Phm 1:4  I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 

Phm 1:5  Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 

Phm 1:6  That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 

Phm 1:7  For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. 

Phm 1:8  Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, 

Phm 1:9  Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 

From the first epistle to the last, Paul shows that Godly selfless love Is the key to the identity of being “conformed to the Image of His Son,” even though Paul doesn’t say “this is HOW to be conformed to the Image of His Son,” Paul talks about our living unto Him, and suffering for His sake, and he uses either himself as an example, and he will either say “be ye followers of me,” or “follow me,” OR you will see Paul show the selfless Love of Christ as our example, and this example is vital to understanding how to “glory in” our sufferings, and rejoice, and to “be thou partaker of the afflictions” like Paul told Timothy, but even though we see the verses, and will agree that God desires that we suffer with Him, we don’t actually “know” HOW to put this type of “Life” into practice.

2Th 3:3  But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. 
2Th 3:4  And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. 
2Th 3:5  And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. 

Moreover, the Word of the Lord ‘directs our hearts’ into knowing the selfless love of God, and when Paul beseeches Philemon “for love’s sake,” he beseeches Philemon by the selfless love of Christ that he knows is dwelling within Philemon, and Paul says, “I have great joy and consolation in thy love.” Paul near the end of his ministry could say that he has “great joy and consolation” in Philemon’s selfless love, and it is this ensample of love that we are taught by the Word of the Lord.

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

Eph 4:20  But ye have not so learned Christ; 
Eph 4:21  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 

Finally, Philemon “learned Christ” and His selfless Love, he was “taught by Him,” but it was by the Word of Christ working effectually within him, Philemon understood operating upon that selfless love, and Paul ‘s beseeching on the behalf of “love’s sake” was because Paul knew the heart of Philemon, Paul knew that his heart was “rooted and grounded in love,” and that is how we ought to operate; we are “taught by Him” into knowing the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of “the love of Christ.” And it is by the “love of Christ,” the son and daughter in Christ becomes “perfect,” and becomes “filled with all the fulness of God,” and eventually begins to live his sanctified life unto the Lord, and labor unto the ministry, and walk in charity unto the members of His Body “for love’s sake.”

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 
Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

Rod Jones