“For we have great joy and consolation in your love,
because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother” Philemon 7
The Apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon does not primarily deal with weighty doctrinal issues. Instead, we see a moving personal letter between two Christian brothers that addresses a highly practical matter. In it, Paul presents a beautiful, yet urgent appeal for Philemon to receive back his runaway slave Onesimus in Christian brotherly love.
The key to Paul’s appeal is his knowledge of the love Philemon has already exhibited “toward all the saints” (verse 5) such that their “hearts… have been refreshed”. One might praise another Christian for their knowledge or their personal skills, but to be characterized as one who refreshes the saints is high praise indeed.
What are ways where we could refresh the hearts of other believers?
One way is found in Proverbs 15:23 where we read, “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word fitly spoken in due season, how good it is!” This verse teaches that others benefit from hearing a good word, and in the process, you receive the joy in giving that good word. Isaiah wrote, “The Lord has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word to him who is weary” (50:4). Has God placed a brother or sister in your path who is weary? Refresh them with a good word.
Another way to be a refresher of the saints is given in Romans 15:1,3: “We then who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves… for even Christ did not please Himself.” Paul wrote again in Galatians 6:2, “Bear with one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
God has so designed the church, His body, such that it is made up of all kinds of Christians, some strong and others weak: “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7). Remember, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen…” (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).
Be careful you never despise those believers who are weak, because to God they are precious and chosen from eternity past to be fellow heirs and brothers with Christ Jesus. Rather, find ways to help them carry their loads. Those who are weak are special gifts to the church, providing other believers ample opportunity to be kind, patient, gentle, humble and longsuffering. You’ll receive a blessing in that you’ll see the fruit of the Spirit in yourself, thus helping to provide you assurance of your own faith, and joy in the seeing of Jesus Christ being formed in you.
There’s still another way to be a refresher of the saints. Paul himself closed his first letter to the Thessalonians with, “Brethren, pray for us” (5:25). He knew that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Prayer brings you into the very throne room of God by faith. It is the place where saints do business with God, placing their offerings of thanksgiving and praise, and their petitions before their Sovereign God. Our Lord Jesus before His death on the cross, prayed to His Father, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but those you have given Me, for they are Yours… I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word…” (John 17:9, 20). If our Savior prayed for the saints, can we do any less? What saint has not been refreshed by the knowledge that other saints were specifically praying for them?
Are you a refresher of the hearts of other believers? Philemon provided great joy and consolation to Paul and other believers by his refreshing of the hearts of the saints. And in that way, he too was consoled and filled with joy. By God’s grace, be a refresher of the saints!
because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother” Philemon 7
The Apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon does not primarily deal with weighty doctrinal issues. Instead, we see a moving personal letter between two Christian brothers that addresses a highly practical matter. In it, Paul presents a beautiful, yet urgent appeal for Philemon to receive back his runaway slave Onesimus in Christian brotherly love.
The key to Paul’s appeal is his knowledge of the love Philemon has already exhibited “toward all the saints” (verse 5) such that their “hearts… have been refreshed”. One might praise another Christian for their knowledge or their personal skills, but to be characterized as one who refreshes the saints is high praise indeed.
What are ways where we could refresh the hearts of other believers?
One way is found in Proverbs 15:23 where we read, “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word fitly spoken in due season, how good it is!” This verse teaches that others benefit from hearing a good word, and in the process, you receive the joy in giving that good word. Isaiah wrote, “The Lord has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word to him who is weary” (50:4). Has God placed a brother or sister in your path who is weary? Refresh them with a good word.
Another way to be a refresher of the saints is given in Romans 15:1,3: “We then who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves… for even Christ did not please Himself.” Paul wrote again in Galatians 6:2, “Bear with one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
God has so designed the church, His body, such that it is made up of all kinds of Christians, some strong and others weak: “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7). Remember, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen…” (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).
Be careful you never despise those believers who are weak, because to God they are precious and chosen from eternity past to be fellow heirs and brothers with Christ Jesus. Rather, find ways to help them carry their loads. Those who are weak are special gifts to the church, providing other believers ample opportunity to be kind, patient, gentle, humble and longsuffering. You’ll receive a blessing in that you’ll see the fruit of the Spirit in yourself, thus helping to provide you assurance of your own faith, and joy in the seeing of Jesus Christ being formed in you.
There’s still another way to be a refresher of the saints. Paul himself closed his first letter to the Thessalonians with, “Brethren, pray for us” (5:25). He knew that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Prayer brings you into the very throne room of God by faith. It is the place where saints do business with God, placing their offerings of thanksgiving and praise, and their petitions before their Sovereign God. Our Lord Jesus before His death on the cross, prayed to His Father, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but those you have given Me, for they are Yours… I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word…” (John 17:9, 20). If our Savior prayed for the saints, can we do any less? What saint has not been refreshed by the knowledge that other saints were specifically praying for them?
Are you a refresher of the hearts of other believers? Philemon provided great joy and consolation to Paul and other believers by his refreshing of the hearts of the saints. And in that way, he too was consoled and filled with joy. By God’s grace, be a refresher of the saints!