WORD From The Woods
Philemon 1:17–25
“17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
As we wrap up this series on Philemon, it feels like we’ve reached the heart of Paul’s message, and it’s bursting with gospel truths. In this passage, we see a clear and deep representation of the gospel. Paul’s plea to Philemon “Forgive him and charge his wrongdoing to my account”, mirrors Christ’s grace towards us. Just as Jesus took Philemon’s and Onesimus’s sins upon Himself and gave us His own righteousness, Paul asks Philemon to extend the same grace to Onesimus.
It’s easy to read a passage like this and think, “Wow, that’s powerful!” because it is notable, only to quickly move on with life. We do this because the Christian walk, in which we try to abide in Christ and strive towards Christ's good works, can be exhausting, difficult, and humbling. Thoughts creep in, like:
· “I was wronged, and I need justice.”
· “They’ll only learn if they face consequences.”
· “If I keep forgiving them, I’m just enabling them.”
· “Forgiving them will cost me something—maybe even financially.”
Paul knew thoughts like these were likely running through Philemon’s mind. Paul is poking at the wickedness and sin that can so easily overtake us in moments like this.
1 Corinthians 6:7 comes to mind: “To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?” Paul originally wrote this in the context of believers in the Corinthian church actually taking each other to court, but the sentiment applies here. Yes, Philemon had the legal right to hold Onesimus accountable for any losses he incurred. But Paul is calling him, and us, toward something greater: reconciliation.
Paul echoes this in Colossians 3:12–14:
“12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. “
Paul doesn’t stop at calling for forgiveness. He highlights its broader impact with the statement, “Yes, I want some benefit from you. Refresh my heart in Christ.” Paul emphasizes that this act of grace won’t just benefit Philemon and Onesimus, it will refresh himself and the church as a whole. Obedience to Christ and rejoicing in the Law of the Lord (Psalm 119:14-32) provides us meat and drink in abundance, like the bread Jesus spoke of in John 4:32 “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
This not only pertains to us from a spiritual perspective but also as loggers and foresters. We all know, full well, that this industry is small and we see the same people over and over again our entire careers. Whether it’s truck drivers, log yard workers, harvest managers, or others in the supply chain, we can all bring someone to mind who has wronged us, caused us harm, or simply makes our blood pressure rise when they enter the room. When you think of that person, remember this, “As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also MUST forgive.”(emphasis added) This is not just my challenge to you, it’s a command from the Lord. Don’t be like the wicked servant in Jesus’ parable, who was forgiven an enormous debt by the Master of the house and turned around demanding immediate repayment of a much smaller debt from his fellow. Forgiveness and reconciliation like this are only possible through us walking in step with the spirit and daily abiding in the patient, steadfast love of the Lord.
So here’s my encouragement for the week: seek out those who have wronged you. Pray for them. If possible, reconcile with them. Humble yourself before the Lord and remember the depths from which He has graciously lifted you and “Bear one another’s Burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Have a blessed week! -Ethan-
Philemon 1:17–25
“17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
As we wrap up this series on Philemon, it feels like we’ve reached the heart of Paul’s message, and it’s bursting with gospel truths. In this passage, we see a clear and deep representation of the gospel. Paul’s plea to Philemon “Forgive him and charge his wrongdoing to my account”, mirrors Christ’s grace towards us. Just as Jesus took Philemon’s and Onesimus’s sins upon Himself and gave us His own righteousness, Paul asks Philemon to extend the same grace to Onesimus.
It’s easy to read a passage like this and think, “Wow, that’s powerful!” because it is notable, only to quickly move on with life. We do this because the Christian walk, in which we try to abide in Christ and strive towards Christ's good works, can be exhausting, difficult, and humbling. Thoughts creep in, like:
· “I was wronged, and I need justice.”
· “They’ll only learn if they face consequences.”
· “If I keep forgiving them, I’m just enabling them.”
· “Forgiving them will cost me something—maybe even financially.”
Paul knew thoughts like these were likely running through Philemon’s mind. Paul is poking at the wickedness and sin that can so easily overtake us in moments like this.
1 Corinthians 6:7 comes to mind: “To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?” Paul originally wrote this in the context of believers in the Corinthian church actually taking each other to court, but the sentiment applies here. Yes, Philemon had the legal right to hold Onesimus accountable for any losses he incurred. But Paul is calling him, and us, toward something greater: reconciliation.
Paul echoes this in Colossians 3:12–14:
“12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. “
Paul doesn’t stop at calling for forgiveness. He highlights its broader impact with the statement, “Yes, I want some benefit from you. Refresh my heart in Christ.” Paul emphasizes that this act of grace won’t just benefit Philemon and Onesimus, it will refresh himself and the church as a whole. Obedience to Christ and rejoicing in the Law of the Lord (Psalm 119:14-32) provides us meat and drink in abundance, like the bread Jesus spoke of in John 4:32 “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
This not only pertains to us from a spiritual perspective but also as loggers and foresters. We all know, full well, that this industry is small and we see the same people over and over again our entire careers. Whether it’s truck drivers, log yard workers, harvest managers, or others in the supply chain, we can all bring someone to mind who has wronged us, caused us harm, or simply makes our blood pressure rise when they enter the room. When you think of that person, remember this, “As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also MUST forgive.”(emphasis added) This is not just my challenge to you, it’s a command from the Lord. Don’t be like the wicked servant in Jesus’ parable, who was forgiven an enormous debt by the Master of the house and turned around demanding immediate repayment of a much smaller debt from his fellow. Forgiveness and reconciliation like this are only possible through us walking in step with the spirit and daily abiding in the patient, steadfast love of the Lord.
So here’s my encouragement for the week: seek out those who have wronged you. Pray for them. If possible, reconcile with them. Humble yourself before the Lord and remember the depths from which He has graciously lifted you and “Bear one another’s Burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Have a blessed week! -Ethan-