SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
Philemon 1:10-17
(Antioch Baptist Church: Sunday June 8th, 2025)
Most everyone knows the classic hymn “Amazing Grace”. However, few know of the amazing transformation that God wrought in the life of its author. John Newton was a central figure in the “English Awakening”, serving as a pastor, hymn writer, and slavery abolitionist. But before his conversion this servant of Christ had been a rugged sailor, a slave trader, and a very rebellious man. After surrendering to Jesus a notable change occurred. Newton wrote the epitaph for his own tombstone and it serves as a lasting testimony of transformation. It reads:
John Newton …once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ preserved, restored, pardoned and appointed to preach the faith he had long laboured to destroy.
It was this same John Newton who once said, “I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am”.
Those of us who belong to Jesus have experienced a spiritual and eternal transformation. Though we have gone from death unto life, we are currently involved in a process of transformation called “sanctification”. Sanctification is the process by which God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, transforms a believer, making them more and more like Jesus. Sanctification is a lifelong process of spiritual growth and becoming holy, set apart for God's special use and purpose.
Perhaps the greatest example of spiritual transformation is the author of this Epistle, the Apostle Paul. The New Testament is saturated with references to the transformative work that Christ performed in Paul’s life. There are numerous other examples of spiritual transformation in the scriptures, one such example is Paul’s beloved friend Onesimus.
The work that God had performed in Onesimus’ life prompted this letter from Paul to his friend and fellow laborer Philemon. Onesimus was a slave who belonged to Philemon. Onesimus robbed his master, went on the run, journeyed to Rome, encountered Paul, heard the Gospel and became a follower of Jesus Christ. In this letter, Paul serves as an advocate for Onesimus, attempting to mend the relationship between this slave and his master who were now brothers in Christ.
While the bulk of this Epistle is centered on Christian forgiveness, we cannot overlook the spiritual transformation that prompted its writing. I would like to examine a brief biography of this man named Onesimus and consider the subject “Spiritual Transformation”.
Those of us who belong to Jesus Christ have experienced our own spiritual transformation and those who have yet to surrender to Jesus have the opportunity to experience such a transformation. Though we are not given a detailed account of Onesimus’ conversion, there are several truths that can be drawn from his story. These truths apply to all who will come to faith in Christ.
- Let’s begin by examining:
THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
v10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
In the past Onesimus had been a rebellious man. In verse 10 Paul describes him as having been “unprofitable”. Not only did he run away from his master, it is widely believed that he stole some possessions when he departed. The fact is, if Onesimus had been a faithful and profitable servant to his master, if he had never ran away, and even if he was a man of great character and good morals, he was still in desperate need of a spiritual transformation.
We often look at certain people as being “worse” than others. However, there are no degrees of lostness. There are many people who possess an admirable moral character, they are loving, charitable, and pillars in their community; some are even religious. However, if they have never experienced the spiritual transformation that only Jesus can provide, they are just as lost as unrepentant adulterers, sexual deviants, and murderers.
There are likely people gathered here today that are in need of the same sort of spiritual transformation that Onesimus received. Such people do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, they are living life on their terms and they are rebellious against God. The Bible describes such people a being spiritually lost.
In the context of the church when we use the term “lost” we are referring to those who do not possess eternal life. Spiritually lost people are separated to God with no way of finding their way to Him. However, Jesus declared that He came “to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
All of mankind inherited a sin nature from our first parents, Adam & Eve as a result of their fall in the Garden of Eden. This sinful nature causes us to rebel against God. Romans 3:23 says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Those who are spiritually lost are bound by their sin and condemned to Hell. Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death…”. The wonderful news is that “the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord”. When one puts their faith in the sacrificial death and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ they are saved from the due penalty of their sins and reconciled to God.
Perhaps you are willing to admit that this describes you. You realize that you are lost and facing spiritual and eternal death as a result of your sin. Maybe you would like to know how this spiritual transformation occurs. The answer can been seen in the testimony that Paul shared about his friend Onesimus.
