in the Book of Philemon this morning. Let me get there. The Book of Philemon this morning, and we're going to be looking At some thoughts in the verses 17 through 25, and I'd like to read those first before we go there. Book of Philemon, verse 17, it says, If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him, Onesimus, as myself.

If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee aught, put that on mine account. I, Paul, have written it with mine own hand. I will repay it. Albeit, I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord. Refresh my bowels in the Lord. having confidence in thy obedience, I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do also more than I say. But withal, prepare me a lodging, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you. There salute thee, Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow laborers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Remember last episode or last time we looked at this book last Sunday, Paul was beseeching Philemon on Onesimus' behalf. He was saying that if he, Philemon, counted Paul a brother, and indeed a fellow laborer in the gospel in Christ to accept the servant Onesimus back as himself, as he would receive Paul. And again, as we saw in verse nine, Paul was beseeching for love's sake. He said for love's sake, and the points that Paul mentioned were the love of God the Father for his sons in Christ and before we saw that under the gospel, the Lord had led Onesimus to Paul there in Rome and under that teaching and preaching that Paul did and under the gospel by the Spirit, Onesimus received the life from the Lord.

And he was for the love of God the Father for his sons in Christ and was counting him as one of the sons. For the love that we have for all of the sons of God. The redeemed in Christ, we are to have, as we saw in 1 John and 2 John, we are admonished to love the brethren because of who they are. They are kinsmen now and not just strangers, but in the Lord they are redeemed and we are one.

The love shared by Paul and Philemon, they knew each other and there was a close regard that they had for each other. He was beseeching on Onesimus' behalf because of the connection they had, and he felt he could do that. And the love that no doubt Paul would now be shared by Philemon and Onesimus, indeed closer than a brother.

And now coming back as not just a servant or a slave to back to work or whatever he may have. Paul was hoping he would send him back to Rome for his good and for his benefit that way, but that he would, now have a love for Onesimus that he didn't have before. He might have had a regard for him as a servant before this episode of him running away, but now as a brother.

And we noted that when the Lord reveals himself to us, that doesn't necessarily change our station in life. We are now believers and sons of God. And as he reveals him to us, but Onesimus went back, he was still Paul's servant, I mean, Philemon's servant. He didn't go back as a free man in that regard.

And he sent a letter by Onesimus' hand, as we said, he had to have a little bit of anxiety for going back to Philemon with that letter that he was carrying after he ran away and thought that probably he took some goods with him in that way. But now as the love that Philemon and Paul shared, he's saying this same love is going to be there between Onesimus now.

And that was how he wanted him to be accepted. So that's where we left off there was that he would accept him in the beloved. And we saw that we are accepted in the beloved is how we are acceptable unto God is for what he has done for us and that he has redeemed us. and in him we have a standing. We didn't have a standing without the Lord himself. And so that as he was accepted in the beloved, this is that point that we looked at, that's who we stand in, is the Lord himself, is that beloved, the one that we stand in.

And now, all that on the basis of those things, This letter brought to Philemon's attention the grace and mercy shown to him and the faithful preaching of the word there in Colossae, that he received Onesimus as a partner, not just as one back, that he got his property back now, but that he was a partner in the gospel. And Paul was beseeching that he might even send him back to him and that, to be a help there to Paul.

In verse 18, 17 and 18, it says, if therefore, me, count me therefore a partner receiving as myself, if he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, put that on mine account. Verse 19, I, Paul, have written it with mine own hand, and I will repay it, albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. But here that, in verse 18, if ye had wronged thee, and oweth thee aught, put that on mine account. And that, Paul was standing as a surety for Onesimus, and if there was any, and some of the things I read that where it says in verse 18, if thou hath wronged thee, it's not a question of maybe he did or didn't wrong him, the sense of that word is since he wronged you, It's not, well, we don't know if he wronged you or not. That goes without saying, in a sense, in this. And the point that we're gonna look at is that we stand in that same place before God. It's not if we have sinned against God, we have a problem. It is since we are sinners, there's a problem.

