Paul's Prayer for Philemon's Spiritual Growth (vv. 4-6)

This sermon was preached on 4/8/2013

It has often been said that a man is what he is on his knees in private before God. Paul’s intercessory prayer here goes beyond that because they not only reveal what he was in the presence of God, they also reveal what Philemon was as a person in the estimation of others. In verses 4-6, we have insights into both Paul’s prayer life and Philemon’s character. The latter affects the former, as we can see from Paul’s description of his prayer for Philemon.

Many things can be said about prayer. The Christian life begins with prayer for forgiveness, is sustained by answers to prayer throughout life, and is often the last activity of Christians as they leave this world. Many helpful books have been written about prayer. Of course, the best book on prayer is the Bible. And here, in this prayer of Paul’s, five details at least about prayer can be observed.

Five details about Paul’s prayer

First, since Paul mentions his practice in each of his letters, it is evident that he regarded it as very important that the recipients of his letters knew that he was praying for them and why. No doubt, several reasons could be suggested for his revealing this detail. One would be that it is easier to perform the request of a person whom you know is praying for you regularly – Paul was going to ask Philemon to do an action regarding Onesimus that would be out of line with current social practice.  Philemon would deduce that although the request was unusual, since it came from a person who prayed for him and who had great spiritual wisdom, it must be intended for his benefit.

A second reason for mentioning this feature of his prayer would be connected to the way that mutual prayer creates a bond between those praying for one another. Sometimes I meet a Christian who I have not seen for many years. On meeting them, I realise that I have not prayed for that person throughout that time. Although I am glad to see the person, I can sense that I don’t really know him well now, even although I did at one time, and that there is no longer a real affinity of spirit between us. Yet when I meet a person whom I have not seen for a long time, but for whom I have prayed regularly and he for me, there is a strong bond between us that can be sensed. It is very clear from this letter that Paul had a strong bond with Philemon and expected him to feel the same.

A third reason for mentioning this petition is the obvious reminder, to Philemon and to us, that geographical distance from one another is not a barrier to meaningful prayer for one another. Paul was in Rome, which was a long distance from Philemon’s home in Colosse, and not only in terms of mileage. While we cannot meet physically with those who are at a distance from us, we can meet at the throne of grace. The fact is, the greatest encouragement that we can give other Christians is to let them know that we are praying for them regularly about their circumstances wherever they are.

The second detail concerning prayer is that it should be based on information about the person or event that we are praying for. Paul says that he had heard about Philemon. These sources would have included Epaphras, who was now in prison with Paul (v. 23), and Onesimus. Sometimes I get the impression that Christians often do not pay attention to information that is sent to them regarding prayer. For example, what do we do with details that we receive from missionary organisations or other Christian bodies? One reason why these details are sent to us is in order that we can pray specifically for them.

A third detail is that prayer should contain specific intercession for improvement based on the information given. The report that Paul received about Philemon was one that encouraged the apostle. No doubt he thanked God for the grace given to Philemon. Yet Paul was not content with that evidence of grace. He wanted Philemon to become an increasing source of blessing to those around him. Intercessory prayer is never satisfied with the status quo, no matter how excellent it may be. Paul knew that Philemon could become an even more effective Christian in his church and community.

Fourth, Paul’s prayer was an expression of his spiritual joy which he had experienced from knowing the behaviour of Philemon. I suspect that Paul’s response in this regard is one that we today find difficult to comprehend. Paul had never been to Colosse, as far as we know, and did not know most of the believers in the congregation there. Yet he had great joy and comfort through knowing about Philemon’s activities on behalf of the church. It is like us being informed that John Smith in a faraway location is showing Christian love to others in his congregation. As we think about what John Smith is doing, we become full of joy and receive consolation in our hearts. These heavenly experiences come our way because we have the same Holy Spirit in our heart as John Smith and the congregation of which he is a member.

Paul’s experience here is similar to the advice that he gave to the church in Philippi regarding the matters about which they think: ‘Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you’ (Phil. 4:8-9). We receive heavenly consolation by thinking about the work of the Spirit in the hearts of people that we have never met.

A fifth and very important detail to note in Paul’s description of his prayer life is the way he addresses God. He uses the personal pronoun when he says ‘I thank my God.’ We may wonder why he does not say ‘I thank our God’, since he has linked Timothy with him in his greetings and he knows that Philemon is also a child of the same God. It may be that Paul speaks in this way because he is referring to his private prayers in distinction from corporate prayer or from shared prayer he would have had with Timothy and others that he mentions later in this short letter. In any case, the description of God is a reminder of the greatest wonder a believer can know, which is that he is in an intimate relationship with God. The description is also a reminder that Paul has received answers from his God before, and he has not forgotten to return and give him thanks.

The character of Philemon

Paul here mentions several beautiful traits in this Philemon’s outlook, including his faith and his love, as well as the way his life refreshed other believers. As we suggested above, Paul probably had been informed about Philemon’s character by two people in particular – Epaphras and Onesimus. Epaphras was the founder of the church in Colosse and probably one of its pastor/leaders. We can imagine him saying to Paul, ‘The church in Colosse is so grateful to God for the way that Philemon uses his assets for the furtherance of the gospel here. He has given us use of his home for the church to meet in. He is clearly a man who puts Jesus first.’ It is wonderful for a Christian to have such a testimony from a church leader, from a pastor or elder, about his or her behaviour.

The other source of information about Philemon’s character was Onesimus, the slave who had run away from Philemon’s home and been brought to faith through contact with Paul in Rome. We are not told why he ran away, but it is significant that after his conversion he has nothing bad to say about his master Philemon. His testimony about Philemon is the same as that of Epaphras. The modern equivalent of Philemon and Onesimus is that of an employer and an employee. His former worker had only good things to say about his master.

This combined testimony tells us that Philemon was consistent. He did not have one face for church and another face for his other responsibilities. I suspect that Onesimus was reluctant to return, not because he was afraid that Philemon would have a cruel response to a runaway slave, but because he knew that Philemon would respond righteously. Often we can be more afraid of a righteous person than a cruel person. And the slave also knew that he had run away from a master who had loved him and taken care of him.

This combined testimony is also a reminder that a good character does not always result in appreciation of one’s good life. Onesimus had misused this great privilege that had been given to him. In the social setting of that time, Onesimus had thrown away security and the Christian concern of a godly master. Nevertheless, Paul wanted Philemon to maintain his high Christian ideals.

Trusting one another

Paul describes the virtues of Philemon in an unusual way when he writes, ‘I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints.’  We might have expected him to say, ‘I hear of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love to all the saints.’ Instead Paul links the love and the faith of Philemon to both Christ and his people. We can guess how Philemon would have showed his love – he shared his home with the church, he helped the poor in the congregation, he would have prayed for its members. He would have been aware that what he did for them he was also doing for Christ. Love to the brethren is evidence of love to Christ. In addition, we can understand how Philemon would have expressed faith in Christ for salvation and for power to live for him day after day. It is obvious how a believer should have faith in Christ, but how can he have faith in other believers?

Some people suggest that we should translate ‘faith’ as ‘faithfulness’. This is a possible rendering and would fit into the verse. Paul would then be thanking God for the faithfulness that Philemon showed both to Jesus and to his people. Yet the word usually means faith and it is possible to see a meaning that applies it to other Christians in such a way.

It is the case that each Christian should believe that Jesus is doing in other believers the same change that he is experiencing from Jesus. What is Jesus doing in him? He is changing him from a sinner into a holy person. This change involves failures on the Christian’s part continually, but Jesus works in his life to lead him to repentance. When I see another Christian I can have faith in him not because of his talents or abilities, but because Jesus is at work in his life. If I see repentance in his outlook, I can have faith in him; if I see dedication to the Bible in his life, I can have faith in him. Not to have faith in another believer is a denial of brotherly love.

Obviously faith in Christ is different from confidence in another believer. Yet Paul commends Philemon for trusting his fellow-Christians. I suppose he even showed this trust in allowing them to use his home for their church services. Some of these believers may have been thieves in the past; Philemon trusted them because he believed Jesus had changed them.

Paul wants these two attitudes of love and faith to be exercised by Philemon towards his runaway slave, Onesimus. He wants Philemon to have an attitude of trust towards the man who has let him down, but who has now been changed by the grace of God. In what ways would Philemon show his love and commitment to Onesimus? Instead of having him put to death, which was the sentence usually carried out on runaway slaves, Philemon was to forgive him, to embrace him, and to restore him. He is saying to Philemon to remember how Jesus treated him. Once Philemon was under a death sentence because he had run away from God, but Jesus had come into this world and found him. Jesus forgiven Philemon, embraced him lovingly, and restored him into God’s family. Paul is saying to Philemon, ‘You have been a good Christian until now. The testimony that others have of you is very high. Do not spoil that testimony by how you treat Onesimus, even although he has wronged you. I can vouch for his repentance. You now have to treat Onesimus the way that Jesus treated you. Because if you do not, you will not be living in a gracious way.’

What will happen when Philemon receives Onesimus in this way? In verse 6, Paul describes it as a ‘sharing of his faith that will become effective’. In what ways would this effectiveness happen? By developing the good things that have already been put in Philemon’s and the other believers’ hearts. When the church in Colosse saw Philemon and Onesimus treating one another as brothers, each member would rejoice. Philemon’s stature would increase, brotherly love would advance, and growth would be known individually and corporately.

What will happen if Philemon does not receive Onesimus in this way? He will lose his high place in the esteem of others, he will prevent his own spiritual growth, and I suspect that he will prevent the church in Colosse from developing. A lot depends on how Philemon treats the one who has wronged and offended him. It is true to say that he is at a crossroads, but when we come to crossroads, we should imitate the man who went along the road to the cross.