Philemon

Literary Genre Author & Date Purpose for Writing Recipient Major Themes

Philemon

1. The inevitability of conflict 2. The generosity of grace 3. The possibility of a Providential “perhaps”

Philemon

Philemon

1. The inevitability of conflict

“The essence of what the Bible calls sin is the exaltation of self. God has designed us to put him first in our lives,

others next, and ourselves last. Yet sin reverses that order: we put ourselves first, others next (many times in

an attempt to use them for ourselves), and God somewhere (if anywhere) in the distant background. We

turn from worshiping God to worshiping self.”

- David Platt Counter Culture

Philemon

1. The inevitability of conflict 2. The generosity of grace

“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

- 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

“The church – a healthy church – is the hermeneutic of the gospel. It’s the way that the

gospel comes to life. It’s the way that people can taste and smell the gospel.”

- Leslie Newbigin

Philemon

1. The inevitability of conflict 2. The generosity of grace 3. The possibility of a Providential “perhaps”

“Nothing moves us to forgive like the wondering knowledge that we ourselves have

been forgiven.”

- John Stott

“When God forgives, He forgives completely. Not in shades or degrees of forgiveness, but

absolutely and fully.”

- Alistair Begg