True Power & True Purpose
Despite what some people may think, pearls aren't the result of an errant speck of sand weaseling its way inside the shell of an unsuspecting mollusk. In fact, sand (which is common in the aquatic environments where mollusks live) isn’t involved at all. Instead, pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a food particle or a parasite, slips between the shells of an oyster or other mollusk and lodges into its mantle, the muscular wall where its internal organs are located. In an act of self-defense, the invertebrate oozes a liquid containing aragonite (a carbonate mineral) and conchiolin (a protein), and as the secretion intermingles with the intruder, it creates a material called nacre, or mother-of-pearl, according to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Over time, these layers of nacre turn into what eventually becomes a pearl.(https://www.livescience.com/32289-how-do-oysters-make-pearls.html)
In this epistle one will discover the true ‘pearls’ of God’s shaping. Inside the hardened shell of incarceration rejection of the Gospel message becomes the irritant of conscience. Slowly God will break down this resistance of an utterly sinful life. The Hope of the Gospel message will be the ‘nacre’ forming the new life in Christ. Once redeemed layer upon layer of faith will produce a ‘pearl’ only God could create.
In Philemon this remarkable process of salvation begins with Onesimus, a slave of Philemon, who escaped, likely having also robbed his master (Phile. 18). His travels providentially brought him to Rome where he was arrested and locked up with Paul. Through this contact Paul leads Onesimus to the Savior. After his redemption, the teachings from Paul transformed Onesimus. His name meant useless. With God’s hand and Paul’s wisdom he became useful to God, Paul, and the Christian community (v. 12-13).
But Paul realized that Onesimus had a responsibility to Philemon and should make restitution for his crime and thievery. Thus, Paul deemed it right to return Onesimus to Philemon. Tychicus was given the responsibility of carrying Paul's letter from Rome to the Colossians. Onesimus traveled back with him filled with the great learnings of the Apostle. (Col. 4:7-9)
Paul writes to Philemon explaining Onesimus' situation and asks Philemon to treat Onesimus not as an irritant, runaway, thieving slave, but now as a beloved brother in Christ (Phile. 15-16; cf. Col. 4:9). For the imprisoned their life seems useless, a loss, or a true crisis that has no hope. Within this small but marvelous text we discover the true purpose and true power for forgiveness, redemption, and transformation inside the correctional halls. This text provides the framework, motive, and providential understanding for the inmate to understand the sovereignty of God when it comes to a sinful useless life.
Some religious organizations train prison volunteers simply to ‘get-m-saved’ as they say. Paul’s understanding of a man saved in prison was not a numbers game, but one filled with the limitless and matchless grace of God. He writes, “I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. I am sending him-who is my very heart-back to you.” Onesimus was not a statistic, a mere number or reason to boast. He was the very heart and soul of Paul’s life and love for Jesus Christ. The chaplains should also look into the desperate eyes of the offender with the love and passion that Paul displayed.
There is no other program, power or person in this world that can take the worst criminal and transform them into a person beloved by Christ and His church. God’s ministers have the wonderful privilege of watching lives redeemed by God from the muck and mire of the world’s sinful ways to become like children to them. The love for a sinful convict who has been redeemed by the grace of God is matchless and the true power of forgiveness as seen in the eyes of God.
One result of the quick fix prison get-m-saved message has been false confessions of faith in Christ. The process has been deemed ‘Jail House Religion’ which has long been the mockery of correctional ministry. Fake Christianity continues to be the thorn of inmate redemption. As the age grows darker some prisons have sought to simply remove religion as a necessary aspect of corrections. Why? They do not see the impact of the personal presence of the chaplain, volunteer, or Christian community to be a significant factor to change the inmate. They also do not see the need to disciple and nurture those who have been made new reconciled to their God by the blood of Christ.
Of all the religious terms used in the Christian community that weigh heavily on the hearts of inmates it is the term reconciliation when used in a sermon, or a teaching session. In 2 Corinthians 5:18 Paul writes, “And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” Thousands of incarcerated souls would love to have their victims reconciled to them and forgive them of their crimes. This concept churns in the minds of many inmates as each day they relive their heinous actions of crime. The thought of God’s forgiving reconciliation often overwhelms the hearts of the listeners.
When those lingering in the stench of prison hear about reconciliation it is truly one sermon that makes the incarcerated sit up and listen. Paul wrote to Philemon 15, “For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever;” [KJV] With this one sentence in a short letter the entire perspective for the inmate’s actions according to a sovereign God are revealed. By the opening of their hearts and eyes the Holy Spirit begins to crack open their shells of hate and non-belief. For them, this is perhaps the only hope they have witnessed in their entire life.
Making sense of all that has happened in their often-tragic life is perhaps ninety percent of an inmate’s innermost self-reflective thought process. “Why me?” is a phrase hashed and rehashed for the entire term of the sentence handed down to them. When the Word is opened to tell them that it was all part of God’s plan for their redemption, it does not justify the crime, but it does help the inmate to see his life form God’s eternal throne. Having aways been deceived, denied, and damaged by those around them often creates a wall only surmountable by Christ’s promised redemption.
The mere glimmer of a hope that what the inmate did may be forgiven by God puts a whole new perspective on the day-to-day routines of prison life. Having spent several years on death row as a chaplain in the Virginia Correctional system the consistent constant question I heard from the inmates there was, “How do I make peace with God?” The ability to tell them about the blood of Jesus Christ as the means to make peace for their sins is more than a revelation. It is a realization for the inmate that all those horrid events have been the means of God pursuing them, waiting for them to embrace His loving forgiveness.
