Grace-Based Decisions
A biblical pattern for decisions shaped by grace, grounded in Christ, and carried out in love.
Grace-Based Decisions in Philemon
The short letter to Philemon is one of the clearest pictures in Scripture of how the gospel works down into the mind, the heart, and the real decisions of a believer. It doesn’t just present doctrine in the abstract; it shows doctrine at work in a living situation. In it, we watch the Spirit of God, through Paul’s words, draw out of Philemon a decision that is not merely “the right choice,” but a grace-based judgment—a spiritual evaluation and response that flows from who he is in Christ.
Many believers honestly say, “I don’t know how to apply the Word of God to my life.” That usually feels difficult because we often jump straight to the question, “What should I do?” without paying attention to the groundwork God lays underneath our doing. In Philemon, Paul gives us a pattern: he reminds Philemon of his spiritual resources in Christ, he gives him grace-filled reasons, and then he calls him to a willing, love-filled judgment. That same pattern helps us understand how grace-based decisions are made today.
The Reservoir of Grace in Philemon
Paul doesn’t begin his appeal to Philemon by saying, “You need to forgive Onesimus—just do it.” He doesn’t lean on Philemon’s flesh, or his natural willpower, or his temperament. Instead, he starts by acknowledging the spiritual reservoir already in Philemon because of Christ.
Paul writes that he thanks God, “hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus” (Philemon 5–6). Philemon has faith toward the Lord Jesus. He has love toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints. Every good thing in him is there because he is in Christ Jesus. Paul understands that if Philemon is going to make the right judgment about Onesimus—his runaway servant who is now a believer—that judgment must flow from what is already true of him in Christ, not from his own natural resources.
So Paul does not say, “Muster up the strength,” or “Just be the bigger man,” or “Do it because I’m an apostle and I said so.” Instead, he points Philemon upstream: every good thing in you is in Christ Jesus. The decision Paul is pressing him toward is downstream from that reservoir. Philemon has already received Christ’s forgiveness, Christ’s reception of him, Christ’s love and mercy. Now he is in a Christ-like situation—not as Christ, of course, but as one who has been forgiven much and is now called to extend forgiveness and reception to another. The “gap” between Philemon and Onesimus is much smaller than the gap between Philemon and Christ. If Christ could receive Philemon, Philemon can receive Onesimus.
From Resources to Beseeching and Reasons
From that foundation, Paul moves to his appeal. He says that even though he might be “much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,” yet “for love’s sake I rather beseech thee” (Philemon 8–9). Paul could command, but he chooses not to. He wants Philemon to respond willingly, not “of necessity.” He wants the decision to be an expression of Philemon’s renewed mind and love in Christ, not a bare act of external compliance.
Then Paul begins to stack up reasons—not fleshly manipulation or guilt, but spiritual motivations that align with the gospel. Onesimus was once unprofitable, but now is profitable to both Paul and Philemon. Paul calls Onesimus “mine own bowels,” speaking of deep affection. He explains that he would have gladly kept Onesimus with him to serve him in his imprisonment, but refused to do so without Philemon’s consent, so that Philemon’s “benefit” wouldn’t be “of necessity, but willingly” (v. 14). Paul even suggests providence was at work in the separation itself: “for perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved” (vv. 15–16). Paul pledges to repay anything Onesimus owes, and then expresses confidence in Philemon’s obedience, knowing he will “do more than I say” (v. 21).
If we step back, we can see the pattern clearly. First, Paul reminds Philemon of his resources: every good thing in you is in Christ. Second, he beseeches rather than commands, appealing to love. Third, he gives reasons—gospel-shaped motivations. Finally, he trusts Philemon to make a judgment and to obey willingly. This is what grace-based decision-making looks like: a judgment that flows from who you are in Christ, is shaped by the Word, and is carried out willingly in love.
