The Right Thing

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Philemon 1:8  I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. (NLT)

Absolutes exist: (Isaiah 5:20 from last Sunday’s message …)

·        There is a right and there is a wrong.

·        There is light and there is darkness.

·        There is a sweet and there is bitter.

·        There is good and there is evil.

·        There is life and there is death.

It would be a terrible realization to find you couldn’t tell or didn’t know the difference between light and darkness; good and evil; life and death; or right and wrong.

To be unable to discern the next best step … or … to imagine you were reaching for something that was good only to find you had laid hold on something bad, dark and deadly.

Many have chosen to step into something only to realize that it was far less valuable than what they stepped out of. When I think of all of the bad decisions made by people in the Bible, I can easily see why God recorded them. God wants us to know that there is a remedy and restoration for those who fall from grace; those who find themselves in darkness; and even for those who knowingly step out of the light on their own accord.

The New Testament epistle written to Philemon from Paul focuses on Paul’s encouragement to Philemon to do the right thing.

·        Philemon lived at Colossae, about 120 miles due east of Ephesus.

·        Philemon had a servant/slave named Onesimus who ran away.

·        Onesimus ended up in Rome and at some point, for some reason, sought out the Apostle Paul who was imprisoned there.

·        Paul led Onesimus to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

·        The Bible does not give us all the details but at some point, after his conversion to Christ, Onesimus desired to return home.

·        Paul wrote the epistle to Philemon, acknowledging that he had been done wrong but nonetheless asking Philemon to do “the right thing”.

It seems the Bible is filled with accounts of people like Onesimus who did some things they thought were good for them in the moment but later realized they were the wrong thing. Thankfully:

God never abandons us because we are wrong.

We don’t have to get stuck in our last worst decision. There is a scripture in the Bible that sums it up. It’s the account of the prodigal son in:

Luke 15 NKJV

17  “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18  ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

19  “and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

20  “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

The Prodigal Son:

1.   He came to himself.

Ø (Luke 15:17a NLT)  “When he finally came to his senses …”

2.   He said to himself.

3.   He followed his own counsel.

Notice as well that not only did the son who was wrong turn to do the right thing, but the father had a choice as well. The father had been done wrong but instead of protecting himself and nursing his wounds, he did the right thing. We all have a choice … (the older brother however is another story).

Onesimus must have:

1.   Come to himself and realized that he had lost more than he gained.

2.   Said to himself, something is wrong, and I want to make it right.

3.   Followed his own counsel, sought out Paul whom he previously knew or knew of from Colossae, asked for help, got saved and went home. (We can’t know for sure, but some early Church writers say Onesimus was emancipated by Philemon and later became a Bishop over a region of churches in Asia Minor. Certainly sounds like God.)

You see, there is a right and there is a wrong for everyone involved in each situation of life. We cannot expect anyone else to do what is right when we won’t. Without regard as to who, what, where, when or why …

Philemon 1:8  I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do.

If you find you’ve made a bad decision, a wrong decision, or a costly mistake … or perhaps someone has done you wrong. Either way, don’t forget the remedy.

Believe me, no matter how bad it is, you can make it worse.

So, what can you do to make it better?

1.   Come to your senses …

Ø It’s not going to get better on its own.

Ø Nothing changes until something changes.

Ø You can gain victory in the situation before you see victory over the situation.

Ø Maybe you did wrong or someone else did you wrong, either way:

Ø You can’t turn back the clock, but you can do the right thing.

2.   Speak to yourself …

Ø Make the decision.

Ø Go to the Word.

Ø Get godly counsel.

Ø But Coach yourself … Encourage yourself.

3.   Do the right thing.

Ø Make a commitment.

Ø Don’t be afraid to face the facts.

Ø Take the first step.

Ø Follow through.

God will never abandon His children because they were wrong. He will be with you and help you every step of the way. God knows … where you are, what you’ve done or what was done to you --- and He knows the right thing for you to do right now.

Have you been Born Again? Are you a child of God? Give your life and your problems to Jesus. It’s the right thing to for you to do.