Good, great or Christian?

This morning I was sharing about a good man. He was a good friend, a good husband, a good family man and an active man of faith. His name was Philemon and he was a friend of the Apostle Paul. He was all the above things plus he refreshed the hearts of the saints.

I would like to think that we all could be that kind of good man or woman. It just requires us to love our friends and families and the saints. That should be easy enough. After all Jesus told us that the world would know we are His disciples when we love one another. The making of a good is right here.

But Paul encouraged his friend to be more, to go farther. He prayed for him to have an active faith so that he would have an understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. I was reminded that the more we tell the world about Jesus the more we see Him and know Him and ultimately are conformed to His image. This is what makes a great man! Paul encourages Philemon to be a great man in Christ.

If that was all to learn from this epistle it could be enough but Paul says there is more. Paul wants Philemon to be a Christian man! Apparently Philemon owned a slave named Onesimus who had escaped after stealing from his his master. Paul wants Philemon to forgive Onesimus who has gotten saved while with Paul in Rome. And take him back. And to treat him like a brother not a slave or a thief.

In my self confident, self righteous flesh I always thought this would be easy for Philemon or any Christian but then the Lord started to remind me of how many I had "forgiven."

Philemon was being told not just to forgive but to take this slave, who defied his authority, who had stolen from him and embarassed him, and put him back inside his home! To set him free and treat him like family. Who could do that? A Christian that's who!

The Lord was showing me that I have the talk down but the walk still needs work. I easily say "You're forgiven" but do I let them back into fellowship with me or even to be part of my family?
That's what Jesus did for me. He has forgiven me, brought me into His family as a brother and is even building me a place to live.

I tell you that I have no idea what that kind of forgiveness is like on the giving side. I know it on the receiving end but I still struggle on the giving end. But I will keep trying because Jesus didn't quit doing the Godly thing and I need to do the Christian thing.

Until this morning I was willing to settle for the good man and possibly hoping for the great. But now Jesus challenges me to be the Christian man.

Lord I need to learn to live an active faith by forgiving like you do. I have to admit I'm a little nervous to teach the last 18 verses of this letter next Sunday. But with God all things are possible!