We see His power in the mighty deeds of Christ. When Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea, the disciples marveled and asked:
"What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" (Matthew 8:27)
Yet one of the greatest displays of God's glorious power is often overlooked.
The power of God is magnificently displayed whenever the gospel saves a wayward sinner, transforms a messy life, and restores a broken relationship.
That is exactly what we find in Philemon 1:8-16.
As we continue our study of this remarkable letter, we are reminded that the power behind the gospel is God Himself. The Father planned redemption. The Son purchased redemption. The Holy Spirit applies redemption.
The triune God is the agent behind every genuine conversion and every lasting transformation.
Therefore, if you are praying for a prodigal son or daughter, do not lose heart.
If you are counseling a struggling marriage that appears hopeless, do not throw in the towel.
If you are laboring in evangelism and wondering whether anyone is listening, do not grow weary.
If you are experiencing deep church hurt and grieving the loss of Christian friendships, do not abandon all hope.
Never underestimate the power of the gospel.
The Gospel Saves Fugitive Sinners
By the time we arrive at verses 10-11, Onesimus has become a fugitive.
Rather than dealing honestly with what he had stolen, he ran away. He attempted to leave his past behind. He sought a fresh start without first making things right with God or with his Christian master, Philemon.
Many people still try to do the same thing today.
Rather than confessing sin, they hide it.
Rather than seeking and/or extending forgiveness, they cut off all communication.
Rather than pursuing reconciliation, they disappear.
But the sovereign purposes of God cannot be thwarted.
While hiding in Rome, Onesimus crossed paths with the Apostle Paul.
This was no accident.
The invisible hand of divine providence orchestrated the meeting.
Paul refers to Onesimus as:
"my child, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment" (Philemon 10).
Spiritually speaking, Onesimus was a prison baby.
While Paul remained physically confined, the gospel was still at work setting captives free.
The runaway fugitive was marvelously born again.
The lost sheep became a son of God.
The guilty rebel received forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.
The same gospel that powerfully saved Onesimus still saves sinners today.
No one is beyond the infinite stretch of God's mercy.
No one can outrun the saving purposes of God.
The Gospel (also) Transforms Messy Lives
Paul continues in verse 11:
"Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me."
The irony is remarkable.
The name Onesimus literally means "useful." Prior to his conversion, he was anything but useful. His nickname may have been "lazy bones."
Onesimus had failed his earthly boss. He had squandered opportunities. He was spiritually and practically unprofitable.
But then Christ changed his life.
The gospel of grace did not merely forgive Onesimus. It transformed him.
The same power that justified him began sanctifying him.
His desires changed. His character began to change. His priorities changed. His conduct changed.
The useless household servant became a tremendously useful servant of Christ. A renegade runaway became a trusted ministry partner.
Paul had personally witnessed this transformation. He could honestly testify that Onesimus had become one of his most dependable helpers.
This is what the gospel does.
It transforms us!
Not perfectly. Not instantaneously in every area.
But genuinely.
A transformed life is not the basis of our salvation (Eph. 2:8-10). We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. However, a transformed life is evidence that saving grace has truly taken root.
As James reminds us, genuine faith always bears fruit.
The gospel is not merely about forgiveness from sin's penalty. It is also about deliverance from sin's power.
We serve a mighty Savior who breaks the power of canceled sin and sets the prisoner free!
The Gospel (also) Mends Broken Relationships
Yet there was still a problem.
Although Onesimus had been reconciled to God, he had not yet been reconciled to Philemon.
His conversion did not erase the crimes he had committed. The debt he owed.
An important relationship still needed to be restored.
Paul understood this. As a wise and caring shepherd, he knew that the same gospel that saves sinners and transforms lives also possesses the power to mend broken relationships.
Throughout this letter, Paul encourages reconciliation.
Onesimus must return. He must acknowledge his wrongdoing. He must seek forgiveness.
He must do everything within his power to make things right (Paul will even offer, if necessary, to settle the financial debt that Oni cannot repay)
Scripture consistently calls God's people to this kind of humility for both the offender and the offended.
Proverbs 28:13 declares: "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion." Psalm 32 reminds us that hidden sin produces misery, while confessed sin leads to forgiveness and joy.
Likewise, Luke 17:3-4 and Ephesians 4:32 mandate Christ-like forgiveness!
Sadly, many people handle conflict the way Onesimus initially did.
They (hit and) run. They avoid difficult conversations. They leave churches without doing everything in their power to resolve differences. They cut off relationships. They seek a fresh start somewhere else without first striving to make things right.
But God's Word points us in a different direction.
The pathway to reconciliation includes repentance. In some situations it includes restitution. And it always requires Christ-like forgiveness.
The gospel calls us not merely to peace with God but also to peace with one another ("so far as depends on you," Romans 12:18f)
Final Thoughts
If you only remember one truth from this passage, remember this: Never underestimate the power of the gospel.
The gospel saves fugitive sinners. The gospel transforms messy lives. The gospel mends broken relationships.
That is what happened in the life of Onesimus.
And that same power is still at work today.
In evangelism.
In discipleship.
In biblical counseling.
In marriages.
In families.
In churches.
The gospel is not merely good advice.
It is the power of God unto salvation.
May our confidence in Christ and His gospel be renewed as we remember what God did in the life of Onesimus.
And may we never doubt that the Lord is still in the business of saving sinners, changing lives, and restoring what sin has broken.
