Paul’s Epistle to Philemon (2)

Rev. C. Vogelaar, Coveil Avenue, Grand Rapids, MI

Paul’s salutation

The apostle has written a very personal letter to his fellow-labourer and beloved brother, Philemon. We saw last time that he began the letter with a description of himself, the sender—Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, bound not only for the sake of Christ but bound also to Christ with bonds of love. Then he wrote the address: to Philemon, Apphia, his wife, and Archippus, probably Philemon’s son, whom the apostle calls a fellow soldier. Archippus knew something of the spiritual warfare which all true followers of the Lord Jesus will experience. At the end of his life Paul could say: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” No, this was not a boasting of what Paul had accomplished. It was a holy adoration of the faithfulness of God who had kept him, by His preserving grace.

We read of this grace in the salutation at the beginning of this precious letter which was also directed to the church in Philemon’s house (verse 2). Blessed are the homes where what we read in Joshua 24:15b, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” may be true. That is grace, indeed, for by nature we wish to serve another master, and we have no desire in the knowledge of God’s ways. The Lord makes a difference where, by nature, there is no difference.

A blessed wish

At the beginning of a new year we usually express many wishes to loved ones, friends, and acquaintances. We wish each other happiness, joy, prosperity, health, strength, and many other things which seem desirable for them and us. Sometimes God’s children may wish each other God’s nearness. Then we wish for them to receive a visit from heaven wherein the Lord may speak to their soul, “I am thy salvation.” Indeed, it is only the Lord’s speaking to their soul that may give them rest and peace.

In the benediction at the beginning of our worship services, we may hear the proclamation: Grace be unto you and peace, but who realizes what this means? Paul begins many of his epistles with such a salutation, as we see here in his letter to Philemon. Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 3). What precious words, with such a rich message, although we fear that many of us are so used to them that we hardly hear them.

Grace

The Greek word for grace has a wealth of meaning. In heathen literature it indicated only earthly welfare, prosperity, health, and success, but in Scripture it has a very special meaning and speaks of heavenly, spiritual blessings. It speaks of the favor of God. Grace is freely bestowed by Him, apart from what man deserves. Grace is the fruit of reconciliation. Grace is the source of all undeserved benefits. In this word we hear of pardon for people who have deserved death, and of mercy because of God’s good pleasure. “But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared” (Psalm 130:4). Grace excludes all merits of man. The apostle speaks of it in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”

Yes, Philemon is a man with grace. However, grace is necessary not only in the beginning but also later; we need continuing preserving enabling and comforting grace. There is such a great need in the lives of true pilgrims. “Without Me ye can do nothing,” the Lord Jesus told His disciples.

There are so many reasons (unfaithfulness and numerous transgressions) in God’s children which may cause the Lord’s departure from them. They grieve Him, their gracious Lord, so often by unbelief, spiritual pride, and rebellion that it would be no wonder if He would send them away. There are also so many adversaries they have to fight against, and they have no might against the great company that comes against them. If the Lord would not be the unchangeable and faithful God of the covenant, there would be no hope for them.

However, He never forsakes the works of His own hands but gives grace also to preserve and deliver them. Grace, undeserved favor, is what they need until they arrive in the land of rest where no sin will make separation and no enemy will disturb and assault them. “There remaineth therefore a rest unto the people of God,” and then they will receive their wish, by grace alone. This grace is what Paul wishes for his fellow-labourer, free grace, only for the sake of the perfect work of the Mediator, Jesus Christ. Of Him Paul wants to speak, of what He has done for those who would never have asked for Him and had no desire to serve Him.

Peace

Paul not only speaks of grace but also wishes Philemon peace. Peace is actually grace being experienced. Grace gives peace. Peace implies being reconciled with God. Peace is harmony, well-being, and restoration into communion with God. We have broken the bond with God by our fall in Adam; therefore, there is no peace for the wicked. You and I are “the wicked,” for we became rebels, disobedient to our sovereign Lord and King. Our heart remains restless, for outside the communion with God there is no peace. It is grace alone when we begin to see this and are shown the breach between God and our soul. Then our false rest is gone. We will try to restore peace by our tears, prayers, reading of God’s Word and good books, and by our effort to reform our lives, but without results. The burden of our sins presses us down, and that burden only becomes heavier, in spite of all our efforts to find reconciliation with God.

Peace is the message of the gospel—peace, merited by the Prince of Peace. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. He met His disciples after His resurrection and spoke, “Peace be unto you.” The apostle could say, “He is our peace,” a wonder of mercy, which he himself had experienced and of which he wrote in Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Peace means that God’s wrath has been quenched and His anger turned away. He again receives sinners, deserters, strikers, enemies back into His blessed favor. Blessed are they who may experience that a righteous God has received perfect satisfaction for His justice in the blood and sacrifice of His dear Son. That which people have destroyed by sin has been perfectly restored by this willing, mighty, and precious Saviour. It is by Him only and His atoning death on Calvary that life and peace are given to them.

From God our Father

This salvation proceeds from His good pleasure, from God our Father. He asked for a Surety and gave His dear Son to be a Substitute in the place of those who had deserved His wrath. Yes, in Paradise they were sons and daughters of God. However, they had chosen the service of another father, the liar from the beginning, the adversary of God, and had departed from the house of their Father. The devil had become their father, and they served him willingly in their foolishness. They would never have returned to God, but God who is rich in mercy had thoughts of peace. In the council of peace He asked for a Surety. Christ, His dear Son, gave Himself to be a ransom for those who could never have paid the price necessary for reconciliation. It is from the Father’s good pleasure that sinners will receive grace and peace with Him. The apostle said that He spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all—for all those whom He had loved with an everlasting love. Christ is the Father’s unspeakable Gift of love to bankrupt sinners.

And the Lord Jesus Christ

It was Christ who came to do the Father’s will. He it was of whom the prophet spoke in Zechariah 13:7, “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My Fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” The precious Shepherd is smitten by the sword of God’s justice. He was the Sin-bearer, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

He is the Lord, the Owner of the sheep, who laid down His life for them. He is Jesus, the Savior, who is able and willing to deliver from the greatest evil, sin, and bring them to the highest good, the Lord Himself and His blessed communion. He is Christ, the Anointed Prophet, Priest and King, the Messiah, who is the Father’s Servant and who came to do His will. Grace and peace will be given through Him only who is the Way in which sinners may and will return to God.

It is a very familiar salutation which Paul writes to Philemon but one with such a rich meaning—a meaning hidden from the wise and the prudent but revealed unto babes. Blessed are those babes who are sitting at His feet and may be taught those hidden things. They will marvel at them and be humbled before Him who had mercy on such wretched ones as they are. Are we already in that school, sitting at the Master’s feet? There we will never become wise in ourselves but will be made teachable, needy, and hungry students. That is what the Lord delights in, to teach and to guide us. There is still place in that school, also for foolish ones. What a Teacher He is, so patient, so wise, so mighty, so able to instruct them. He receives them graciously and welcomes them. Blessed are they who may trust in Him.

— To be continued —

Sparing Mercies

Oh, what hath the Lord borne of me! Surely more than of any other whatsoever. How often did I provoke Him to send me to my place! He spared me, notwithstanding my blasphemy, my Sabbath-breaking, my palpable breaking of vows, sinning against light, backsliding, cursing even in a lie, profanity, mocking in duties, intractableness; yea, when He might have had great glory by my destruction. Who hath, or could have, borne so much as the Lord? Should I not therefore love? They “love much, because much is forgiven.”

— Rev. James Fraser, 1683

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