The Restoring Grace of God - Jeremiah 30-31 and Philemon
Jeremiah made it very plain to the people that God was angry with them for their sin, and He would punish them severely. However, he also made it just as plain that God would gather the people back to the land after 70 years and restore them by His power. In fact, once they called on Him, He would make a new covenant with them, not a covenant of rules on paper, but a covenant written on their hearts. In other words, He would completely forgive them, and He would cause them to be even closer to Him than before. That is the grace of God that enables us to be restored after we sin. He does not hold a grudge. Once He forgives, He forgets. He loves us completely, even though we have hurt Him so badly. God wants us to learn from him that we should forgive others in the same way.
That is what the book of Philemon is all about. Paul was writing his close friend, Philemon, to ask him to forgive his run away slave, Onesimus. Paul was in prison, but Onesimus had come to him after running away, and Paul had led him to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Now, Paul was sending him back to his master, as a new creature. He was asking Philemon to forgive him and to receive him back as a brother in Christ. The covenant was upgraded. At first, Onesimus was a forced slave, now he was a free brother, who would gladly serve Philemon. The only catch was Philemon's heart. Would he forgive and forget? Would he be willing to accept him as his brother? He would have to have the power of God and the grace of God to really forgive, but if he did ask God for it, I am sure He gave it to him. God longs to see us get to the place where we can forgive as He forgives. He wants us to be able to complete restoration as He does. I hope each of us will search our hearts and ask God for this kind of grace in our lives for all who have hurt us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 32-33 and Hebrews 1.
That is what the book of Philemon is all about. Paul was writing his close friend, Philemon, to ask him to forgive his run away slave, Onesimus. Paul was in prison, but Onesimus had come to him after running away, and Paul had led him to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Now, Paul was sending him back to his master, as a new creature. He was asking Philemon to forgive him and to receive him back as a brother in Christ. The covenant was upgraded. At first, Onesimus was a forced slave, now he was a free brother, who would gladly serve Philemon. The only catch was Philemon's heart. Would he forgive and forget? Would he be willing to accept him as his brother? He would have to have the power of God and the grace of God to really forgive, but if he did ask God for it, I am sure He gave it to him. God longs to see us get to the place where we can forgive as He forgives. He wants us to be able to complete restoration as He does. I hope each of us will search our hearts and ask God for this kind of grace in our lives for all who have hurt us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 32-33 and Hebrews 1.