Bible Reading: Nehemiah 11: Philemon 1:19-25
“I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides” – Philemon 1:19 (KJV).
An understanding of the cost of our redemption and how indebted we are to God will make us live a life of continuous appreciation of and gratitude to God. We are quick to complain when our expectations delay or fail to come true. We ask God why this and why that. We find it easier to hold grudge against people that offend us than to forgive and love them. In the light of the great debt we could not pay that God in Christ paid for us, it becomes easier to forgive and release people who hurt and offend us.
The case of Onesimus is a true picture of our indebtedness to God and our forgiveness, redemption and restoration in Christ Jesus. However, his debt was a mild one compared to the great debt we owed. Ours was not just life-threatening but penalty of eternal death was hanging on us. “For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life though Jesus Christ our Lord” – Romans 6:23 (KJV). All sinned so all were condemned to death, but God in Christ Jesus paid for it all. “Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us” – 2 Corinthians 1:10 (KJV). Jesus bought us with a costly prize, even his very life. Apostle Paul in pleading the course of Onesimus reminded Philemon how indebted he Philemon is to Paul. He was not asking that Philemon pay his debt but that he should extend the same love, mercy and forgiveness to brother Onesimus and others, because to whom much is given, much is expected of him. Jesus gave a parable of a certain servant that owed his master ten thousand talents but had nothing to pay; his Lord forgave him the debt when he pleaded for patience. The same servant who was forgiven ten thousand talents could not show same mercy and forgiveness to a fellow servant who owed him just an hundred pence, but held his throat and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. The lord of that servant on hearing this was mad at him for his failure to show same mercy and forgiveness which he has received from him to others. He ordered his arrest and imprisonment until he pays all his debt. Hear the comment of Jesus, “So likewise shall my heavenly father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespass” – Matthew 18:35 (KJV).
PRAYER: Lord may I remain eternally grateful to you for my redemption and extend same love to others.
Rev. Vincent Diolu