Spiritual Transformation

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).