The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philemon 1:4-14, “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.

12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart,

13 whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;

14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.”

How marvelous it is to commence a conversation with thanksgiving! Paul viewed Philemon as a dear and precious brother. We all have some of those, and we would do well to follow Paul’s example in commending them for their loving friendship.

At the same time, Paul has a sincere petition for which he needs Philemon’s help. Paul had met Onesimus while they were both imprisoned. Onesimus had previously been affiliated with Philemon, but at some point, he had robbed him and been imprisoned.

Paul led Onesimus to faith in Christ and was now appealing to Philemon to forgive the one who wronged him. How many of us would forgive those who have wronged us? Maybe you could think of some who have done you wrong and share the Gospel with them via the Gospel Tract attached below. The best way to get rid of your enemies is to make friends with them!

Heartily in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need

Until He becomes all that we have.” — Corrie ten Boom