Small Letters with a Big Impact: {An Exposition}

By Thomas Rowan

When we think about Bible studies, we often pull topical aspects and devotions. There is nothing wrong with this method, but sometimes we miss some of the key pieces connecting the Scriptures.

While like a full commentary, Small Letters with a Big Impact is meant to help you in your personal study of a few of the epistles (letters

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Jun 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9798893330977

Thomas Rowan

Thomas Rowan is a father of three, Air Force veteran, and lives in Wisconsin. Apart from reading and writing, Thomas spends most of his free time on various hobbies, including painting, fitness, and martial arts.

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Introduction

The life we live here is full of struggles, trials, and heartaches as we experience both the results of sin in and around us. But also Satan’s buffering and warfare against us for merely living as children of God. The collection of short letters in the New Testament I have noticed over the course of my Christian walk is full of deep truths that apply to all of us and are perhaps not covered in enough detail in many areas.

Here, we will see Paul, who writes to share that all of us embrace a counter-cultural way of thinking in embracing the truth of Christ as He changes us from within. Peter, who shows us that the rock of faith is Christ and explains how we must hold to that hope if we are ever to make it through the stormy seas of this life, lest we also glance to the waves and let our fear set us to drown. John, a leader in the early church and, like Peter, an Apostle of Christ, who’s message of love and understanding the difference in saying we are Christians and living like we are Christians. Finally, Jude, the half-brother of Jesus who wouldn’t believe in Christ until His resurrection, tells us that the enemy is pushing strong against us, and to ensure the sanctity of our beliefs, we must contend for the faith.

I hope you enjoy this collection of expositions and learn something new from them as I did as I wrote it. If you enjoy this one, then please check out my previous books: A Walk… Through Romans and From Mercy to Judgment: The Story of Nineveh.

In Christ,

Thomas Rowan

The Love of Christ That Changes Us

(An Exposition of Philemon)

Chapter 1

The Love of Christ that Changes Us

The book of Philemon is the shortest of Paul’s known letters. However, this letter, as small as it is, reminds us that though the work of the church is known through more prominent figures like Peter, James, and Paul, everyone can and is used by God for the fulfillment of His mission for us and the church as a whole.

Paul wrote this letter around A.D. 60 while he was under a two-year house arrest in Rome. Just like today’s house arrest, this meant he was monitored 24/7. The significant difference between Paul’s day and ours is that he had a personal live-in guard who did the monitoring, while today, we use technology to do it more remotely.

And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him (Acts 28:16).

Although Paul was confined to the house and needed permission to do anything or go anywhere, he was allowed visitors from Jewish leaders and some of his co-workers and supporters.

After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

Acts 28:17

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

Colossians 4:7–11

Philemon was a prominent figure in the house church in Colossae; not only that, but we can see from this letter that he was also a central figure socially. Because one such visitor that Paul was allowed to receive was Philemon’s slave, Onesimus. In this letter, we’ll see Paul address this relationship and show how the love of God works, even through the most difficult of circumstances and through the work of all people, regardless of social status.

Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon 1:1–3

As always, Paul did not consider himself a prisoner of Rome but of Jesus Christ. Paul understood that his situation was in God’s hands and control. So, even though Rome imprisoned Paul, it was Christ that allowed it to happen. My first point: The love of God in hard times.

Because we, as Christians, know that God is in control of our lives, we often understand that even though we pay for wrongs through the consequences of our actions, we still get mad at God. The acknowledgment that God is in ultimate control can bring peace but also frustrate Christians. Does it not? However, Paul was not angry at God for his imprisonment. Paul knew that God had a plan for him during his imprisonment. So, this knowledge that God would work it out for His glory is part of why Paul was able to write in Romans chapter eight.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

That said, Paul was still human, and I’m sure he had goals and dreams of getting back out there and preaching. However, God kept him still. The stillness of his imprisonment, I imagine, would occasionally get to Paul, which is why he was so happy to have the support of his friends and the churches during these times. What about you? Are you reaching out for support? Or are you giving support to someone else in need?

God’s love in the hard times is shown through the actions of our friends and our actions toward them. Philemon was one such friend to Paul. But as Christians, we need to remember that if we are going through something, the love of God is shown both in our ministry to others and in their ministry to you. If someone else is struggling, where are you? Praying for someone is very good, but are you reaching out to know what to pray for? Does that struggling individual know that you are even praying for them?

