Received as Christ Philemon 1:17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. The letter to Philemon written by Paul on behalf of Onesimus a runaway slave is a very touching letter of redemption and forgiveness. It is an excellent picture of our salvation as Paul was being like Christ pleading on our behalf to be received. There are several things that Paul said that are how Christ feels towards us. Philemon 1:10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: 11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: 12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: To be called Christs son begotten through the gospel. Unprofitable to God and worthy of death to now being profitable to God and dear to God in the inner most parts. What kind of grace is this that we would be partaker of it? There is one other great grace in this letter and that is when he asked Philemon to receive Onesimus as himself. This is how we will be receive in heaven by God the Father. We will be receive as if we were Christ himself. We being hid in Christ in God will stand before God accepted and beloved of God as dear sons. Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. We will be received as we are, joint heirs with Christ. Romans 8:17 ¶ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Galatians 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. We will be loved with the same love from the Father that he has towards his Son. Why? Because that is what Christ has asked him to do. John 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. This is how we are received by God and should be how we receive one another. We should receive one another as if we are receiving God with honor and respect. We should love each other with the love that we have for God. For to love God is to love one another and to not love each other is to not love God. I John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? God grant to us the grace to love as you have loved and to receive as you have received. Bro. Terry Owen
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 22:26:26 +0000
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