The Results of Salvation
Notes
Transcript
The Results of Salvation
The Results of Salvation
15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; 16 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? 17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
Background:
Paul was in prison writting this letter to a man he had lead to Christ on Ephesus.
This letter was asking Philemon to forgive and accept another man he had lead to Christ while he was in Rome.
This man was Onesimus a runaway slave from Philemon house.
Both men both Philemon and Onesimus were now Christians. When Christ comes into a mans life changes are to happen.
We are not perfect but God now rules our heart.
our priorities are different
our values are different
They way we look at life should be different
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
In Christian transformation, we begin to notice that what once attracted us now repels us. We understand more clearly. We can see temptation for what it is, either a weakness of the flesh
Conversely, what once perhaps seemed unattractive about the Christian life now beckons.
How many times have you heard someone testify to a newfound love for reading the Bible – a hunger for God’s Word – upon entry into this new life in Christ? “I hungered to read the Bible. I couldn’t get enough.” What changed? Literally, everything.
When our understanding fundamentally changes and we see the world from the standpoint of salvation; when our core desires change; when – oriented in this new direction – we begin to engage the practices of the faith on the path of discipleship, then we see the ontological change – a transformation of our very being – shine through.
When our thoughts, desires and dispositions begin to show evidence that we see the world through Christ’s eyes,
Then we can see and say that we are being transformed, that we are undergoing an, a change in our very being. The Agent of that change is the Holy Spirit, working in our thoughts and desires, renewing the image of God in us.
Of course, we often don’t experience such change so clean cut or clear.
We continue to struggle with murky, semi-hidden motives and desires that we know do not match God’s holy will for our lives. But fundamentally, in our core, we are different. Because the Spirit of God operates in and on us, not coercively, but still powerfully.
Illustration - here about change
In our text today we see salvation confronting the status quo...
Hard choices need to be made
Confrontations must be had
The Christian life means treating people differently
It means rejecting some of the social norms
The holy spirit changes you
I want to read my bible ‘I want to pray
I want to be honest and truthful
I want to give to the Lords work....
More here
The Results of Salvation
The Results of Salvation
I. Return and Restore
I. Return and Restore
ohilemon
15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
This verse is really directed to Philemon but the hard choice was Onesimus
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever.
When Paul first broached the subject to Onesimus, that he had a Christian duty to return to Philemon, the poor guy more than likely was greatly alarmed.
But Paul preached no cheap gospel.
Salvation did not absolve Onesimus of his moral obligations. It never does.
Getting right with God and man
vs15 - you have to go back Onesimus - its you duty
In his testimony, Jim Vaus tells how for years he ran away from God and worked as a wiretapper for the crime syndicate. He was won to Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade. His prayer was unorthodox but real: “Lord, if You mean business with me, I mean business with You.” Immediately, he ran into the moral obligations that accompany salvation. He had to break with the mobsters, a most dangerous undertaking, which almost cost him his life. He had to go to prison. He had to face a former employer and restore thousands of dollars worth of stolen equipment and face the possibility of arrest. Salvation is free; the moral obligations that accompany it can often prove to be very expensive indeed.
Onesimus must go back to Philemon. Paul writes, “For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever.”
There was, under the Mosaic Law, the remarkable provision of the trespass offering.
The sin offering had to do with the principle of sin; the trespass offering had to do with the practice of sin.
When a guilty person brought his trespass offering to the priest, he was required, under law, not only to make full restoration for the wrong he had done to the offended party but also to make an added payment of 20 percent to the person he had wronged.
Getting right with God involved getting right with men.
It always does. Any presentation of the gospel that fails to take this principle into account is wholly inadequate.
Onesimus must go back to Philemon.
He would receive back a new man in Christ, and he would have him forever!
Again Paul is striking harder than the surface appearance might indicate:
“Receive him back for ever.” “My dear, Philemon,” Paul says, “Onesimus is yours for all eternity.
You and he will spend the endless ages together. You are both going to live forever with your Master in heaven. Think of that, my beloved brother, when deciding what you intend to do with your born-again slave.”
But for Onesimus there could be no compromise.
No matter what, he must go back to Philemon. He must not go back resentfully or with reservations.
As a new man in Christ, he must do what duty demanded. He could have no guarantees.
Paul would do what he could for him, but, in the last analysis, his fate lay in the hands of Philemon.
In the letter Paul is clearly stating that
vs 15 - have back forever .....
That Onesimus would return as a brother in Christ. This was made clear already () and will be stated again in verse 16. As a fellow Christian, Philemon and Onesimus would be together forever, both in this life and in the next.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
matt 5.23
ladies the result of salvation is returning and restoring that which we have so messed up ..
Can you think of something or someone that you need to return to?
A mother
A brother/sisiter
A boss
A coworker
Make it right
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
II. Accept and Absolve
II. Accept and Absolve
16 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?
Now that we have looked at Onesimus lets look at Philemon
Results of salvation meet we must wipe the slate clean ..
Philemon must as a minimum absolve Onesimus and treat him a a brother in Christ.
Do you know he dis he stole from me and ran away!
Ih now that he is Christian I just forget it all?
