Philemon’s Character

Philemon 1:4-7

Philemon’s Character
Notice the good character of the recipient of this epistle.  He makes the apostle Paul thankful to God (v 4).  Philemon is a man of faith toward God which means that is also a man of love toward the saints (v3-5).  The man’s love for his fellow believers is evident because he refreshes the hearts of the saints, from which, Paul takes joy and comfort (v7). 

We see much goodness within Philemon, but that goodness is not innate.  The goodness we read about comes from the good which Jesus placed in this man from Colossae.  Paul prays that as Philemon continues his practice of goodness, that Christ is credited with Philemon’s goodness (v6).
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Implication
There is none righteous (Romans 3:10).  Saints become righteous only because the righteousness of Jesus Christ gets accredited to them.  As we live for Christ, it is vital to walk humbly because the only good we have dwelling within us comes from the Lord Jesus (Romans 7:18).  We can take no credit for anything we do for the Lord.  He is the vine, and we are His branches.  Without Jesus, we can do nothing of eternal goodness (John 15:5).  May we, like Paul prays for Philemon, make our faith evident through good works, knowing fully that it is not us doing the work but the Lord doing it through us.