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Philemon - 6/9/2008 7:03:05 AM
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deliveredarling
Posts: 1392
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Last night I was visiting a church and they were studying the Book of Philemon. The preacher said that in vs 19, Paul is telling Philemom, that he (Philemon) owes him for his salvation, because Paul shared the gospel with him. This doesn't sound right. Every other book Paul has written, all glory goes to God, never to himself. (I could be very wrong in thinking this is what I heard). I wanted to throw it out here to see if anyone could shed some light on this book. In my thinking, Paul is referring to maybe some other debt rather than referring to salvation. Your input is appreciated.
" I Paul am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (lest I should mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). "
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"Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed: but he puts it on a lampstand, in order that those who come in may see the light."
Luke 8:16
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RE: Philemon - 6/9/2008 7:49:58 AM
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timf
Posts: 678
Joined: 10/20/2006
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Paul is telling Philemom, that he (Philemon) owes him for his salvation
Paul is using the strongest form of verbal coercion to get Philemon to forgive the debt owed by a run away slave. Paul holds short of commanding Philemon to act the way Paul thinks he should, but Paul does compare the monetary debt of the slave to the greater "debt" one might "owe" for having been saved. He does this to build a framework to help Philemon see beyond his sense of injury at the financial loss he has suffered.
Paul then continues the example of cost and worth by saying that whatever is owed by the slave, Philemon should charge it to Paul's account. This implication is that Philemon has received something of such value that he would never be able to pay such a "debt".
Salvation is used metaphorically as a example of something of greater value than the price of a slave. Philemon is a perfect book for those of us who get caught up into trying to make things work out, that we lose sight of what is of real worth. This is consistent with the admonition in 1 Corinthians for Christians not to sue each other. Paul asks, "why not suffer the loss".
As Christians we need to periodically ask ourselves if we are pursuing something to such an extent that we are forgetting to trust in the Lord, forgetting what we have received, or are in danger of harming other Christians to gain something for ourselves
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RE: Philemon - 6/9/2008 8:31:31 AM
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deliveredarling
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Wow, that was an excellent explanation! Thank you. the preacger used this book, last night as an example for us to look beyond our own worlds to reach out to others, he focused on the slave side and the "lowlier than thou" side of it. You took it deeper, thank you!
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"Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed: but he puts it on a lampstand, in order that those who come in may see the light."
Luke 8:16
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RE: Philemon - 6/9/2008 12:01:59 PM
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Doc65
Posts: 277
Joined: 1/11/2008
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An excellent commentary on Philemon is one by Dr. John Nordling through CPH. The man lives and breathes this book and can quote it in Greek and English. I've studied under him and found him to be amazing in his knowledge and explanations.
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"The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights." Hab. 3:19
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