I will be seen as a week leader
No one will respect me
Paul said:
He is not your servant or slave but your brother.
He is way above a servant he is your brother...
He is above a servant a servant better than servant
Surely, the implication is that he should set him free.
He should treat him as a freed man. “Not now as a servant.”
That was Philemon’s duty stated in the negative. It was the lowest, the most basic, thing, the very least that Philemon could do.
That was heaven’s irreducible minimum. Christian love could accept no less than that.
That Philemon could even think of doing less than cease to think of Onesimus as a slave was inconceivable.
He needs to set Onesimus free - that a minimum ...
Ladies and gentlemen how many people have wronged you that you need to set free?
How many have hurt you that are still under you legal bondage of forced labor ...
You talk
You have never forgiven or set them free ....
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
matt
Paul is stating to Philemon - set him free
Some-people are living rent free in you mind in you are bitter and will let them go . It time to set them free ....
More! If Onesimus was “a brother beloved” to Paul, he should be all the more brother beloved to Philemon.
Philemon should be prepared to esteem Onesimus highly “in the flesh.”
On the purely human level, that is, as a compassionate human being, as a dear friend of the apostle Paul, he should be prepared to welcome someone whom Paul regarded as a very dear brother. But that was only part of it. Philemon should be prepared to esteem Onesimus highly “in the Lord.”
How does one Christian treat another Christian highly esteemed and beloved in the Lord? Certainly not as a slave.[1]
That statement rang the death knell to slavery in the Christian community.
Paul said, in effect, “Onesimus is not to be treated as one of your slaves; he is to be treated as one of God’s saints.” He is “a brother beloved, specially to me.”
We may not have slavery but in many ways we all have those that we refuse to release.....
leep. Soon your eyes and facial features reflect your inner distress.
Resentment causes imbalance in the hormones from the various glands of the body, producing many physical symptoms and diseases.
Weakened immune system
The stress of bitterness weakens the immune system and heightens your susceptibility to physical ailments. Often doctors can trace physical disorders to a point in time when bitterness began to develop.
Diminished comeliness
Refusal to forgive causes fatigue and loss of sleep. Soon your eyes and facial features reflect your inner distress.
Mental and Emotional Consequences
Mental and Emotional Consequences
Depression
It takes emotional energy to maintain a grudge. When your emotional energy is exhausted, you become depressed.
Stress
Hating someone produces stress hormones in your body. You become worn out and unable to cope with daily challenges.
Tim Halstadt -
Detrimental emotional focus
Bitterness and resentment create an emotional focus toward the person who offended you. This focus causes you to become like the one you resent. The more you think about his actions, the more you begin to reflect the basic attitudes that prompted his actions.
Spiritual Consequences
Spiritual Consequences
Inability to love God
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also” ().
Doubts about our relationship with God
Jesus said, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” ().
Major hindrances in the spiritual development of others
Bitterness is easily passed from one generation to another, and it will have a significant impact on your children. (See .) Attitudes of bitterness also cause your family, friends, and acquaintances to discredit your Christian testimony.
Scripture relates bitterness to gall and describes it as something that can grow and spread to hurt many people. (See and .) When Jesus instructed His disciples to forgive again and again, “until seventy times seven” (see ), He challenged them to a lifestyle of forgiveness that offered freedom from the consequences of bitterness.
“Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” ().
Ladies and gentlemen I am asking you to accept and absolve
III. Welcome and Love
III. Welcome and Love
philemon
17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
First Onesimus obligation - go back make it right
2nd Philemon obligation - forgive and set free
Now its just not Philemon’s responsibility but the community as well - treat him as an equal and be not respecter of person
Paul is saying treat him as you would treat me
Imagine Onesimus coming to the church at Philemon’s house and sitting all by himself in a corner . Well he stole and ran away Paul says we have to take him back....
Paul is saying treat him like you would treat me....
When we are saved we should treat all equally ...
sarcasm, putting others down , leaving others out should not once be named among us ...
Dont be a respector of persons treat him like you treat me
If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
What more could he ask?
Suppose that Paul was the one who was coming to Colosse. Suppose that it was Paul who was arriving at Philemon’s home.
Would he assign him to the slave shed?
Would he treat Paul like a slave? Of course not! He would run out to welcome Paul with open arms.
He would warmly embrace him, inquire diligently after his health, and escort him solicitously into his home.
He would kill the fatted calf for him. He would put him in the finest room in the house.
He would see to his comfort and take prompt care of all of his needs. He would sit him at the place of honor at his own right hand at the table. He would treat him as a member of his family, give him the run of the house, put his means at his disposal, try to anticipate his needs, and keep him happy in every way.
“If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.” Paul could ask for no more. If Philemon did what Paul requested, then there was an end of slavery. If everyone would do as Paul suggests, then there is an end to all social ills.
Te results of salvation means you love all
[1] Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Colossians & Philemon: An Expository Commentary (). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.
17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
He should be embraced and loved by the entire community ...
Results of salvation
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
What I asking you to do?
Set free and restore those that have wronged you
Make it right with those you have hurt
As a church treat all people equally and be not respecters of persons.