it reject it and turn away. That’s true of the Apostle Paul’s ministry. But whom do we remember? We praise God that there were those who were saved. Maybe only a small minority of those that he shared the good news of the gospel with, but that doesn’t matter. Praise God there were people like Onesimus, like Philemon, like Timothy, like the Corinthians. Because he shared the good news of the gospel.

Back up to the book of Philippians, a little bit toward the front of your Bible, the book of Philippians. is another letter written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. In Philippians chapter 1 verse 12 Paul writes, “now I want you to know brethren that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian guard and to everyone else. And that most of the brethren trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment have far more courage to speak the Word of God without fear.” Two things are happening, Paul says. Because I’m here imprisoned, the Praetorian guard, even though Paul has a certain amount of freedom, we’ll refer to that in a little bit, he still has a Roman soldier with him all the time. As they rotate shifts you know what? One guard after another is hearing the message of the gospel. Paul can say the whole Praetorian guard has heard. What an opportunity. Instead of looking at the things that are so discouraging. I’ve got this Roman prisoner with me all the time, what I wouldn’t give for 5 minutes of privacy. It’s oh my I have this Roman soldier with me as his prisoner all the time. What an opportunity for the gospel.

You know what happened? As believers in Rome saw what was happening with Paul’s testimony, they were more encouraged to go and share the gospel. You know what happens when you hear a friend who starts talking about people that he shared the gospel with, people who have gotten saved. Pretty soon you’re thinking I ought to do that, I ought to talk to someone. Paul says that’s what happens. Christians here are getting bolder in their testimony for the gospel because Paul was being bold, a great opportunity.

Come back to Philemon. In II Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 Paul had said that “God was making manifest the sweet aroma of Christ through us in every place, giving off the knowledge of Jesus Christ in every place.” In his final letter at a later imprisonment, in II Timothy chapter 2 verse 9 Paul would write “that he was being imprisoned for the gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to imprisonment as a criminal.” But then he adds, “but the Word of God is not imprisoned.” You know I can be confined to a hospital bed, but the Word of God is not confined. I can be chained to a Roman soldier, but the Word of God is not chained. You can be limited by physical circumstances or other things, but you understand the Word of God is not limited. Every situation and every circumstance becomes its own unique opportunity in the sovereign plan of God for the dispensing of His truth.

Onesimus, Onesimus. The name means useful or profitable. There is a play of words on that name in verse 11. “I appeal to you for my child, useful, Onesimus.” Verse 11, who was formerly useless, but now is useful, both to you and to me. You’ll note there is no attempt here to make excuses for the conduct of Onesimus in running away from Philemon. There is no discussion here of the unjustness of the slavery institution. There is no talking to Philemon on the level, you know Philemon, Onesimus ran away but we have to understand it’s not easy for one human being to be enslaved to another. Any of that kind of talk. Let’s agree, Philemon, the man whose name is “useful,” used to be “useless,” worthless, unprofitable. But that’s all changed. He’s now useful, both to you and to me. You know Paul has no doubt. I take it Onesimus was not saved a very long time before Paul sent him back to his master. But Paul has no doubt in his mind that Onesimus is a transformed person. He’s not the same person that left Philemon. The one who was useless left Philemon and ran away. The one that is useful and profitable is the one who has returned. True salvation changes a life, makes a person totally different. They’re not the person they used to be. You know that’s a glorious truth, that’s a wonderful message from God, that we are totally changed and made new. There is a process of growth in that, but you’ll note Paul expects there will be major differences right from the beginning. He doesn’t send Onesimus back and say you know, you never know how it’s going to turn out. I hope he’s better than he was, I think you’ll see improvement. Paul puts his own credibility on the line. He has seen enough in Onesimus’ response to the gospel and the short time he had with him, that he’s willing to put it out there. He’s a different person. You’ll find him different; you’ll find him profitable in ways he was never profitable to you before.