- Now that we have established the fact that a spiritual transformation is necessary let’s move further and consider:
THE PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
v10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
v16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother,
Paul writes that this once rebellious and “unprofitable” slave has been brought into the family of God and is now a “profitable” servant and a “beloved brother”. This transformation came about when Onesimus encountered the Apostle Paul and he “became his father in his imprisonment”.
When you survey the New Testament you will notice that among the many conversions that are recorded, none are exactly the same. The same is true among us; there are hundreds of Christians gathered in this place today but we all have our own personal and unique testimony. Though we are all saved by grace and through faith, the details of our conversions are different. With that being said, there are certain elements of salvation that are universal.
- The Bible informs us that:
THE PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
INVOLVES GOD’S SOVEREIGN PLAN
God had a special, specific, and sovereign plan for Onesimus. When he rebelled and ran away, Philemon had no idea where he was, but God knew exactly where he was every step of the way. It was no accident or mere coincidence that this rebellious slave came across the Apostle Paul, rather, it was a divine appointment.
Many of us could testify that a major factor in our turning to faith in Christ is certain Christians that God put in our lives who pointed us to him. This leads us to the fact that:
THE PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
INVOLVES FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN SERVANTS
Paul says that Onesimus is one whom he had “begotten in his chains”. Even in the midst of suffering and persecution Paul was faithful to serve his Savior. He was in chains because of his service to Christ, yet he did not use his circumstances as an excuse to shirk his responsibility. Though we do not know the exact details, it is apparent that Paul ministered to and reached Onesimus with the Gospel.
There are two takeaways from this encounter that should both encourage and motivate us concerning our Christian service. First of all, we should realize that we are indebted to countless Christian servants who were faithful to share Jesus with us when we lost and dead in trespasses and sins. Like Paul some of these servants ministered to us even when they were enduring their own personal struggles and some even in the midst of great suffering. Secondly, Paul’s ministry to Onesimus should inspire us to be faithful to share the gospel with the lost people that God sovereignty puts in our path. Even in times when we are enduring severe troubles and struggles we should have a desire and great determination to point people to the Savior. This leads us to the fact that:
THE PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
INVOLVES THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
Though Paul declares that he became a father to Onesimus, by no means is he implying that he saved his new friend. What he did was share the Gospel with him. I am sure that he shared his own personal testimony of how he met Jesus on Damascus road. It is also likely that he opened the scriptures and explained the spiritual transformation that occurred in his own life, resulting in him being willing to suffer for and serve the Christ he had previously labored to discredit and destroy.
True conversion does not occur apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the Gospel that leads people to faith and repentance. Paul said in Romans 10:17 “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” The Apostle Peter wrote “You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God… And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:23–25) Christians are born of God and converted by means of hearing the powerful word of God, the good news of Jesus Christ.
It is not enough to simply hear the Gospel; to experience spiritual conversion one must respond accordingly. This leads us to the fact that:
THE PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
INVOLVES TRUSTING IN THE SAVIOR
Trusting in the Savior is the proper response to the Gospel. Onesimus came to the realization that Jesus was his only hope. Though he was rebellious and unprofitable God sovereignly caused him to encounter a faithful servant of Christ who shared the gospel with him. Now, he had a decision to make, he could continue to rebel and live life on his own terms, or he could respond positively to the Gospel message by repenting, turning to Jesus, trusting in His sufficient work at Calvary, and following Him for the remainder of his life. Thankfully, he made the right choice!
If you are to be reconciled to God repentance is necessary! Repentance is a heartfelt and deliberate turning away from sin and towards God, involving a change of mind, heart, and life, with the goal of pursuing holiness and aligning with God's will.
I pray that you have taken this step, if not, I pray that you will respond to the Gospel by surrendering to Jesus Christ. With that being said, spiritual transformation involves more than surrendering to Jesus, it involves continuing with Him, learning from Him, and becoming more and more like Him. Notice that:
THE PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
INVOLVES CONTINUOUS DISCIPLESHIP
Onesimus was converted as a result of his encounter with Paul and more importantly his encounter with the Gospel and Jesus Himself. After his conversion he was blessed to spend time learning from Paul and then upon his return to Philemon he was (presumably) accepted as a brother in Christ and blessed to abide with and serve alongside a man who hosted a church within his own home. These relationships allowed Onesimus to continually grow in his faith by learning the scriptures and worshipping and serving alongside fellow Believers.
