The Acknowledgement of Accountability (Philemon 22)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/18/2017 8:21 PM

My Worship Time                                               Focus: The Acknowledgement of Accountability

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Philemon 22

            Message of the verses:  “22 At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.”

            If you look at the lasts chapters of the book of Acts and how it was that Paul got to Rome and the fact that no one came from Israel to participate in his trial Paul must have had confidence that the Lord would allow him to be released from prison as he wrote what we find in verse 22.  Make no mistake about it Paul knew that God was in control, but Paul had confidence in the prayers of the saints who were praying for him while in prison. 

            John MacArthur writes:  “Of all Paul’s appeals to Philemon, this is the least subtle.  He does not threaten Philemon, as he did the Corinthians (cf. 1 Cor. 4:21).  Nevertheless, ‘there is a gentle compulsion in this mention of a personal visit to Colossae.  The Apostle would thus be able to see for himself that Philemon had not disappointed his expectations’ (J. B. Lightfoot).”

            As mentioned Paul writes about prayer, the prayer that Philemon and others would be praying for him to be released from prison.  Think about Paul asking Philemon to pray for him to be released from prison without doing what Paul asked him to do, that is forgive Onesimus.  It seems to me that there would be conflict in those prayers.  John MacArthur writes that “The apostle deftly maneuvers Philemon into a corner from which he can extricate himself only by forgiving Onesimus.  That is spiritual accountability at work.

            “All believers are to be accountable to those over them in the Lord.  Hebrews 13:17 says ‘Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.’  Because leaders are responsible for watching over those in their charge, they have the right to expect accountability from them.  Acknowledgment of the accountability is a powerful motive for forgiveness.”

7/18/2017 8:40 PM