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1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God 5 because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. 7 I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother. 8 For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, 9 yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. 12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. 15 Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. (Philemon 1-21 NRSV)
A most blessed Tuesdays to you, dear Friend; may this be a day of transformation in those areas where you know improvement may be necessary. Pray for your needs, for the needs of those who are on your church's prayer list and pray for this old man as tomorrow I may get the sutures out of my knee! I thank you for your prayers as I have been feeling them strongly! God is good, loving, and gracious.
The key for this week is transformation. The process of letting go and letting God come and change those areas in your life where you know you know you need improvements or adjustments to take place. As a true disciple of Jesus we are called to be in a daily process of improvement we can call growing in love or being made perfect in love. The notion is that today we should be more perfect in love than we were yesterday. Being a Christian, in theological terms means sanctification, a process; an ongoing day by day, step by step movement towards where we know God would have us be. We should never be content to being stuck to old habits or thinkings that hurt others and hurt God. I'm with the sheep in the graphic in the print version for today, where he says, "I just wish Paul had said, 'Phil, slavery is wrong.'" This is what this passage is all about. Philemon is a slave-owner. And he is a Christian. It might be considered okay for the time and place this was taking place. His slave, Onesimus, had run away and desired to be free. And in the process of running, ran into Paul and became a believer in Jesus. Paul was already in prison awaiting his fate and during this time Onesimus has become an assistant to Paul. And Paul, wishing to keep things legal and right, appeals to Onesi that he should return back to Phil, but Paul wants Phil to welcome him back not as a runaway slave but as a brother in Christ, Paul even offering to repay any wrongs this act of Onesi may have caused or cost Phil.
Paul's request seems impossible by worldly standards. He's asking Philemon to welcome back someone who wronged him—not just as a returning slave, but as a beloved brother. "Welcome him as you would welcome me." This isn't just forgiveness; it's complete restoration with full honor.
This challenges our natural instincts for justice and self-protection. When someone hurts us, we want them to pay. We want them to grovel, to earn their way back into our good graces. Paul asks Philemon to do something radical: treat Onesimus as if the wrong never happened, to receive him with the same warmth he would show to Paul himself.
The gospel doesn't just erase our debts—it elevates us to full family status. This is what Christ has done for us, and it's what we're called to do for others.
"So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account." Paul doesn't minimize Onesimus's wrong or ignore the financial loss Philemon may have suffered. Instead, he offers to personally cover any debt.
This is the gospel in miniature: Christ taking on our debt and offering us His righteousness. Paul embodies Christ's role as mediator, standing between the offended party and the offender, making reconciliation possible through his own sacrifice.
But notice Paul's confidence in the outcome: "I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say." He believes that grace will win, that the gospel will prove more powerful than resentment or social convention.
This letter challenges us to examine our own hearts and relationships. Who in your life needs to be received not just as they were, but as who they've become in Christ? What broken relationships in your sphere might be opportunities for the gospel to demonstrate its reconciling power?
The story also reminds us of our own position. We were all runaways from God, slaves to sin, deserving judgment. But Christ didn't just forgive our debt—He made us family. We who were once enemies are now beloved children, welcomed not grudgingly but joyfully into the Father's house.
Church legend says that Onesi became the Bishop of Ephesus, and later was martyred for his faith. It may mean that Philemon allowed Onei to return, and later leave, to become a respected leader of the faith in Ephesus. Transformation did come to both men, through Jesus. As it can for us.
PRAYER: Father, thank You for the story of Onesimus and Philemon, which mirrors our own story of redemption. Help us remember that we too were runaways who have been welcomed back not just as servants but as beloved children. Give us hearts like Paul's that believe in the power of grace to transform every relationship. When we've been wronged, help us see beyond the offense to the possibility of restoration. When we've been the ones who've caused harm, give us courage to return and make things right. Transform our understanding of forgiveness from mere pardon to full restoration. Help us welcome those who have hurt us with the same grace with which Christ has welcomed us. Show us how to be mediators of reconciliation in our own relationships and communities. This we pray in Jesus' strong name, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Identify one broken or strained relationship in your life where you have the opportunity to extend Philemon-like grace. Consider how you might move beyond mere forgiveness to full restoration, welcoming that person not just back into your life but into a deeper, more grace-filled relationship than existed before.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
