The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philemon 1:4-11. “I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;
6 and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.
7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper,
9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you– since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus–
10 I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment,
11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.”

Onesimus was a runaway slave. He had belonged to Philemon, the Christian to whom Paul was addressing this communication. Through circumstances we are not told, Onesimus had come to faith in Jesus Christ. Possibly, the Apostle Paul was the one who had led him to that faith.

Paul had no legal authority to require Philemon to forgive Onesimus. He did, however, have spiritual authority inasmuch as he had also led Philemon to faith in Christ.

Still, Paul’s heart-appeal was that Philemon might forgive Onesimus, since Philemon himself had received forgiveness from the LORD.

This brief, personal letter, composed of but one chapter of only 25 verses, is a masterpiece of spiritual psychology. It both condemns and offers release to each of us from the sinful commitments resident in our own lives.

You and I are not forgiven personal sin by merely reading this letter; however, we are herein acquainted with the love and forgiveness the LORD offers to us for sin we have committed against Him, as well as against others.

If you’ve ever believed you were forever “worthless,” due to sins you have committed, you can now know relief by better understanding the forgiveness of our loving LORD. His gracious forgiveness also strengthens us that we might never committing those sins again.

Read His Word daily. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins. Pray a simple prayer every day. Thank Him for forgiving you. You will be amazed at what He can do!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom