“Philemon 1:21”

Monday, August 28, 2017

“Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say” (Philem. 1:21).

It is easy to become skeptical and suspicious of men because not everyone has faith and some prove themselves to be unreasonable and wicked (2 Thess. 3:2, 3). However, Paul shows personal belief and confidence in a man named Philemon and of his willingness to obey—even such obedience to do more than he would ask. Onesimus was Philemon’s slave who wrongfully ran away and was by chance, converted to Christ by Paul. Yes, the gospel calls the rich and the poor to heaven’s grace. The aged Paul (Philem. 1:9) is sending him back to his master with an appeal that Philemon would forgive him, receive him as a brother, and also send him back to Paul to minister to him.

In Paul’s older years he did not become bitter toward people but found members of the church refreshing to his heart (Philem. 1:20). Can we have such confidence in brethren today? We can when we know that their aim is not to please men but the Lord. Paul penned to the Philippians, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (2:12). Paul also wrote to the Thessalonians, “And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you” (2 Thess. 3:4; see also Gal. 5:10; 2 Cor. 2:3; 7:16; 8:22).

For this memory verse, I asked myself, “If Paul were writing a personal letter to me, would he have had the same confidence that he had in Philemon?”

--Steven J. Wallace

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