The Unexpected Message to Forgive.

Book of Philemon
June 26, 2016

Have you been into any relationship? Do you know that every day we are on a
relationship? The word relate was defined in many ways, some of them are to be
connected, feel sympathy with, and be identified with.
Once we are on a relationship we are (consciously or unconsciously) giving the other
person/s our trust. And when you trust someone, never it came to your mind that he/she
will break it. But once this person breaks that trust, your relationship with that person
starts to or suddenly ends.
As time goes by, had you ever thought those people who wronged you in the past, will
ask for your forgiveness in time? With that thought in your mind, the only hanging
question now is; ARE YOU READY TO FORGIVE?

Background
Philemon, a wealthy and prominent (6-7) Christian from Colosse had a slave
named Onesimus (15-16), who ran away from him (Because He stole an amount of
money or property from his master). This letter was brought by Tychichus and
Onesimus, together with Paul’s letter for the Colossians. Paul within this letter is
pleading to Philemon to forgive Onesimus.
In this letter of Paul, one can know what true forgiveness is. Paul shares to us 3
important definitions of true forgiveness
1.)
1.) Forgiveness is out of LOVE.
Verses 8-9
Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is
fitting, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as
Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—

What was fitting (commandment)?

Paul stated in Colossians 3:13
Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a
complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must
do.

Jesus stated in Matthew 18:21-22(NKJV)

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I
do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

The commandment was to forgive WITHOUT CONDITIONS. Both Paul

and Christ knows that without love, forgiveness is meaningless.
Colossians 3:14
But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
(NKJV)
Supporting Verses: 1 Peter 4:8(AMPLIFIED)

If we can’t LOVE?
1 John 4:19-21(NIV)
We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates
a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and
sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also
love their brother and sister.

The only reason we can’t love is because we haven’t been loved. But as
Christians, we didn’t simply felt and knew love, we had experienced and
continually experiencing His love.

Love conquered everything. It is the greatest (1 Cor 13:13). It was LOVE

that made the Father GAVE. He gave us the way to be forgiven, because
He can’t stop loving us. And how He loved us is the same way He expects
us to love others.
2.) Forgiveness is an act of ACCEPTANCE.
Verse 12
I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

Paul was telling Philemon to accept Onesimus despite of what sin

Onesimus had done.

Luke 17:3-4
Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and
if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day,
and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall
forgive him.”

The Problem why we can’t accept these people is because, we keep

reminding of ourselves of how they wronged us. We did not moved on!

BEING REMINDED is different from REMINDING.

It is impossible to forget the pain, medically speaking the Brain has a part
called Cerebral Cortex (Neo Cortex). One of its function is to process
short-term memories and retain long-term memories.

Ephesians 4:31-32(ESV)
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away
from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Paul tells us that to PUT AWAY/SET ASIDE these negative thoughts
stated on this verse. Setting aside means we are still reminded by the pain
but we are not bothered by it. As if it did not happen.
Every rooted tree started with a little seed. If we sow bitterness within our
hearts, one day you will be shocked that the seed became a rooted tree,
because you nurtured it.
Philippians 4:8(AMP)
Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of
respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure
and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is
admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is
anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things.
Biblical Examples: Esau and Jacob (Gen 32:1-24)
3.) Forgiveness brings forth RECONCILIATION.
Verse 15-16
For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might
receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a
beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the
flesh and in the Lord.

Reconciliation is the act of restoring former relations (Dictionary). But Paul

wants Philemon to consider Onesimus not as a slave anymore but as a
brother in Christ! Paul also implies that reconciliation also opens an
opportunity for RELATIONSHIP MATURITY.

Biblical Examples: Joseph and his Brothers (Genesis 45:4-8).

When we are sinners our relation to God is as simple as CREATOR to

CREATION relation, but because of the complete work of Jesus Christ we
were RECONCILED.

Colossians 1:19-20
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him
to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in
heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

And these resulted to a relationship growth with God. From Servant to

Friend, Slave to Inheritors, Foreigner to Citizen and Stranger to Family.
For this reason, we as Christians are also compelled to do the same thing
with our earthly relations.

What is God’s will for our earthly relations?

1 Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no
divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Romans 12:16 and 18(AMP)

Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with
humble people. Do not overestimate yourself.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

It is His will for us to have a harmonious and peaceful relations here on

earth
Question: what if the one who sinned against me does not want to?
 Reminder: It takes one to forgive two to be reconciled. Matthew 18:15-20
(Dealing with your sinning brother). If your brother is stone hearted
and does not humble himself then leave him.

Without reconciliation there will be no unity, and without unity there will be
no peace. Reconciliation should be done if there is an opportunity to do it.

Conclusion:
At the end of Paul’s letter he was confident with how Philemon will Act.
Verse 21:
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do
even more than I say.

Giving Forgiveness is not easy, it is hard but we can do all things through Christ.
It is not simply with words. Forgiveness is an action word which means that it is
something to be DONE, and as Paul taught us on what forgiveness is, we must
apply it in our own lives. Also as Christ shown us on how to be forgiving so we
must be.

Being unforgiving gives us burdens and struggles, it steals our joy, peace and
destroys our relations with others. So if there are still people whom we aren’t
ready to forgive (family, relative, friends and even our brethren) it is time to be
ready. No one knows the exact time when will your offender be asking
forgiveness from you.

Confessing the feeling is the beginning of healing.

Forgiveness is releasing the person to God.
Forgiveness is unconditional.
Forgiving is giving your rite to be right.