Orange Moon Monday, July 7, 2025 "Philemon" - Part 7 - "Brothers"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

(Over the next few days, we will consider the the Apostle Paul's epistle to Philemon, one of my favorite portions of Scripture, and one of its most Christ-exalting and revealing revelations of truth.)

"Philemon"

Part 7  - "Brothers"

    

     

    "For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever" (Philemon 1:15).

    Onesimus left as a slave.  We can surmise Philemon responded well to the Apostle Paul's intercession, whereby Onesimus  returned and was received as a brother, forever bound to Philemon in the bond of Christ's love that dwelt in both men's hearts (Philemon 1:10; 19).  

    Long ago in Eden, the heart of the human race turned away from God by distrusting and disobeying Him (Genesis 3).  The Lord immediately began His working to redeem us unto Himself.  In general terms and personally, we all "departed," but hopefully, only "for a season."  For those who trust the Lord Jesus, we return to be received forever.  In the marvel of God's grace and providence, believers enter into a far greater relationship with God through the Lord Jesus  than ever we would have known had sin not occurred.

    "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:20-21).

   In no way does this mean that God determined the sin of Adam, or the sin of any other.  "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man, but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed" (James 1:13-14).  It does mean, however, that God's redeeming work in Christ makes possible a light of grace in our Lord we would never have seen had the darkness of sin not occurred.  Countless hearts and minds have pondered such a wonder of providence through the ages, seeking light that illuminates the mystery of God's ways "past finding out" (Roman 11:33).  Glimmers are seen here and there.  However, the predominant conclusion of even the brightest among us speaks to far more bewilderment than understanding regarding a grace whereby the redeemed discover the love of God in a boundless measure that would have not been possible had we not needed His redemption.  "The love of Christ… passeth knowledge" (Ephesians 3:19).

   We may wonder about the relationship of Philemon and Onesimus that transpired after Paul's intercession.  Scripture does not provide an account of the slave's return to his master.  Actually, no such occurrence took place.  A brother rather returned to meet a brother, as led by the One who had now become their mutual Father and Master.  The sublime character and nature of the Lord Jesus indwelt the hearts of both men, who must have entered into a bond of brotherhood and friendship that lasted a lifetime (and extended into eternity).  "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently" (I Peter 1:22).

     The scenario vividly reflects the relationship freely given to all believers, departed for a season from our Lord, but returned and redeemed to forever know our Lord's love, and to love Him in grateful and amazed response.  "We love Him because He first loved us" (I John 4:19).   We have been "received forever," which includes this moment to ponder with fresh amazement the grace whereby former slaves of sin, worthy only of condemnation, return to be greeted as beloved sons and daughters.  

He left a slave, racing toward the grave.

He returned a brother, redeemed by Another.

Another whom his master knew, 

his master's Master.

his brother's Master.

In Christ, they came together,

bound by love and grace.

In shared devotion, faith, and wonder,

they raised their hearts together

to look upon His face.

What they saw, what they see,

united them forever

as sons of the same Father.

Saints, friends, brothers

in His house - in His heart - together.

together forever.

"God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved),  and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

(Ephesians 2:4-7)

Weekly Memory Verse 

     Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

 (Romans 5:20-21).

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Orange Moon Saturday, July 5, 2025 "Philemon" - Part 6 - I Have Repaid

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

(Over the next few days, we will consider the the Apostle Paul's epistle to Philemon, one of my favorite portions of Scripture, and one of its most Christ-exalting and revealing revelations of truth.)

"Philemon"

Part 6 - "I Have Repaid"

    

     

    "If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account. I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it" (Philemon 1:18-19).

    In his intercession for Onesimus conveyed to Philemon, the Apostle Paul beautifully typifies the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  "Put that on my account" declared Paul to his brother in Christ, Philemon, for his brother in Christ, Onesimus.  We can imagine the Lord Jesus saying the same thing about us to his Father, who did precisely that:

   "He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (II Corinthians 5:21).

   When the sinner rightly recognizes his sin against God, a vast mountain of debt looms as insurmountable before his guilty heart.    "I cannot repay!" he must acknowledge.  Another party, however, enters the picture.  "I have repaid!" He declares.  "I have paid in full!"  Indeed, God accounts the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus as so  effectual that the sinner who receives the gift purchased by the Savior enters into an astonishing place in the heart and economy of God…

    "Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Romans 4:8).

