1) Divine Tact: Paul\u2019s Epistle to Philemon (Bryan Gibson)
2) Quick to Forget (Zeke Flores)
3) “Just As I Am” (Frank Himmel)
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Divine Tact: Paul\u2019s Epistle to Philemon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bryan Gibson And the way he uses that praise in his appeal: <\/strong>\u201cYes, brother, let ME have joy from you in the Lord; refresh MY heart in the Lord\u201d (v. 20). Here\u2019s an opportunity for Philemon to do for Paul what he had always done for other brethren. Paul\u2019s willingness to pay Onesimus\u2019 debts: <\/strong>\u201cBut if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account\u2026I will repay\u201d (vv. 18-19). Paul was more than happy to remove this potential stumbling block to reconciliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The debt Philemon owed Paul:<\/strong> \u201c\u2026not to mention that you owe me even your own self besides\u201d (v. 19). \u201cNot to mention\u201d\u2014but he still mentions it. Seems that Philemon owed Paul what money could never repay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The confidence Paul expresses in Philemon:<\/strong> \u201cHaving confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say\u201d (v. 21). Just can\u2019t imagine Philemon betraying the confidence this beloved brother has placed in him. -2-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zeke Flores “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him” (Matthew 13:11-12).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n — Via the La Vista church of Christ, September 7, 2024 -3-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frank Himmel 1) Hear <\/strong>the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31). Tebeau Street “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).——————– Contents: 1) Divine Tact: Paul\u2019s Epistle to Philemon (Bryan Gibson)2) Quick to Forget (Zeke Flores)3) “Just As I Am” (Frank Himmel)——————– […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2855"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2861,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2855\/revisions\/2861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Onesimus was Philemon\u2019s slave (v. 16), and not a particularly good one. He was \u201cunprofitable\u201d (v. 11), and may have even stolen from Philemon (v. 18). He \u201cdeparted\u201d (v. 16) from his master and made his way to Rome, where he was converted by Paul (v. 10). Paul has decided to send Onesimus back, and he wants Philemon to receive him (vv. 12, 15)\u2014not just receive him, but \u201creceive him as you would me\u201d (v. 17). So why doesn\u2019t Paul just tell him what to do, and leave it at that? We\u2019ll let Paul explain: \u201cTherefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love\u2019s sake I rather appeal to you\u2026\u201d (vv. 8-9). \u201cBut without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary\u201d (v. 14).
We\u2019re not told how Philemon responded, but we can\u2019t help but think it was a favorable response\u2014for the following reasons:
Paul\u2019s description of himself: <\/strong>\u201c\u2026for love\u2019s sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ\u201d (v. 9). Hard to turn down an appeal from an aging brother, who just happens to be in prison for his faithfulness to Christ.
The praise Paul gives Philemon: <\/strong>\u201cFor we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother\u201d (v. 7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The change in Onesimus<\/strong> (whose name means \u201cprofitable\u201d): \u201cwho once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me\u201d (v. 11); \u201creceive him\u2026no longer as a slave, but more than a slave\u2014a beloved brother\u201d (vv. 15-16). Philemon won\u2019t be receiving the same man who left, mainly because Onesimus is now a Christian, a \u201cfaithful and beloved\u201d Christian (Colossians 4:9).
The close relationship between Paul and Onesimus, and between Paul and Philemon:<\/strong> \u201cYou therefore receive him, that is, my own heart\u201d (v. 12). \u201cIf then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me\u201d (v. 17). How could Philemon say no, when receiving Onesimus would mean the same as receiving Paul?
The sacrifice made by Paul in sending Onesimus back:<\/strong> \u201cwhom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel\u201d (v. 13). Not surprising that Paul would put what\u2019s best for all ahead of what\u2019s best for him.
What seems to be a suggestion of God\u2019s providence:<\/strong> \u201cFor perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever\u2026\u201d (v. 15). Doesn\u2019t excuse Onesimus for what he did, but it does shift the focus\u2014from the wrongs done by Onesimus in the past to the wonderful way it all turned out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why do we love the Bible so much? This beautifully worded, very tactful appeal is just one more reason.
— Via Plain Words from God’s Word, <\/em>March 13, 2024
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How many times have you heard a thing, yet forget what you heard in a matter of minutes? The older we get, the more we are \u201cquick to hear, fast to forget.\u201d Or, as we\u2019ve all heard it, it\u2019s in one ear and out the other. But the malady isn\u2019t merely age-related.
Jesus warned about the problem in His parable of the sower and the seed (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8), which is more of a story about different kinds of \u201csoil\u201d or attitudes of the heart. Jesus explains that the seed sown is \u201cthe word of God\u201d<\/em> (Luke 8:11). You\u2019d think such an important message would immediately be held fast, protected, and practiced. You\u2019d think.
Unfortunately, after hearing such crucial information, we read about many who immediately forget all about its requirements and make no changes to accommodate themselves to it. While some people are willing to bask in the glow of such good news for a while, they are quick to leave it alone.
Ezekiel, the prophet, spoke of some who sang God\u2019s message with “a beautiful voice”<\/em> but still didn\u2019t live according to it (Ezekiel 33:32). Isaiah mentioned some who delighted to know God\u2019s ways but not enough to practice them (Isaiah 58:2). Not much has changed since then.
Hearing is not always believing, and believing is not necessarily doing. If we want God\u2019s word to abide deeply in us, we\u2019ve got to let it take root and root deep. This is done by hearing and then doing what He says.
Hearing and heeding, ah, now that\u2019s the ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cJust As I Am\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The song \u201cJust As I Am\u201d is one of our most commonly used invitation songs. The idea in the song is that we cannot make ourselves right with God on our own; apart from Jesus\u2019 blood we have no hope. That is precisely the New Testament picture (Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5; etc.).
I fear, however, that some folks have an erroneous idea about Jesus saving us \u201cjust as we are.\u201d They seem to think that He saves us without any change in our conduct. That is opposite to the New Testament picture.
Jesus\u2019 charge to the apostles was \u201cthat repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations\u201d<\/em> (Lk. 24:47). Forgiveness is extended to those willing to abandon sinful conduct, not to those who insist on continuing in it.
Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians, \u201cDo not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you\u2026\u201d<\/em> (1 Cor. 6:9-10). He did not say such are<\/strong> some of you, but such were.<\/strong> They changed their conduct in connection with being washed, sanctified, and justified (v. 11).
\u201cJust as I am,\u201d if referring to our own helplessness, is a comforting sentiment. But to suggest it means salvation without repentance is to hold out false hope.
— Via the church of Christ at Greenwood, August 25, 2024
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2) Believe <\/strong>in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent <\/strong>of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
4) Confess faith <\/strong>in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized<\/strong> in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so \u201cthrough faith in the working of God\u201d (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to\u2026
6) Continue in the faith <\/strong>by <\/strong>living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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CHURCH OF CHRIST<\/strong>
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday: 9 a.m.<\/strong> Bible Classes and 10 a.m.<\/strong> Worship Service. Congregational Song Service: 5 p.m. for every first Sunday of the month.<\/strong>
Wednesday:<\/strong> 7 p.m. Bible Classes
evangelist\/editor:<\/strong> Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/go\/all.htm<\/a> (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)
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