And the Lord himself is that surety for the ones that were given him everlasting covenant. He's that one that is standing here as Paul said, put that on my account. All that we have, that debt that we have because of sin, it has to be put somewhere. Either man is going to pay eternally for that and never pay that debt, or that's gonna go on Christ's account. And as we've seen, that righteousness of His is placed on us. And that's from His account.

We're gonna look at a couple of things. That Paul wrote this himself and would stand for everything owed and reminded Philemon that he was a debtor to Paul. Now, as he was in the flesh that to Paul, we see that we are debtors to Christ for what he has done to us. So we're gonna look at a couple of things.

The thought is to bring to mind that because of the fall and the curse of sin ruined by the fall, We are spiritually dead, not wounded by the fall, but dead. As such, we by nature stood condemned, not maybe, but for sure, according to the scripture, the payment or cost of sin is death.

That's where we stand. In the eternal covenant, the son became the surety for those given to him. Those who had and have no means to satisfy the holiness of God, no righteousness of our own to plead. That's the position by nature that we are in, that man is in.

And with that in mind, and the title of this that we're gonna look at today is Put on His Account. put on his account, and we're gonna look at a couple of thoughts that speak to this. Turn with me, if you would, please, to 2 Corinthians, chapter five. 2 Corinthians, chapter five, for a few verses here, and then a couple other spots. But 1 Corinthians, chapter five, starting with verse 17. And prior to this, it tells about the position we are in sin, but start with verse 17. I'd like to read this.

It says, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now when we are ambassadors for Christ, now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. And as that says fourth, we are not that, but in him we are righteous. Be made, it says in here in the last, that we might be made the righteousness of God. And that is, far from any natural ability that man has is to approach God by any means of righteousness except for his own that is provided to his people. And then verse nine, no, that's what I wanted, through 21 there. And it says here, made him, to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. And one that's righteous, we're not righteous, that's the righteousness that he put on them.

And that robe of righteousness that we are clothed with is all of his righteousness, none of ours and not ours at all. Turn back just a bit to the book of Romans, the book of Romans in chapter three. Romans chapter three, it says, I'd like to start with verse nine. Verse nine of chapter three of Romans, and reading down a bit here, it says, it says, what then, are we better than they? No, in no wise, for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin. As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they're all together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no not one.

And stop for just a second here, that kind of describes Onesimus that I'm sure in Philemon's eyes that this was the situation there. And yet Paul says, put that to my account, put that to my account. In verse 13 it says, their throat's an open sepulcher, with their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of asp is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known.

There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things whoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. For there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God. To declare, verse 26, to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

And here, setting forth very common passage, everybody knows a lot of the words of this, a lot of these verses that speak to what man is like by nature. And many people would say, that's not me. But when God, by his grace, opens our eyes and reveals a few things, God's people say, that's where I came from. That's by nature what we, a good description of what we were like.

There's no fear of God before their eyes, verse 18. That is a fact. Unbelievers don't have the, the fear of God that scripture speaks about and of the condition, but here, the righteousness that it speaks about below is his righteousness, that of his righteousness that is given to us.

That he is that propitiation, that payment that is made in full was laid to his account, and his account's a big account. It covered quite a bit, covered all that was necessary for all of his people of all time, that that would take care of that. And that he might be just and the justifier of him. And then it goes on to say, Is there any room for boasting in anything?

It says no, no boasting in anything except for him, in him, in what he has done for his people. Justified freely by his grace, it says, what God has done, not what we have done or what we have decided or by our wisdom have come to that conclusion, but by his doing.

There's a couple of thoughts else. Turn to the book of Luke. To the book of Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10. There's a passage here starting with verse 29 of Luke 10 in down a ways. It's relating the story of the parable of the story of the Good Samaritan. And we know that this story here and what it talks about, and it's talking about who's their neighbor, who's your neighbor, who's to speak about loving your neighbor. But there's some thoughts down through here that are more than just saying, well, yeah, you find somebody and they're your neighbor and you need to do well. But I'd like to read these seven verses down through here, or eight verses. Verse 30, Jesus answering about who is a neighbor.

He said, a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendeth more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Verse 36, which now of these three thinkest thou was the neighbor, to him fell on thieves, and he said, verse 37, and he said, him that showeth mercy on him, then Jesus said unto him, go and do thou likewise. It's a picture about who the neighbor is, who your neighbor is and those type things. But it showed one that was in dire straits.

