Philemon

Now, let me just tell you, Philemon is a small book (doesnt even have chapters, just 25 verses), but it packs a big punch. Take five seconds and read the whole thing HERE. It has also enouraged me alot this summer in various areas. One of the main themes running through the letter of Philemon is forgiveness wrapped in the fact that becoming a christian should transform our personal relationships. In a nut shell- Paul is writing a recomendation letter for a slave named Onesimus to a guy named Philemon in order to get Philemon to forgive Onesimus and accept him back into the household. Got that? Ok. See, Onesy here was a slave but he had run away and not kept a deal he had with Philemon, but on the road to escape, he met Paul and became a christian, and knew he had to go back and make things right. In order to pave the way for Onsey, Paul wrote this letter.

My favorite verses in this book touch on the very theme-
"If then you count me as a parnter, receive him as you would me. But if he has wronged you or owes anything, PUT THAT ON MY ACCOUNT." (vs 17-18) (Paul talking to Philemon)

This has G_O_S_P_E_L written all over it. Paul is urging Philemon to accept Onsey back into the house, to forgive him, and recieve him as if it was Paul himself. Imagine that. On top of that he tells Philemon to charge Paul with any debt that Onsey has incurred. It probably takes alot for Philemon to trust Onsey again, after running away, betraying his trust, breaking a deal.

Hi, Think about it. Philemon is God. Paul represents Jesus. We are Onsey. Jesus is begging God to take us back into his household for we have sinned against him. Jesus takes all our debt on himself, and pleads with the Father for forgiveness on our behalf, for God to receive us like he would receive his very own son.

Are you still with me? Let me know if this makes sense. Its powerful.
Ohh man, I love this book.

So back to personal relationships. As much as this verse is vertical in our relationship with God it is also horizontal in our relationship to others. Say someone wrongs you, guess what? We need to forgive them and welcome them back as if they were Jesus himself. Ouch, thats hard. But its what we need to do.


What do ya'll think?

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From the CSF Leadership blog