Judgment: The Basic Choice Between Flesh and Spirit
To understand how this connects to our lives, we have to talk about judgment. In Scripture, judgment isn’t simply condemning; it’s evaluating, discerning, weighing one thing against another. Most of life is not “one option vs. nothing”; it’s two (or more) options in your hands, and you must decide between them. Sometimes it is sin vs. righteousness, flesh vs. Spirit, earthly vs. heavenly. Sometimes it is a matter of “good vs. better vs. best”—what is good versus what is excellent.
The first basic judgment a believer has to make is described in Romans 8. Paul writes, “they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5). Before we ever get into the finer details of difficult situations, the basic question is: am I going to mind the things of the flesh, or the things of the Spirit?
As believers, we have the Spirit of God. We are led by the Spirit of God as sons of God. The Spirit teaches us through the Word. To walk after the Spirit, then, is not mystical guesswork; it is to let the Spirit teach us in Scripture and then to walk that out in our lives. The initial judgment is whether I will let my old patterns and fleshly impulses rule, or whether I will submit my mind and my choices to what the Spirit has revealed.
The Renewed Mind and Proving the Will of God
Romans 12 shows us how that transition happens in real life. Paul beseeches believers, “by the mercies of God,” to present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. He tells them not to be conformed to this world, but to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1–2).
If we slow down here, we see several key pieces put together. Our bodies—our physical lives—are to be used in sacrifice, service, and love, not in self-indulgence. We are not to be conformed to this world’s values, reactions, and way of thinking. We are to be transformed as the Spirit renews our minds through the Word. And the goal of that renewing is that we might “prove,” that is, test and approve, the will of God.
The Spirit does not merely renew our minds in vague, general ways; He teaches us concrete judgments. For example, in Romans 12:9, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” He tells us that when we recognize the kind of evil he’s speaking of, we are to abhor it, and when we see the good, we are to cling to it. That is not abstract spirituality; that is a renewed mind being taught how to evaluate and act.
Titus 2 reinforces this. “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” Paul says, “teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly” (Titus 2:11–12). Grace teaches us what to deny and what to live unto. Again, this is judgment: deny this; live unto that.
Once our minds are being renewed like this, the Spirit doesn’t stop with simple good vs. evil decisions. He wants our love and our judgments to grow in quality.
Love Abounding in Knowledge and Judgment
Philippians 1:9–10 says, “this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent.” Here love is not sentimental or blind. It is to abound in knowledge and in all judgment. That means our love, taught and shaped by Scripture, learns how to think, discern, and evaluate. And the result is that we “approve things that are excellent,” not just things that are barely acceptable.
That’s exactly what Paul expects from Philemon. He doesn’t only expect the bare minimum of obedience; he says, “I know that thou wilt also do more than I say.” He is confident that Philemon’s love, grounded in Christ, will abound in wise judgment.
Romans 13 adds another important dimension: love as a debt we always owe. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another,” Paul writes, “for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). The love of Christ in us views every person as someone to whom we “owe” love—not in the sense of legal bondage, but in recognition that we have received so much from Christ that it is only fitting to pour it out toward others.
God has filled us with a fountain of living water—His love, His grace, His kindness. In a sense, we function like a dam in front of that water. Are we going to hold it back, or will we willingly open and let it flow? At first, we often open it just a crack. Out flows a trickle rather than a flood, because we are insecure, proud, and self-protective. But the Spirit continues to teach us: you have received unreserved love from Christ; learn to unreservedly dispense it to others.
Overcoming Evil with Good
One of the clearest examples of this kind of grace-based judgment is found in Romans 12:17–21. Paul says, “Recompense to no man evil for evil.” He goes on to instruct believers to provide things honest in the sight of all men, to live peaceably as much as possible, not to avenge themselves, but to give place unto wrath, because God has said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” Instead, if your enemy is hungry, you are to feed him; if he is thirsty, you are to give him drink. In doing so, Paul says, “thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” Then he concludes, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
We are very sharp at identifying when evil is done to us. The flesh’s immediate judgment is to repay in kind: “They wronged me; I’ll answer in kind. I’ll get even.” But the Spirit teaches a different set of judgments. We are not to repay evil for evil. We are to provide things honest. We are not to avenge ourselves, but to leave that to God. We are not to close our hand to an enemy in need, but to feed and give drink.