Once we surrender to Jesus, discipleship is a vital part of our Christian growth process. Discipleship is the process by which Christians grow in the Lord and are equipped by the Holy Spirit to live lives that are pleasing to God. In this growth process we respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting and compare our thoughts, words, and actions with the truths recorded in the Word of God. For this to happen it is imperative that we regularly spend time in the Bible, learning it, meditating upon it, obeying it, and sharing it. Furthermore, continuous involvement in a community of fellow Christians (church) is invaluable in this process.
Onesimus would not have experienced the rapid growth in his walk with Jesus if it were not for the time that he spent with Paul immediately following his conversion. I would not be where I am if it were not for hundreds of Christians who have invested in my life and taught me about Jesus. You will never reach your full potential for Jesus if you isolate yourself from other Christians. Continuous Christian discipleship is modeled, prescribed, expected, and even commanded in the scriptures. Furthermore, it is a vital element in your spiritual transformation.
God’s sovereign plan, faithful Christian servants, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, trusting in the Savior, and continuous discipleship are all necessary for spiritual transformation. There is one more aspect of spiritual transformation that we must not overlook and that is the fact that:
THE PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
INVOLVES THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Onesimus was a genuine believer which means that he was indwelt with and equipped by the Holy Spirt of God. The obvious change that occurred in his life would not have been possible apart from the powerful and supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a privilege that belongs to all who are followers of Jesus. The Holy Spirit accomplishes spiritual transformation in the lives of Christians by drawing us to Jesus, renewing our minds, convicting us of sin, guiding us into truth, and empowering us to live in such a way that pleases our Heavenly Father. The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian is both immediate and ongoing. Throughout the process of sanctification we become more and more like Jesus. When this happens, there will be noticeable results.
We have seen the necessity of spiritual transformation and the process of spiritual transformation, before we conclude this study I would like for us to examine:
THE RESULTS OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
The change that occurred in Onesimus’ life was drastic. No longer was he “unprofitable”. After his conversion he became so profitable that Paul declared, “Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. I am sending him back to you—I am sending my very own heart., I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place” (v11-13).
I cannot imagine the thoughts that crossed the mind of Philemon when this rebellious slave who had robbed him and gone on the run approached him with this letter from the Apostle Paul. I have always wondered if Onesimus was greeted by some harsh words from his master before he broke the seal and began to read this Epistle. It is also possible that after reading it that Philemon was somewhat skeptical of the testimony of transformation contained within. Regardless, if what Paul wrote was true, the evidence would soon be apparent.
It is important to note that the fact Onesimus was willing to humble himself and come face to face with Philemon says a great deal about his character and the change that Jesus wrought in his life. Onesimus was still far from perfect, but Jesus had performed an amazing transformation in his life and there was visible evidence.
There are many Christians within this assembly but not one of us has attained sinless perfection. Moreover, we will not reach such a place this side of Heaven. However, if we are in Christ there is an ongoing spiritual transformation that is taking place.
Like Onesimus, God has a sovereign plan for our lives. He has put us in the path of faithful Christian servants who shared the gospel with us. We responded by repenting and trusting in the Savior. We have been and continue to be involved in continuous discipleship and we are indwelt with and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Because of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives we reflect the likeness of Christ because we are no longer controlled by our corrupt sinful nature. The apostle Paul said, “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9). This is a sobering passage, it is one that should cause us to pause and assess our lives to ensure that we are in fact being controlled by the Spirit. If not, it could be evidence that the “Spirit of God” is not living within us.
The wonderful news is that all who will acknowledge this reality have the opportunity to experience and enjoy salvation in Christ Jesus. The marvelous transformation of Onesimus shows us The Necessity Of Spiritual Transformation, The Process of Spiritual Transformation, and The Results Of Spiritual Transformation. I ask you to examine your life and ensure that there is evidence of “Spiritual Transformation”. If not, I would love the opportunity to introduce you to the One who can make this a reality today.
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