Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began.

           
So, eternal life, salvation; was promised before the world began. And in another place, it is written Jesus Christ was crucified from the foundations of the world. So, the plan of God to establish a sacrificial system through which sin can be atoned for and the plan to send a son, his son, his only begotten son; a plan to beget that son, to send him and for him to atone for sin; was very clearly in the very original plan of God before the creation of the world, as it says here before the world began.

           
But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior. To, Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

           
For this cause left I thee at Crete that thou shall I set in order the things that are wanting and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you. If any be blameless, and again here we're getting into qualifications for the ministry. And this is why this particular book goes well with Timothy.

           
If any be blameless being the husband of one wife, having faithful children and is not to be accused of riot or being unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God, not self-willed, not self-involved, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker or fighter, and not given to filthy lucre or lusting after physical gain.

           
A bishop or a minister must be a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, and temperate. A minister should be a lover of spending time with his flock and associating with them and conversing with them and discussing things with them and teaching them not just on the Sabbath but day by day or over a lunch or a dinner or walking in park, at any at time; as Jesus set the example. He taught his disciples continually, day by day, hour by hour, even as they walked through the fields.

           
Verse 9: Hold fast the faithful word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the naysayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths should be stopped, who subvert whole houses, whole families teaching things that they ought not for gain, for filthy lucre's sake.

           
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said “The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts with slow bellies.” This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.

           
Correct these people. Cause them to stop being lazy and self-centered and make them zealous for the word of God and for the gospel. This would also apply to anyone else who lives in this manner.           

Not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men. And he is here talking about tradition. He's not talking about being against God's commandments or the law of God. He's talking about traditions would shortly after this period of time be recorded in the Mishnah and the Talmud, where all of those traditions were eventually collated together and recorded.

           
And these traditions are just men's opinion about what they think God meant by his commandments, and through these opinions, they make the word of God of no effect.

           
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and the commandments of men that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

           
That is evil minded men see evil in everything and they always assume the worst about everyone and about everything.

           
They profess that they know God, but in their deeds, their works they deny God, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

           
That is, they say they know God but they do not keep God's commandments. They go contrary to God's word and they despise the law of God, doing all manner of wickedness, and still claiming they know God.

           
Chapter 2: But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine. Teach that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. That the older woman likewise that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not being false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things that they may teach.

           
Yes, women are to teach. They are to teach other women. It says that they are to teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home; that is, faithful to their husbands and serving the needs of the household.

           
They are to be good and obedient to their own husbands that the word of God be not blasphemed. They are to be good wives so that the stranger won't look at them and say "Oh, what kind of an awful marriage is that? Their religion must not be very helpful to them."

           
Young men exhort to be sober minded. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works, of good deeds in doctrine showing incorruptness, gravity and sincerity, sound speaking that cannot be condemned that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

           
Having a sound reasoning and basing one's conduct soundly on the doctrines and the Holy Scriptures and the law of God so that others may say "I don't like your religion but I can't find fault with your conduct." He can have no evil thing to speak of you.

           
Verse 9: Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters and to please them well in all things, not speaking back or answering again or back talking and arguing and fighting with them, not purloining, which is stealing, but showing all good fidelity which is loyalty that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

           
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

           
We should live a balanced, reasonable, sober life filled with godliness living God's way, keeping his commandments.

           
Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, from sin, that he might redeem us from sin. So, why if you are redeemed from sin, would you want to go back into it?

           
You must keep the commandments of God and turn your back on sin and reject sin; otherwise, you make a mockery of the sacrifice of Christ. If he was sacrificed for your sin and you say "I accept your sacrifice for my past sin" and then you go back and jump right back into sin, you're just like the pig that goes right back into his muddy wallow..

           
Why would we want to behave like that ;when we have been justified and redeemed from iniquity? Let us not go back into that which we were delivered out of, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, zealous to do good things to keep God's commandments.

           
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise you.

           
Chapter 3: Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to do every good thing, to speak evil of no man, to be not brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient and deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us out of our sin by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

           
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works, good conduct, good actions. These things are good and profitable unto men but avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and striving about the law for they are unprofitable and vain.

           
A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition rejects them, knowing that he that is such as is subverted, and sins having condemned himself.

           
You are not to argue whether we should keep the law or not. You should by your very nature and the nature of God's spirit within you; know that God is not divided against himself and he will keep his own law. And if his spirit is in you, you should also be keeping that law.

           
And if you are not keeping his law and his commandments, that spirit of God will depart from you because you are acting contrary to that spirit, contrary to the very nature of God.

           
How can God be divided against himself? How can God dwelling in you cause you to disobey his own commandments? Think about it.

           
When I shall send Artemas unto thee or Tychicus be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis for I have determined to winter there. Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently that nothing be lacking unto them. And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses that they be not unfruitful.

           
All that are with me salute you. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother, are writing unto Philemon, our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer, and to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house, grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

           
I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in your love because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, our brother.

           
Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, Yet for love's sake, I would rather beseech you, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

           
Paul is saying, "I have the authority to tell you what to do here. But I'm not going to do that. I'm going to beseech you and beg you because I know of your love for me and for the faith."

           
Verse 10: I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds, which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to me and to thee, whom I have sent again or sent back to you: thou therefore receive him, that is, thy own bowels, thy own life, thy own body, whom I would have retained with me. I would have kept him with me, that in thy place he might have served me or ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: But without your mind or your consent would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

           
So, I wouldn't do anything without your consent so that any benefit that I have would not be forced out of you but would come willingly.

           
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season that thou should receive him forever. Not now as a servant, but above a servant as a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

           
If you count me therefore a partner, receive him as you would myself. If he has wronged thee, or owes thee anything, put that on my account. I Paul have written it with my own hand, I will repay it, albeit I do not say to thee how you owe unto me even thy own self besides.

           
You owe me your life, your salvation because you have been responding to my preaching. But I will repay any debt that this man has incurred. I will back him up. I will pay it.

           
Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord, refresh my bowels in the Lord. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote to thee, knowing that thou will also do more than I say.

           
I am confident that you will listen and take note of my message and you will do even more than I say.

           
But withal prepare me also a lodging for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

           
That is, prepare me a place to stay because I'm coming to visit you.

           
There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow laborers, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

           
And if we stop and think about this and consider it, it appears that this man Onesimus was a servant of Philemon and he ran away. And he escaped and after while, he became contrite, he wanted to go back, he wanted to make things right, and he appealed to Paul.

           
And Paul wrote a letter on his behalf. And it is a very diplomatic letter. He doesn't order Philemon to do anything. He doesn't demand that he do anything. He doesn't even instruct him to do anything. He asks him. He appeals to him, to do the right thing and take this fellow back.

           
He goes so far as to say "I will pay the man's debts if he has incurred any. And I will back him up. Receive him as you would receive me." That is an incredible example of how the ministry are to act and function.

           
They are to serve as a means of bringing unity and bringing peace. By teaching all men to keep all God's commandments and teaching men the way to peace, teaching men how to resolve problems, teaching men to fulfill the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 18.

           
Teaching them to reason together and to work out their troubles and in the process, teach them to show mercy to one another and compassion to one another and to accept one another and be filled with love for one another.

           
This book of Philemon so often overlooked and neglected is a powerful example of Paul's love and his wisdom in dealing with these kinds of things. Paul was a very special person and it is no wonder that he was chosen to write such a large part of the Holy Scriptures.

james david malm copyright 2009