Chancing One's Arm

Matt Keller

Part of Philemon—The Gospel Changes Everything

May 23, 2021

Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. —Philemon 8–16

Those who have been reconciled to God can be reconciled to others.

Reconciliation is always God’s plan for believers who have been separated by

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, but Paul shows us two requirements if reconciliation is going to be realized.

Reconciliation Is Always Driven by

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– vs. 8-13

Reconciliation Always Requires

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– vs. 14-16

Willingness looks past the things that

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and focuses on the wonderful realities brought about by the gospel.

June Hunt’s Hope for the Heart offers a simple to test to gauge whether you’re willing to reconcile.

• Do my actions demonstrate

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toward my offender? (Matthew 5:44)
• Do I speak well of my offender? (Luke 6:28)
• Do I do what is

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toward my offender? (Romans 12:17)
• Do I have a

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toward my offender? (Matthew 6:14–15)
• Do I exhibit

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toward my offender? (Matthew 5:5)
• Do I

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on behalf of my offender? (James 5:16)