The Fellowship of Your Faith

We are often content in our personal relationship with the Lord, and it is good for us to experience his presence with us and in our lives. Paul, though is praying for Philemon, in

Philemon 6 LEB

6 I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing that is in us for Christ.

It is one thing to have a revelation of God's word, and another thing entirely to experience "the fellowship of your faith" with others. Paul is encouraging Philemon to lay aside the offenses against him and to go forward together with those who have now also accepted Christ. It says it this way in

James 1:12 LEB

12 Blessed is the person who endures testing, because when he is approved he will receive the crown of life that he has promised to those who love him.

We focus hers on part a of this verse, "Blessed is the person who endures testing"

Our natural desire to defend ourselves and get back what we deserve can certainly test us. And this is the testing James is speaking of.

Instead, though, can we walk in love and forgive, just as we ourselves have been forgiven?

As we go to our main verses, we begin with the opening lines of Philemon.

To the Church in Your House

Philemon 1–3 LEB

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our dear friend and fellow worker, 2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house. 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

While this letter is addressed to Philemon and deals with some specific issues in Paul's relationship with Philemon, this letter is written also to the body of believers, the church.

That the Fellowship of Your Faith May Become Effective

Paul now gets to the main point of his letter in Philemon 4-7 and tells them about his prayers for them.

Philemon 4 LEB

4 I thank my God, always making mention of you in my prayers,

Paul prays for those that have been converted and are active in the work of the Lord.

And, here, tells Philemon that he is praying for him in

Philemon 5 LEB

5 because I hear about your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.

Paul prayed also for others, but Philemon’s active love toward the Lord and the saints is what has prompted Paul’s prayer. It is good for us also to notice those that are active in showing their love for the Lord and the saints. You will see them if you look, but they are not often those in the forefront.

Paul’s Prayer for Wisdom and Revelation

Paul has used almost exactly the same introduction (compare Ephesians 1:15-16 with Philemon 4-5) but has a very different prayer for wisdom and revelation in

Ephesians 1:17–18 LEB

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him 18 (the eyes of your hearts having been enlightened), so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints,

Paul’s Prayer for the Fellowship of Your Faith

Here, Paul prays in

Philemon 6 LEB

6 I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing that is in us for Christ.

It is not that Philemon needs more wisdom or revelation, it seems he has that already. What Paul is praying is “that the fellowship of your faith may become effective”.

In our culture of independent personal drive, we often focus on only the very first step of becoming a Christian, accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord, our savior.

Paul is encouraging Philemon in the fellowship of his faith. How much more might we do for God’s kingdom if we were able to work together with one purpose as in

Acts 2:46 LEB

46 And every day, devoting themselves to meeting with one purpose in the temple courts and breaking bread from house to house, they were eating their food with joy and simplicity of heart,

Onesimus, A Personal Matter

But Now He Is Useful To You

Philemon 8–16

I Know That You Will Do Even Beyond

Philemon 17–22 Slavery was a part of the culture in Paul’s day and the former slave of Philemon, I might better say, the escaped slave of Philemon, had been converted and was working with Paul for the Lord. As Paul comes to understand the history, he sends Onesimus back to Philemon to make amends. Philemon has every right to prosecute Onesimus, yet Paul asks Philemon to not to exact what is due from Onesimus, instead, Paul asks in

Philemon 18 LEB

18 But if in anything he has caused you loss or owes you anything, charge this to my account.

but Paul also reminds Philemon that his own salvation came as a gift from God at the hands of Paul in

Philemon 19 LEB

19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will pay it back, lest I mention to you that you owe me even your very self besides.

But Paul is not saying these things to extort more than what Philemon is willing to give, in fact, Paul knows Philemon is a willing servant of the Lord he is in

Philemon 21 LEB

21 Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you because I know that you will do even beyond what I say.

Paul knows Philemon, and is confident that he will not only accept Onesimus, but will also move forward as the spirit of the Lord leads them, “even beyond what I say”.

My Fellow Workers

Paul ends by addressing all of them, his disciples by his apostleship, yet his equals and fellow laborers in Christ.

Philemon 23–25 LEB

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

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