He was unable to take care of the problem. He's left for, it says left for half dead. And two came by him, a priest and a Levite, and the religion, they wouldn't even look on him. And the law couldn't do anything for him. These two couldn't help him. There was no compassion there in the law. It's not a compassionate thing. The law isn't something you want to go to for the cure or the healing or the reconciling.

And yet, the one that took care of him, and it says, in verse 35, it talks about the one that took him to the inn, took care of him, it says, and then took out two pants and gave to him and said, take care of him. Whatsoever thou spendeth more, again, I will repay thee." The same picture here of the priest could do nothing for him, the law could do nothing for him.

Mercy and grace of the Samaritan on his behalf was his only hope. That's the only hope this man had. Samaritan said payment for him and put any above on his account. He said he'd pay for it, so put it on his account. The only hope that one had, that one had, was on someone else's account. Christ, indeed, the good Samaritan for his people, that showed that, as he said, it showed who the neighbor was, but it showed also the picture of who we are by where we, stand and that we have no means of our own salvation or cure.

It also reminded me of the, we're not going to go to this, but the book of Ruth, and Boaz as the kinsman and redeemer, that he was the only one that was a near kinsman that could redeem Ruth. The only one that would do that, if she had other close kinsmen that could, but nobody else would do that. But Boaz, as that one, the picture of the kinsman redeemer, redeeming that which the one that needed redeeming could not do, could not pay that price. There was no option that way. There was nothing in that situation that that could, and the picture of Boaz as indeed as the Lord, as our kinsman, Redeemer, and taking care of all that was needful and needed to be done in Ruth's behalf. Turn once again to the book of Romans. Another couple of thoughts there from the book of Romans, starting in chapter four.

And these are common things, but I think they apply the thought well to here in the book of Philemon and what's being portrayed there of the one that needed a surety for and taken care of. In Romans chapter four, and in verse 21 and following, verse 21 in chapter four Romans, it says, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was also able to perform.

That was Abraham speaking about the promise of God. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him. but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and was raised for our justification. Therefore being justified, chapter five, verse one, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Here, Abraham was, it was said it was counted to him for righteousness that he believe God, that God brought that about in him by his spirit, brought that about to do that. And it said, it was not for, it says it was not written for his sake alone, but for that it was imputed on him, but also for us, whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus from the dead. And verse 25, who is delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification. Again, on placing those needs that we had to his account that he was able to do that we were not able to do. And there's no, there's, By nature, there's no getting there. There's no getting around that. There's no peace or reconciling with God.

And then in chapter five, while we're here in the Book of Romans, starting with verse eight and down a bit, verse eight, it says, it speaks about righteousness up above there and good men and people dying for ones that might be a good person. And verse eight says, but God committeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

There's no place in any of these passages we've looked that shows us on the plus side of the ledger. Our account is less than empty. and all the plus side of the ledger is putting on to his account, and by his account, that's the only standing we have, and the only way that it says we can receive the atonement are those things that he has done.

And then turn to the book of Romans chapter eight for just a bit, just a few verses here, and I'll leave it to you to read the, to review the text in between Romans chapter five and Romans chapter eight, but Romans eight, starting with verse one, it says, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit." And here, verse four, that it says, the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. In him, it says that righteousness of God is fulfilled. In the other verse we read, it says, we are made the righteousness of God.

That's quite a contrast from being on the other side of that. Onesimus being the picture there being of the unprofitable servant, less than unprofitable, and owed all to Philemon. And Paul saying, I will stand for that. And that picture of that is here of the Lord standing for his people.

And in the, in the eternal covenant. While we were yet sinners, he did these things. In the everlasting covenant, he knew what he was getting when God gave him a people. He knew he wasn't getting the cleaned up version by any means, but the ones that he would have to stand for, that he would have to redeem of himself.

In the book of Galatians, In the book of Galatians, the first five verses, it starts out here, Paul writing to the Galatians, it said, Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead. and all the brethren which are with me unto the churches of Galatia. Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever, amen. And here it says, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father. That it was done according to the will of God, our Father.