When we insist on repaying evil, we are doing more than ignoring the Spirit’s teaching—we are attempting to take God’s place. “Vengeance is mine,” He says, not yours. When, instead, we meet our enemy’s need, we are overcoming evil with good, and those “coals of fire” may very well picture the softening, convicting effect of such goodness.
Lawful vs. Expedient: Approving the Excellent
Sometimes, though, the choice is not between sin and righteousness, but between what is lawful and what is most edifying. Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 6 and 10. “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient,” he writes. “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Later, he repeats, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not” (1 Corinthians 10:23).
There is a way of living that only asks, “Can I do this? Is this technically allowed?” Paul takes a higher view. His questions are, “Does this edify? Is this expedient? Does it build others up? Does it best serve the glory of God and the good of others?”
He illustrates this in 1 Corinthians 9 by talking about his right to receive material support from the churches. It was lawful and rightful. Yet he chose, in certain settings, not to use that right so that the gospel would not be hindered and no one would think he was preaching for money.
In 1 Corinthians 10, he applies the same principle to eating meat offered to idols. If you buy meat in the market, eat it, giving thanks to God. If a pagan invites you to a meal and you want to go, go and eat, knowing the idol is nothing. But if someone points out, “This was offered to idols,” then for that person’s conscience’ sake, do not eat. The meat is the same. But the judgment changes because the impact on that other person, and the testimony about God, has changed.
This is what he means when he says, “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth” (1 Corinthians 10:24), and concludes, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). The question is not simply, “Is it allowed?” but, “Is it expedient? Does it edify? Does it glorify God?” That is the realm of approving things that are excellent.
Philemon as a Living Example
Returning to Philemon, we can see a similar set of judgments at work. Onesimus has to decide whether to return at all, exposing himself to possible punishment. Paul has to decide whether to keep Onesimus with him, since he is so profitable, or send him back. Philemon must decide whether to go to law or to receive Onesimus, and if so, on what terms. In each case, there are lawful options, but Paul is aiming higher than the merely lawful. He is aiming for what is excellent, loving, and fully consistent with the reservoir of grace in Christ. That’s why he speaks of confidence in Philemon’s obedience and of his expectation that Philemon will do “more than I say.”
For us, the same pattern applies. First, we must acknowledge the reservoir: every good thing in us is in Christ Jesus. We have been forgiven, received, loved, justified, sanctified. We are complete in Him. Second, we must submit to the Spirit’s teaching through the Word as He renews our minds—learning what to deny, what to live unto, what to abhor, what to cleave to, how to love. Third, we must actually make judgments in our real relationships, conflicts, opportunities, and trials. We must ask, in particular situations, whether we are walking after the flesh or the Spirit, whether we are repaying evil or overcoming evil with good, whether we are content with what is merely lawful or whether we are choosing what is most edifying and excellent, whether our love is abounding in knowledge and all judgment? Fourth, we are to act willingly. God is not simply trying to produce external compliance; He is cultivating in us a willing heart that opens the dam and lets the love of Christ flow. We are most like Him when we not only do what He does, but that it is done freely, willingly. Finally, we need to pray and meditate. These judgments are not made on autopilot. They are formed as we bring our lives before the Lord in prayer, measure them against His Word, and trust the Spirit to lead us.
Every day is unique. Every situation is an opportunity to prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. We are not left to our own resources. We are not asked to live the Christian life out of the flesh. In Christ and by the Spirit, we have a rich reservoir and a faithful Teacher. The aim, then, is not simply to “make better decisions,” but to know who we are in Christ, to let our minds be renewed, to let our love abound in knowledge and judgment, to approve the things that are excellent, and to joyfully prove out the will of God in our particular lives—to the glory of God and to the good of others.
Look Up,
—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher
Listen to the Sermon
This article was adapted from a sermon on Philemon. You can listen to the full message here.
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