    Note the determination of God toward those in Christ.  He "will not impute sin to us."  Why?  Because He so fully, so emphatically, so painfully, and so sacrificially imputed our sins to His beloved Son.  Indeed, can we imagine the Father's remembrance of the Lord Jesus' suffering and forsakenness for us leading to anything other than "as far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us?" (Psalm 103:13).  As a preacher of old once declared, it would be "a sadistic perversion" for God to place even the most insignificant sin on our account when He poured out His wrath on Christ as He "bore our sins" and was "made to be sin" for us (I Peter 2:24).  Our Father is not capable of sadistic perversions, and thus we can rest assured that once we enter into Christ by grace through faith, the "Paid in full!" of His redeeming work forever stamps the debit side of our ledger.

   Paul, in so many ways, declared and portrayed the beauty of God's saving grace in the Lord Jesus.  At least in type, none more vividly and beautifully illustrate the wonder of grace than his plea to Philemon for Onesimus.  "If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account… I will repay it."  Someone else has expressed such mercy, and far more, made the sacrifice that cost Him so much in order to provide our salvation and its eternal wonder so freely.  Indeed, should we ever wonder how God can pardon us, the answer always lies in the truth of no pardon and no reprieve on the cross of Calvary.  As the song goes…

"He paid a debt He did not owe.

I owed a debt I could not pay,

I needed someone to wash my sins away.

And now I sing a brand new song,

Amazing Grace the whole day long.

Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay."

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

(Romans 8:32)

Weekly Memory Verse 

    For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory.

(Hebrews 2:10).

  

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Orange Moon Friday, July 4, 2025 "Philemon" - Part 5 - "As Myself"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

(Over the next few days, we will consider the the Apostle Paul's epistle to Philemon, one of my favorite portions of Scripture, and one of its most Christ-exalting and revealing revelations of truth.)

"Philemon"

Part 5 - "As Myself"

    

     "If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself" (Philemon 1:17).

    In essence, the Apostle Paul says to Philemon, "My brother, consider how you view me, and accept Onesimus as if he were me.  See myself and Onesimus as if we are united.  Because we are."

    In a far greater and more consequential essence, born again believers might think - rightly - of the Lord Jesus Christ saying the same to His Father and our Father.  

    "He hath made us accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:6).  

    "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Ephesians 2:18).

   Find the most wayward believer on the planet in any moment.  He is no less accepted with God as a son in Christ than the most faithful and obedient.  His thoughts, attitudes, words, and deeds are not be acceptable to our Heavenly Father, to the degree that chastening and scourging are inevitable in the love of God (II Corinthians 5:9; Hebrews 12:6).  His person, however, is accepted in Christ, based on who Christ is and His redeeming work accomplished for all believers.   In this most elemental aspect of relationship, God receives us in Christ, through Christ, and by Christ.  "Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (I Corinthians 1:30).

   We began our Christian life by placing all faith and hope in the Lord Jesus.  We continue by the same confidence in His eternally ongoing role as our mediator (Hebrews 7:25).  We affirm that even in our best moments, the acceptance of our person by a perfect God requires the merits of Another as the basis of our relationship and standing with Him.  The marvel of our Savior's person and work in the sight of God and on our behalf serves as the basis for such wondrous grace.  Who is the Lord Jesus to His Father?  Who are we, based on Christ's merits serving as the basis for our acceptance?  This is the root question regarding our relationship and standing with God.  Rightly answered in our hearts and minds, the truth of "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" will make possible and actual our "being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God" (I Timothy 2:5; Philippians 1:11).

    If ever we wonder about our access to God, let us remember that if we are united to Christ by grace through faith, the Father sees us through the lens of His beloved Son.  Paul typified such grace long ago in his request to Philemon that Onesimus be viewed not only as himself, but as inextricably bound with the Apostle.  The epistle to Philemon thus stands not only as an intercession for a brother, but as a clear representation of the Lord Jesus' intercession for all united to Him by faith.  "Receive Him as Myself."

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

(Romans 5:1-2)

Weekly Memory Verse 

    For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory.

(Hebrews 2:10).

  

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