The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philemon 1:1-6, “Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,

2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 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.”

Paul is in prison in Rome. There are no words that can express the agony he was suffering. Yet, his thoughts were not for himself, but for another – Onesimus.

Slavery was a reality in those days, and Onesimus belonged to Philemon; yet, when the opportunity presented itself to him, he escaped. Paul here appeals to Philemon to deal lovingly with Onesimus in the same way the LORD deals with us when we go astray.

Paul links himself with Philemon when he lovingly notes: “I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers.” Then Paul notes to Philemon “…every good thing which is in you…”

You may believe you possess the right to hold a grudge against someone who has done you wrong; but Paul would beg to differ. Even Christ Jesus forgave those who sent Him to the cross.

There’s an old saying that says, “It is never right to do wrong to do right.” If there are strands of a wrong done to you, the LORD will straighten them. Yet, He often awaits our forgiveness of another before He acts on our behalf. In the meantime, let us rest in His promise: “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

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