The Devil and the Declaration (Philemon 1:8-21)
Gary McManus, 07/02/2023Part of the New Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
July 2, 2023 Philemon 1:8-21
Today: two topics (for the price of one)
Pastor calls it:
“The Devil and the Declaration of Independence”
The letter to Philemon.: Paul is writing to Philemon
about Philemon’s slave named Onesimus.
Paul wants Philemon to free his slave, so that Onesimus can work with Paul.
There is some of Paul’s theology at work here:
Paul is hinting that Philemon should forgive Onesimus. Jesus forgave both Philemon and Onesimus. The whole situation is about freedom, both spiritual and social.
Onesimus—forgiven free to do the right thing and return.
Philemon—forgiven/saved free to do the loving thing; free Onesimus.
This is a report in the Bible of a slave and freedom.
But American slavery wasn’t anything like ancient slavery.
American slavery was different in every colony and state and changed through the years.
There was a religious Christian argument FOR slavery. That is why churches also split during the American Civil War.
There were Christians who believed that every person of color should be a slave and some Christians who believed that no one, no matter what color, should be enslaved. And both sides had plenty of Bible verses that they could quote. Christian slave owners couldn’t even agree if their slaves should be read to from the Bible. Confused? Good. Because it was confusing—even more confusing for us in the 21st Century.
SO, the point is. . .if slavery was complicated and complex, then maybe freedom is not simple either.
Our own American history gives us plenty of examples. . .
Juneteenth is celebrated because the Government of Texas couldn’t be trusted to let the slaves know that they were free (Texas lost the war and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution).
The Union army arrived June 19th, 1865, and went street-to-street proclaiming “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
As examples show, freedom is a matter of law AND practice. It is still true. . .like voting.
620,000 Americans died in military service (both sides of the Civil War) to insure freedom for former slaves. It would take much more effort to move from legislative freedom to real freedom.
Jesus won real freedom from sin for us. But Satan isn’t going to open the prison door, although Jesus broke the lock. We have to open the door and walk out. Our spiritual freedom is a matter of grace and practice. But if Jesus makes us free we are free indeed. 2 Timothy 2:25-26 states it well.
Ever notice Satan is not shown as DOING ANYTHING BUT TALKING. That means:
Satan gets US to do evil.
[The Apostle, describes Satan as a source of evil that traps people and holds them: Revelation 12:9, Zechariah 3:1, 2 John 1:7 and Revelation 12:10.]
Charles Stanley: Satan is the source of temptation.
We often help ourselves to choose poorly; Adam and Eve. We easily place ourselves in service to Satan.
We experience the deception from within ourselves.
Habits are the hardest chains to break (action and the mind). See Romans 12:2.
Do we know what freedom from Satan looks like?
The simple answer is that you and Pastor are free to serve God. We are free to do the right thing, not just follow bad habits. Spiritual renewal is available to the free. That is why we celebrate Juneteenth, July 4th and every Sunday: freedom. Let freedom ring through this nation and in the soul of the believer. Amen.
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