The real theological impact of Philemon comes to light when we read, “For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever;” [KJV] This providential perspective of departing for a season that you might have him back forever provides a firm foundation for prison ministry. The season of crime, rebellion, and then restoration is seen repeatedly in the Scriptures. The prodigal son, the nation Israel, and many other examples in the word describe God’s sovereign plan of grace and mercy.
The fact that Philemon will now have a restored transformed servant and the fact that Onesimus could become like Christ directs the inmate toward a motive for true restoration. The Encarta Dictionary defines restoration as, “The return of something that was removed or abolished.” Or “a model made to resemble or represent something in its original condition.” When Paul writes to Philemon, “Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me” he penetrates the heart of inmate’s world view in a way that turns their hearts to hope of the Gospel promises.
In the practical realm Philemon was going to be receiving Onesimus back as a changed person, transformed into a person who is productive. In the theological realm Onesimus was recreated into the image of Jesus Christ through faith. What sin had damaged faith in Christ and His redemptive blood has restored to its near perfect state. Although we are waiting for the redemptive body our lives are to be lived in the image of Jesus Christ as our model.
Restoring Onesimus to the state God had intended for him is much of the work of the religious community. Discipleship is and should always be the core in the religious community in prison. It is often difficult to find Christian role models and mentors to fill this need. Many ministers simply wish to preach the Gospel, see men saved, and move on to the next prison. The inmates who have been transformed and taught like Onesimus must be discipled in the role of discipleship and mentoring.
Like the twelve disciples who brought into the life of Christ their own faults, failures and burdens, inmates are no different. However, their problems go beyond normal life into a realm of the need for intense counseling, enormous grace, and agape forgiveness. Today’s shallow Christianity falls short in the ability to help someone like this. It was no different for Philemon in the initial stages of the church. That is why Paul encourages him to take back Onesimus in a willing love. Doing this allows the inmate, the church, and the Holy Spirit to grow in the act of restoration. Because of this, the most intense process for the Chaplain is that of daily discipleship of the inmate before release. Not by just learning, but by living the truth they now grasp. This witness to the evidence of new life speaks volumes when referring an inmate to a church body.
Paul writes in Titus 3:5, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” and 3:8, “so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.” [NASB] The one element that redemption has that all other programs cannot even come close to is that of regeneration. The inmate must seek to discover the process God has designed for their life of spiritual rebirth into the new life in Christ. New thought patterns, new ways of making choices, completely new ways of seeing the world around them take intense study, prayer, and time to develop. The inmate must wipe the slate clean of a world filled with corruption, addiction, and all kinds of sordid behavior. Often this is neither easy nor sought after as a ministry in the prison in the world of Christianity. In fact, many Pastors will avoid the prison ministry for fear of the ex-offender’s inability to be easily taught and transformed as were the other members.
But the joy that is found in a person being regenerated and transformed to then turn around and fulfill a ministry to others is indescribable. Paul writes, “Whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;” [NASB] Whatever training Paul applied to Onesimus worked because he grew to the point of equal ability to minister as that of Philemon.
Inmates are often like sponges and absorb every ounce of the living word all day long with intense passion. Often the inmate will surpass the average congregant in their growth and ability to develop ministry. Developing spiritual gifts, biblical understanding and ministerial growth should not be just for the season of prison but for the post release life as well. Inmates should be prepared for ministry to their family, their friends, and their community.
However, preparing inmates to return to society is more than simple discipleship and bible study. There must be an effort to prepare the community as well as the inmate before a connection is made. When Paul writes, “If then you regard me as a partner, accept him as {you would} me,” [NASB] he is preparing Philemon in a way that goes beyond a mere recommendation or referral. He equates Onesimus to that of his own standing and relationship to Philemon.
In essence he is telling Philemon to treat this ex-servant who betrayed him and stole form him as if he were Paul, the great apostle of God. This forces Philemon to remove all prejudices, bias and resentful feelings that would cause retaliation and rejection. Unfortunately, many churches will accept inmates at a distance, but seldom will they give an ex-offender special treatment and a seat on the stage. The inmate who has been discipled must work hard to build trust and prepare the community for ex-offenders as well as the current offenders.
Paul prepared Onesimus for the house church in that he now must assume responsibility and accountability to Paul, his spiritual father. Onesimus must live up to the same degree of Christianity as Paul. Many inmates fail to see the value of this once they are released from prison. Paul’s elevation of Onesimus brings all of Philemon and his church’s understanding of Christian theology into reality. If a congregation genuinely believe that God redeems, reconciles, restores, and regenerates then must prove it by this act of forgiveness and acceptance of the ‘least’ of these.
When Philemon’s fellowship gathered in the early church it may have been under the pressure of losing your life, losing your social status or all you owned because of the continued persecution. When someone was declared a brother in the Lord it was an instant signal telling you to trust them with your life. Paul wrote, “You're getting him back now for good—and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That's what he was to me—he'll be even more than that to you.” [The Message] This was not a mere letter of an inmate’s acceptance into a church, but a right of status seen in all new believers in corrections.
In summary we have used the production of the pearl to demonstrate how often many offenders are rejected because they are seen as parasites. But if we lead them to Christ with the Gospel of Jesus Christ their hope and faith will be the foundation for the hand of God to mold then into His children. Precious was Moses, precious was Paul, and precious was I, one redeemed by the blood of Christ.
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