Philemon 18 - CHARGE IT TO MY ACCOUNT

Charge It to My Account

Paul didn’t have a Mastercard, 

Visa, or Discover;

but he assured Philemon 

any losses he’d recover.

Any debt Onesimus owed 

could be attributed to Paul,

and in his own handwriting, 

he promised to pay it all.

Paul, of all people, realized 

he’d been bought with a price,

that to pay the wages of his sin, 

Christ sacrificed His life.

So as an example of Godly love, 

he offered to do the same…

to pay the price owed to Philemon 

to clear Onesimus’ name.

“So if you consider me a partner, 

welcome him as you would welcome me.

If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, 

charge it to me.

I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. 

I will pay it back –

not to mention that you owe me your very self.

I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit 

from you in the Lord;

refresh my heart in Christ.

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, 

knowing that you will do even more than I ask.”

Philemon 17-21 (NIV)

kŏinōnŏs²⁸⁴⁴ – a sharer, i.e. associate: - companion, fellowship, partaker, partner.

ĕllŏgĕō¹⁶⁷⁷ – (in the sense of account); to reckon in, i.e. attribute; - impute, put on account.

            Paul asked Philemon to welcome Onesimus just as he would welcome Paul. He asked this as his companion. I recently read a book about the importance of companionship in Paul’s ministry. The obvious implication is that Philemon considers Paul a partner and brother and that he will obey what Paul is asking of him not only because of Paul’s authority as an apostle but because of the brotherly love that exists between the two due to their relationship with Christ.

            However, Paul does make the offer to repay anything that Onesimus owes Philemon, writing that I.O.U. in his own handwriting rather than using a secretary. Here we have a picture on a smaller scale of what the Lord has done for each of us. He paid our debt by taking our sin upon himself and paying for it by dying on the cross. As a fellow believer, Philemon would also realize that Christ had paid his debt as well as the fact that Paul most likely was the one who led Philemon to the Lord. Therefore, Paul could be confident that he was sending Onesimus into an atmosphere of forgiveness and love.

            Because Christ allowed my sin to be imputed to his account, I should be willing to forgive or perhaps even pay another’s debt. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13). This past year I’ve read many books about the persecuted church and Christian martyrs around the world. Some of the most memorable stories are those in which a Christian would step forward and take the place of another man or woman, sometimes not even a fellow believer, condemned to death. They were willing to charge another person’s debt to their account and pay the ultimate price. What amazing love!

            Father, give me the strength to love others as you love them. Help me to see you at work in the lives of new believers and to encourage them. Help me to be willing to sacrifice so that others might know you and grow in their relationship with you.