Second chapter of Ephesians, turn over just a bit, and we're hitting some of the highlights and some of the, points here that the scripture deals and points us to, and not everything of course, but in Ephesians chapter two, let me turn to chapter two.

In this chapter here, if you underline things, you probably got it like my old Bible did. You almost can't read the text because of so much underlining in it. But I started putting stars by some of them instead of underlining. Chapter two of Ephesians, starting with the first verse.

It says, and you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins, where in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace are ye saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. There's quite a bit in those 10 verses there from eternity past to eternity future covered in there of what God has done and for what God has made provision for his people and what he has done in Christ and how he has delivered us. Again, it says we are his workmanship in Christ Jesus, not by any other means.

In Hebrews chapter 10, turn to Hebrews chapter 10. The book of Hebrews was a real eye-opener to me about describing and talking about what the Old Testament talked about, which was Christ himself. we get some revelation on that from the Lord. It's easy to see the system that was in the Old Testament and not see the Lord that was in that and what that's speaking to. And the book of Hebrews deals with that.

It deals with what the law was good for. And it talks in first verse of chapter 10, it talks about the shadow of good things to come. It wasn't speaking of how you would become perfect. That wasn't what it was talking about. But in chapter 10, I'd like to start with verse nine. Actually, I'd like to start with verse 8, and it's the speaking about the Lord. When he said, sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offerings for sin thou wouldest not, neither hath pleasure therein which are offered by the law, Then said he, lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He take away the first, that he may establish the second.

By the witch will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oft times the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. Better see where to stop. But this man, verse 12, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified, whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us. For after that he had said before, this is the covenant I will make with them. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws in their hearts. and in their minds will I write them, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. A couple of points here made that offerings couldn't do it. There was one offering that could do it, the Lord himself that sacrificed, and it says, for the offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified And then in verse 18, where remission of these is, there's no more offering for sin. He's the only offering. His account is the only account that it can be put to. There's no other offering of any type that has a bearing on our situation.

Those other ones, as it said, these were a shadow of good things to come, speaking of the Lord and what he would do for his people. But those that go back to that, and there's a couple of passages where the ones that do that is the writer of the Holy Spirit by his having the pen of men said, why are you going back to these beggarly elements again? You see the good thing. You see whose account, all our sin is charged to, and all his righteousness is put on us, that statement, and there's a couple of different ways people have messages and songs and things of his robes for ours, or the great exchange, that's what it is, the other thought of that, those things that They could do nothing.

It had to be that way. It had to be to his account. And it says here that where remission of these is by his blood through the covenant, there's no more offering for sin. It's either that way or no way. There's no other... It's not choose the religion or thoughts of your choice. It's what the scripture had to say. And that is the... the hope and the reality of what God has done for his people in that.

And then a couple of thoughts towards the end here of Philemon in this section. Paul had confidence because the Lord had done for Philemon that he would do, he says, because of the confidence I have that you will do this. And they salute the fellows in Christ. The grace, and that verse 25 says, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, amen.

And I think by this, partly what is in it, guided by his grace through his spirit in us, we will do the right thing or the thing that God has determined and had set out to do. I think it talks about the preservation of the saints in the preaching of the gospel of Christ, showing forth the good things in us in Christ that the book of Philemon has. Those, I think the three things kind of takeaways or thoughts that we've mentioned and looked at the scripture of is that the grace of God will guide his people, The preservation of the saints in the preaching of the gospel, showing forth those good things in Christ, and accepted in the beloved.

Close bond because all believers are sons of God, and we receive each other as such, and we are accepted in the beloved because of what he has done for us, all on his account. So the thought here, put on his account, all that was owed Onesimus owed to Philemon, Paul was standing as a surety for. And all those that we owed because of sin, the Lord has stood as our surety and has put all that on his account. And that, I think, is one of the big points of the book of Philemon, is we're accepting the beloved because of what he has done and that all Our sin has been placed to his account.

Several passages that we didn't look at there, a couple in Hebrews and in Isaiah 53 that speaks about that he was the one that took care of all this. And all that is placed on his account and was placed on his account. And with that, we'll wrap it up for this time for Philemon. We might see him again sometime and next Sunday we'll go back to Psalm 119. Thank you.