In the introduction, we get a good picture of the friendship between Philemon and Paul. In nine of the thirteen letters Paul wrote, he introduced himself with his title as an apostle. But here, and in Philippians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Paul does not do that; Paul appeals to his recipient as more of a friend than an apostle.

With God, we know that we are all equal; no title nor status allows us to approach one another differently. When he’s addressing big issues and whole churches, Paul uses his title to speak with the authority he was given. But sometimes, it’s better to lower yourself and approach others as a friend than to demand using your title. When we approach our fellow Christians, we are to do it with love, regardless of circumstance or title.

Philemon and his wife Apphia were landowners and house church leaders in Colossae, and some say that he became the pastor of that church based on what Paul said in the letter to the Colossians in chapter four.

And say to Archippus, ‘See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord’ (Colossians 4:17).

Charles Spurgeon pointed out that since Philemon had a house church, each of our homes must also be churches. Our homes should be a place of Bible teaching, inhabited by saved Christians, unity, a heart to serve others, and worshipping God. If you want the love of God in your hard times, then you need to have a home that is welcoming to that love. A home welcoming that kind of love will also give that kind of love.

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Philemon 1:4–7

Paul will personally thank Philemon for his love for the saints and others there in Colossae. My second point: The love of God in the love for each other. Paul talks about this love in his other letters as well.

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers (Ephesians 1:16).

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints (Colossians 1:4).

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

When you thank God for what He has provided us with His grace and love, do you remember those who give you grace and love? Are you doing more with your time and energy that is helping further the growth of yourself, the church, and reaching others?

If you are a Christian, then you must reach out and show that love, not just for the other saints in the church, but to all people. Jesus said in the Gospel of John that you know them who follow me by their love. We are not called to Christ in private. We are called publicly.

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10:32–33).

The foundation of effective evangelism is found in the sharing of the faith and the good things that God has done for you. The reason that you aren’t effective in your sharing of the gospel and your faith is in part because you still don’t understand everything that Christ has done for you. Every good thing in your life is of Christ. Even when it seems that a bad thing happens, God is in control of it, and if you look at it with the eyes of Christ, maybe not today or next week, but in the future, you will look back and see the blessing.

If you want to show the love of God in your love for each other, you must first acknowledge the love and blessing that God has shown you because you can’t give what you don’t have. If everything sucks and you’re mad at God for whatever He’s not doing in your life, how can you honestly expect to truly give that same love and blessing to others?

As Christians, we must be intentional in seeking God’s Word in our lives to remember the love He has shown us. To see the blessings even in the dark times, so we can still show that love to the world despite ourselves. The peace of God that passes all understanding doesn’t stop the storm in your life. It merely gives you a coat so you can better withstand it.

Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus—I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)

Philemon 1:8–11

Paul will build off the previous commendation that he gave Philemon based on his love for others by urging a change of heart toward his slave Onesimus. My third point: The love of God in our daily desires.

Interestingly, Paul states that he has the authority to command Philemon to do what he wants. However, like God, Paul appeals to Philemon through love and, by that love, his desire. In movies and storytelling, we often see that ruling by fear and demands is far less effective than ruling through love. Because people will do more for love than anything else, God knows that and wants that for all of us.

The thing about being a Christian is that now that the Holy Spirit is inside you, your desires change. I don’t have to do anything, but now I want to. I used to do those things, but now I don’t. I used to think this way, but now I’ve changed my mind. Going to church, reading the Bible, praying, and talking more about my faith with others are all things that I now want to do because the love of God is growing inside me, and now my desires have changed.

Paul says to Philemon that even though he could command it, he will appeal through love to Philemon. This statement says more than it initially lets on. Paul knows that the love of Christ is in Philemon. Paul understands Onesimus’s position. He knows that, legally, Philemon is correct if he wants to do justice by the state’s law.

Paul is not concerned about upsetting the government’s status and programs. He was more worried about the heart of the individual and wanted to pull at the heartstrings of Philemon in his relationship with Onesimus instead of commanding through the Bible and with the authority to change.

When you start to see the love of God in hard times, you can better show that love to each other, which only happens if there’s a change of desire. Paul knew that. Jesus knew that. This concept of individual desire is why Jesus never addressed the wrongs in the Roman government.