Back up to II Corinthians chapter 5. I’m glad God doesn’t have two kinds of salvation. There is only one salvation. It’s the powerful, life-changing kind. You know if there were two kinds, I’d spend my life saying, Lord did I get the good one. Did I get the kind that really changed my life, or did I get a salvation that will just squeak me by. You know the salvation that God gives is a powerful salvation. It’s a salvation brought about by the power of God. Look in II Corinthians chapter 5 verse 14, “for the love of Christ controls us having concluded this that one died for all. Therefore, all died. And He died for all so that they who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” Verse 17, “therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old things passed away, behold new things have come.” Verse 21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” What a transformation. The one whose best attempts at righteousness were nothing but a filthy, vile, polluted rag in the sight of God, as Isaiah puts it. Now I am the righteousness of God in Christ, a new creature. I have no excuses, no arguments for the old me, let’s agree. It was terrible, it was vile. I’m glad he’s dead. I’m a new creature, and that’s the salvation that Onesimus now has.

Come back to Philemon. Verse 12, “I have sent him back to you in person.” In other words, he’s there, this is my action sending him to you. I want him to be back there with you. “I’m sending my very heart.” The Apostle Paul is strong and clear here. You know Paul poured his life into those he ministered to. They became part of him. You know when I told Onesimus you have to go back to your master, Philemon, it was like tearing my heart out. I mean I’ve come to love him and he’s going to say in a moment, come to benefit, as he said at the end of verse 11 and he’ll say in verse 13 how he had profited in his imprisonment from this man. It was a wrenching experience. It hurt for me to have to have him go, but I knew it was the right thing to do.

In Acts chapter 28 verse 30 we’re told, during this Roman imprisonment, Paul was allowed to stay in his own rented quarters. It was like being under house arrest with a Roman soldier attending him at all times. In this situation Paul had the freedom to receive guests and so on, and that’s evidently how Onesimus came to have contact with him. It’s in this context that Paul came to appreciate so much the ministry of Onesimus. Here’s a man who was a slave and he was accustomed to serving others, but when Christ changed his life the quality of his service was transformed. Now he became one who ministered spiritually in his service to the mighty Apostle Paul. Paul would say when he left it was like sending my heart. And as you’re aware my splagchs, my intestines, my innards went with him.

In the letter to the Colossians Paul wrote from prison as well, to the church at Colossae, where Philemon would have attended. In Colossians chapter 4 verse 9 he refers to Onesimus “as a faithful and beloved brother.” Philemon vs 12, “I’ve sent him back to you, that is sending my very heart, whom I wish to keep with me so that you your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel. I wanted to keep him here, and if he had stayed with me, he would have been your representative ministering to me.” Philemon can come to appreciate an opportunity for him to thank God for the privilege he’s had to play a role in Paul’s life. He would even say thank you Lord for using the circumstances that cost me perhaps financially, but to know that this wretched, useless servant became a minister to the Apostle Paul is a great blessing to my heart. I can thank you for even the difficulties, even the unpleasant things as I see how it has turned out. “I wanted to keep him with me so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel.” Again, Paul never lost sight of the fact, why am I in prison? For the gospel. That’s worth being in prison for. “I wouldn’t keep him, though, without your consent,” verse 14. “Without your consent I did not want to do anything. I didn’t want your goodness to be by compulsion.” I mean Paul said I wouldn’t write you a letter and say I want you to know your slave Onesimus has been saved. I know you will rejoice with me; and he’s become such an essential part of my life in ministry as I am imprisoned here that I know you’ll understand when I say I want to keep him. What choice would Philemon have? I wouldn’t put that kind of compulsion on you. So, I sent him back, I returned him. I don’t want it to be by compulsion, wouldn’t want it to be by compulsion, I would want it to be by an act of your will, something you wanted to do.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians regarding their giving in II Corinthians chapter 9 verse 7, he says “let each one of you do as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.” Same idea, I don’t want you to do it under compulsion, I want you to do it because it is something you wanted to do out of your love for Christ and love for me, love for other believers. Paul’s not even requesting here that Onesimus be sent back. He’s simply expressing how much he would have loved to been able to keep him. This should help Philemon look at Onesimus in a different way. If the Apostle Paul can speak so highly of the benefit and value that he received and saw in Onesimus, Philemon should be sure he looks at him differently than he did before. If Paul thought so highly of him, if Paul experienced his ministry as so valuable, I have to see him in a different light.

