Sovereign Grace Church

…even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye

(Colossians 3:13)

It is somewhat singular, to hear the apostle, whose constant poverty was almost proverbial, undertaking the payment of Onesimus’s debts, if he owed his master any thing. But in what he adds of Philemon’s owing even himself, to Paul, as having been instrumental in the Lord’s hand, for his conversion; we enter upon the apostle’s meaning. Dropping therefore, for a moment all the several parties in this transaction; the master, the servant, and the apostle; if we look at the Lord Jesus Christ, in that gracious act of His, as our Surety and Sponsor; we behold Paul as well as Philemon, and his servant, all alike interested in this one great redemption. Yea, both the writer, and the reader, of these lines, without a personal interest in the Suretyship of Christ, were equally insolvent. For we have all erred and strayed from the Lord; and by nature and by practice run away from His service. And who is there in the consciousness of such things, and having been forgiven our ten thousand talents, can go forth, and take a fellow servant by the throat, for the payment of an hundred pence? Oh! for grace, as the followers of the Lord, to put on “bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Colossians 3:12-13). [AMEN!]