Philemon 1:4-7 – Christ Our Intercessor
Paul in verse 17 pleads with Philemon: receive Onesimus as you would receive me. Accept him as you would accept me. Love him as you would love me. Treat him like family. It is not difficult to see the Gospel picture here. As slaves of unrighteousness, we owe God a debt that we can never pay. We have rebelled against Him, turning our backs on Him. We deserve death for our crimes against Him. Yet the Lord Jesus Christ is the intercessor between God and man. As intercessor, He pleads with his Father in heaven. Receive them as you would receive Me. Accept them as you would accept me. As you would receive me, so receive them. Declare them righteous in your sight, as I am righteous. Adopt them into your family as sons, as I am your beloved son. Jesus Christ can pray this way because He lived a perfect life and died for His people.
Paul pleads that Onesimus’ debts be charged to Paul (v18). No matter what Onesimus owes Philemon, Paul will cover the cost. So too with Christ. The cost for our debt was death. The wages of sin is death. But Christ took this debt unto his body and unto his soul when he hung on that cross. The wrath of God appropriate for our sin was charged to his account.
How much more confidence ought Onesimus to have returning to his master, holding in his hand this letter from Paul. This letter will make the difference. So too with Christ’s intercession for his people. Today if you are believing in Christ you have much to be confident about. You cannot boast in your achievements or merits. You were a guilty slave. But you can boast in the intercessor Jesus Christ who is the one who presents you to the Father faultless. And we are confident that once we are accepted, once we are justified in the eyes of the Father, we remain justified forever. Christ’s intercession is complete. It is perfect.
Questions
- How does Paul tell Philemon to receive Onesimus?
- What does this passage remind us about Christ?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks that Christ intercedes for us.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.