The Apostle Paul has manifested something of his heart here. You know there are times when we have to stand firm and draw the line, we have to reprove and rebuke. We also have to exhort with all longsuffering, be willing to pour our hearts and lives into people, and then be willing to stand for those people, to be their friend, to be their representative, if you will, to act on their behalf, and knowing that God has done a work in their lives. Not just to throw them out there. He could have told Onesimus, look you just go back, bear your punishment like a man and like a servant of Jesus Christ and leave it in the hands of the Lord. But Paul saw that he had a role to play here, both in the future growth of Onesimus and in the ongoing growth and development of a godly man named Philemon; and you know that’s part of growth. You know we want to be part of encouraging and helping one another, to do the right thing. It’s not always a matter of telling someone what they must do. Just because there’s not a specific command to give and to do it doesn’t mean that the right thing is not clear. There’s no doubt, is there, as you read this what is the right thing for Philemon to do. Doesn’t say he has to release Onesimus, I don’t think that’s the point of the letter, but he has to welcome him back as a brother in Christ. He has to realize that even these circumstances which were so painful and unpleasant and perhaps costly have turned out for the furtherance of the gospel and the salvation of an eternal soul.

The lesson that we all have to learn, and we’re never done learning it. Philemon is a godly man, but he’s not done growing in his godliness. He’s a man who has demonstrated the kind of godly love that has been a blessing to Paul, been a blessing among many believers. But that doesn’t mean he’s grown as much as he needs to grow in his love. So, we ought to be careful. You know with every opportunity that comes; I need to be careful that I am open to grow as God would have me grow. To take the next step, to do what I really maybe at first thought don’t even want to do. But Lord it’s the right thing to do, Lord I know I should, just trying to decide whether I will. You know sometimes you’ve been a believer you have someone come to you and they’ll want to ask, do you think I should do this, and you’ll say well let’s talk about it. Then you’ll say what do you think you should do? Well sometimes your kids even do this, not often. It catches you so off-guard, they’ll say I wish you’d just tell me what to do. Well, you know sometimes you don’t want to tell them what to do, sometimes it’s not a matter of saying yes go do this. But you do want the pressure to be there. Now we ought to have the right environment in love, in tenderness, in heartfelt concern to be applying that kind of godly pressure that encourages us to do the right thing, to stretch beyond where we’ve been. You know for love to grow it needs to be stretched, for us to grow we have to be stretched. So, Philemon has to grow. What an appeal. Paul’s not done, but he has laid out his heart and now he leaves it to Philemon to do the right thing. We ought to think about ourselves and how we’re doing in this. Are we manifesting the right character to people in this congregation, perhaps. We need to make things right, things that ought to be put behind us. You know, I’ve been offended, you’ve been offended, wrongs are done by whom for what. You know none of those things are entered into by Paul. What really matters is what? Our godly character, the proper manifestation of love, seeing this person as they are now in Christ, and the way they can be used as verse 11 says, “be useful both to you and to me.” Don’t have to go back and dig up all the old things, just get on with it. Allow God to work in a great and mighty way.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for the letter to Philemon, for the simplicity of the letter. Lord, not great doctrine is unfolded, not new insights and teachings, but Lord the manifestation of a life lived in light of your truth as Paul pours out his heart for one he has been privileged to bring to salvation in Christ. Lord, thank you for Philemon, the testimony of his godly character and the impact it made. Now your grace at work to use seeming tragedy and difficulty that have been turned for good. Now he has opportunity to grow and manifest your love in a unique situation that will enable him to become more like Jesus Christ. Lord, may we not fail to take these truths to heart. This message has been put here for our admonition, our encouragement, to model for us what our godly character ought to be and must be. That we would manifest your love, going beyond what are our rights and prerogatives, manifest your character and your love, to be a testimony and a blessing not only to those who are the direct recipients, but to all who observe as well. May our testimony be strong and clear. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.