We are the problem in this world, humanity, all of us. Therefore, we cannot be the solution; Jesus is the solution. For every Christian, the priority should be the individual conviction and change of desires for the things of Christ over any legal, political, or societal change. It doesn’t matter how many times we vote through elections for political office, it doesn’t matter how many wars we rage, dollars we raise for charity, or how hard we try to convince people of our opinions if we don’t get Jesus into the hearts of the people, nothing will change. For it is only through Jesus that any change of desire can happen in the individual. Paul would tell us in his letter to the Philippians precisely what that change looks like and what our desires should be now that we are full of the Holy Spirit through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, 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.

Philippians 4:8

Paul then pleads with Philemon, saying he is an old man and a prisoner on behalf of Onesimus. Someone who, as Paul states, has become like a son to Paul and was very useful for the various tasks that Paul required of him. The reason for this plea was that Onesimus was not only a slave of Philemon but a runaway slave. Who was later met and converted by Paul and, while there, became very helpful in the furthering spread of the gospel.

I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.

Philemon 1:12–14

Paul often referred to any brought to Christ through him as his children in the faith.

To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Timothy 1:2).

To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior (Titus 1:4).

So here, we can see that Paul views Onesimus in the same way, and that’s why Paul says that in sending Onesimus back to Philemon, Paul was sending someone he cared about very much. Someone who had been growing and helping Paul.

Paul would like to see that he could continue to use Onesimus, but it must be with Philemon’s permission. Paul understood that legally, Philemon needed to be aware and okay any further action taken by Paul in this way. Realistically, Onesimus was to be killed, and it would’ve been in Philemon’s very right to do so to a runaway slave. But Paul pleads and says he has use for Onesimus, and as a brother in Christ, he has been instrumental.

It was a gamble on Paul’s part that Philemon would not still execute his legal right and have Onesimus killed. However, Paul knew the power of Christ in the change of desire and growth of love for others. Paul knew that Philemon had a love for God, which was shown in his love for others. So now, Paul would call on that love to have Philemon use the change of his desire and let Onesimus go and love despite his past.

For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

Philemon 1:15–20

My fourth point: The love of God in forgiveness. Paul suggests that perhaps God was divinely working through the situation to bring Onesimus to salvation, and then Philemon would have another brother in Christ instead of just a slave. Paul continues further and says there was most likely a divine reason for how things transpired with Onesimus.

The gospel changes how we view people. The love of Christ in our hard times for each other based on the change of our desires works through us to see things and people differently. Here, Paul says that Onesimus is another brother in Christ; this would not have happened if he had not come to Rome as a runaway. So, Paul says, use that love of Christ that you possess Philemon, and forgive Onesimus, and receive him back to you as if you were receiving myself.

Paul goes further to help Philemon in his argument, to say that whatever he has cost you personally and financially, charge it my account. Paul tells Philemon that Onesimus’s balance is zero upon his return, so he can still do what he wants with him, but with Onesimus’ debt settled by Paul and with him receiving Christ, consider all the other options.

If you have the love of Christ, then your desire will change. Then you can see the love of Christ even in those hard times you face in this life, and then you have and show that love toward each other—Christian or not. This concept means that you should come to the place where you forgive with the love of Christ because, as Paul said in Ephesians,

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31–32

Paul would be hoping and pleading here that Philemon remembers that concept with Onesimus. Intent on convincing Philemon to follow Christ’s example of love, Paul wrote this letter himself. Usually, Paul would use a secretary to write his letters as he dictated them. But here, Paul states that this is too personal and important and that he was writing these words from his very heart.

Martin Luther said, Here we see how Paul lays himself out for poor Onesimus, and with all his means pleads his cause with his master, and so sets himself as if he were Onesimus, and had himself done wrong to Philemon. Even as Christ did for us with God the Father, thus also does Paul for Onesimus with Philemon. We are all his Onesimi, to my thinking.

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Philemon 1:21–25

He is so sure about the power of Christ’s love working through Philemon that Paul even says as he closes this letter that he’s confident that Philemon will do all he requested and even more.

This closing statement also shows Paul’s faith in Christ and the power of prayer. Paul states here that Philemon should prepare a guest room for Paul because Paul is sure that he will be released and be able to come to visit them soon. Paul then lists the others; these people were also listed in Colossians, which tells us that Philemon lived in Colossae since the same people