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 4 - "Not Now A Servant"
The Apostle Paul's intercession for Onesimus serves as one of the most vivid types of the Lord Jesus Christ found in Scripture.
"For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever, 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" (Philemon 1:15-18).
First, the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus makes possible the rescue of wayward human hearts "departed for a season," but received forever by God.
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all… this is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in His Son" (Isaiah 53:6; I John 5:11).
Former rebels become "dear children" through Christ (Ephesians 5:1). Paul sought a similar grace for escaped slave Onesimus, whom he desired to be received by Philemon in brotherly love rather than according to the dictates of earthly justice. Scripture does not record the reception Onesimus received, although most readers and students of the Bible surmise a reunion graced by the love of the Lord Jesus. We do know, however, the reception sinners receive in the new birth…
"As many as received Him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).
As the saying goes, "From dust to glory, what a story!" Even more, from sinful dust to "Christ in you, the hope of glory" blesses the believer with a salvation for which even eternity will not fully reveal the glory made resident within us (Colossians 1:27). God receives the repentant and trusting sinner by literally entering his spirit and birthing a "new man, created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24). We can imagine a brotherly embrace when Philemon and Onesimus reunited, and a lifetime of walking as brothers in Christ. Salvation also provides a family relationship, but with the divine Father whereby an indwelling occurs, namely, "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father" (Galatians 4:6). As sons and daughters in Christ, we thereafter walk with Him thereafter through the presence and power of His promise, "I will dwell in them and walk in them" (II Corinthians 6:16). What a story indeed, or rather, what a glorious reality that the redemption of the Lord Jesus rescues us from "alienated from the life of God" to "accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 4:18; 1:6).
Paul's intercession for a spiritual brotherhood to be birthed between a master and a slave stands as a beautiful analogy through the ages of God's redeeming work in the Son whereby He receives "many sons unto glory" (Hebrews 2:10). We remain servants of our Lord after salvation, of course, but the service of a son or daughter constitutes a far different matter than of a slave. The matter involves heart, particularly since our relationship with God involves the living presence of His Son in our hearts. Eternity will not allow our full understanding and experience of "so great salvation" provided by so great a Savior, whose living presence within us means that far more than Philemon and Onesimus knew, "not now as a servant" will grace our primary relationship with God forever (Hebrews 2:3).
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."
(I John 3:1-2)
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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