… ⁶and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. ⁷For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Paul knows his audience; he appeals to Philemon’s evident Christian character. While we know virtually nothing about this man outside of Paul’s letter to him, we take the apostle’s description at face value. Philemon was a Christian whom Paul seemed to know well enough to make such an appeal. He characterizes him as having “the knowledge of every good thing which is in [him] for Christ’s sake.” Philemon’s Christian faith had resulted in his being known as a good man (Gal. 5:22) or at least giving tacit approval of all that is good.

But this knowledge of every good thing is given for a purpose. Today, it is easy to become very knowledgeable about the Bible, especially for those who have been believers for many years. Yet we are to be not only knowers of the truth, but doers (James 1:22). Knowledge of the truth is given not for our intellectual enjoyment or personal benefit, but “for Christ’s sake,” that is, for His purposes. In Philemon’s case, this goodness is given not to benefit him and his social, legal, or financial status, but for Onesimus’s benefit, to accept him into the “fellowship of faith” and all that means in terms of the transformed relationship.

Paul continues to build a compelling foundation for his request to Philemon. Christ did not just bring us a more humanitarian set of laws to follow. He didn’t come to change the social structures, but to change hearts and souls deeply. He was not a social engineer, but a transformer of individual hearts.

Therefore, it is to this new life of Christ in Philemon that Paul appeals. He turns to the warm relationship they had experienced in the past, most likely during Paul’s travel through Colosse during his second or third mission tours. He reminds him of the love and joy they shared together—not just because Paul benefited from it as a traveler through that area, but also because he saw Philemon’s care for “the saints.” He describes this with the word “refreshed,” whose root word implies “to give rest.” Imagine Onesimus, the rebellious slave, being sent back to his master, with the anxiety and fear in his heart of what would await him. Paul is calling on Philemon to treat his slave kindly, and in a way that would alleviate his anxiety and refresh his heart.

Lord, help me to do all I can to refresh and relieve my fellow believers.