Philemon 1:8-12 – Useless To Useful
Even though Onesimus was a slave of Philemon, he was useless to him. Philemon might not have wanted this useless slave back into his service again. A useless slave is unable to please his master. Is this not true of humans before God? Natural man is useless. He is unable to do good. We read this in Romans. In Romans 3 we see that no one is righteous before God. In man’s natural condition, he does not seek for God. His thoughts are against God. His lips pour out all kinds of evil against God. His every action is rebellion against God. Natural man ought to respect and fear their master. But natural man is like Onesimus. Useless.
Onesimus went through a conversion process. Paul had preached, and Onesimus had heard. Onesimus had believed the message of the Gospel. Onesimus had believed that he was a sinner that needed a Saviour, and he knew that Jesus Christ was the only possible Saviour. And so verse 11 tells us that formerly useless Onesimus was now useful. By formerly, Paul means before his conversion, before he believed. But now that he is a Christian he is of use to God, and to Paul, and Philemon. Onesimus is useful to the church.
You see once Onesimus was converted, he had for the first time the potential to be useful. This is true of us. And we should rejoice in this truth. Those of us who are Christians can now be useful to God. We don’t do it to earn forgiveness. We don’t do it to win favour. We do it out of gratitude and love. We realise just how wicked we were before and we realise just how useless we were before. And if we can be of any use to God whatsoever, we praise Him for that and endeavour to serve Him. Are you now useful in service to God? Are you doing all things for his glory?
Questions
- How did Onesimus go from useless to useful?
- What kind of ways can you be useful for God?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks that God has brought you from being useless to useful.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.