Christ Unites

KEY VERSE: “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.” —Philemon 17

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Philemon 4-21

WHEN PAUL WAS in prison in Rome, he called himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ for the faith and preaching of the Gospel. While he was imprisoned he wrote the briefest of his epistles, which was to Philemon, a leader in the church at Colosse, and a beloved fellow worker.

Paul wrote to Philemon, commending him for his growth and steadfastness in Christ. He said, “Because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.”—Philem. 5-7, New International Version

Paul’s aim in writing this letter was to help Onesimus, a slave owned by Philemon, who was somewhat irresponsible. He had escaped to Rome, and upon coming in contact with Paul had become a Christian, forming a relationship between them that became as close as that of a father and son.—vs. 10

Legally, however, Onesimus still belonged to Philemon and, therefore, Paul did not have a right to keep him, as much as he would have liked to have Onesimus continue to minister to his needs in prison—he had made himself nearly indispensable to Paul.

Paul, however, appealed to Philemon to receive Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as a beloved brother in Christ. “As I send you this letter, I know you’ll do what I ask—I believe, in fact, you’ll do more.” (vs. 20, Phillips Translation) Paul said, “Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” (vss. 11, NIV) The name Onesimus means ‘useful or profitable’. Since he had now become Paul’s ‘son’ in the faith, Paul entreated Philemon to receive his slave as if he were bidding a welcome to Paul himself.—vss. 10,17

Paul well knew all followers of Christ are one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free men. This is such an important doctrine he repeated it in several of his letters. For example, in I Corinthians 12:13: “By one Spirit are we ail baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

Again, he said, in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Still later Paul wrote:, “There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”—Col. 3:11

When the possession of a slave was passed from one person to another, or when the slave was freed, it was customary for any debts or penalties to be assumed either by the slave himself, or by the new owner. Acting contrary to this established practice, Paul gladly volunteered to assume responsibility himself for any wrongs or debts Onesimus incurred when he was yet with his master and before fleeing to Rome. Paul, in effect said, “If he has done any damage or if he owes you anything, put it down to my account—I will repay it!”—vs. 19

He reminded Philemon of the greater spiritual debt which Philemon himself owed as a follower of Christ. (vs. 18,19) Paul’s plea brings to mind the Apostle John’s assertion, “He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can be love God whom he hath not seen. … He who loveth God love[s] his brother also.”—I John 4:20,21

We are not told the end of the story, but we can be quite sure that Philemon responded to the pleading of Paul.

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