From Philemon 1: 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: 3Grace 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 is a tiny letter from Paul to the namesake of the Epistle. It has only one chapter, and it is basically a letter asking Philemon for the freedom of a slave named Onesimus, whom Philemon owned. Slavery is deplorable and sinful. No one can nor should own another person as property. To have developed such a notion and made it into an international business is one of the worst chapters in human history. John Wesley was a strong advocate against it and through his sermons, many were converted against it, including William Wilberforce, Britain's greatest abolitionist. In fact, the last letter written in his life, Wesley wrote to Wilberforce and referred to slavery as "that execrable villainy," and his concluding remarks in Thoughts upon Slavery has this prayer, "Thou Saviour of all, make them free, that they may be free indeed!" Other converts by Wesley include the hymn writer of Amazing Grace, Captain John Newton, former slave ship owner and captain.
The appeal of Paul to Philemon is for reconciliation. Apparently Onesimus, whose name means "useful," ran away seeking his freedom, and found himself imprisoned with Paul. Paul shared the Gospel with Onesimus and he was converted. As part of his conversion, Onesimus felt the need to return to his owner, but Paul in this letter makes the case for Philemon to receive him back, but not as a slave, rather as a brother in Christ. Philemon was a Christian and Paul's comments on this faith are part of this letter trying to convince him to receive Onesimus back without the harsh and cruel punishment that slaves expected to receive if they escaped and were caught.
The message of the letter to us is the importance of God's grace, and the centrality of grace in reconciliation with God. As Onesimus ran away from God, so do we at times, seek a place to hide from God and what we perceive as harsh demands of God on our life and freedoms. Yet, as we pray about it and listen to God, we may realize that a life lived away from God is no life at all. We, like the prodigal in the story, feel the need to return home; and like the parable, God receives us back not as slaves or indentured servants, but as children. In our dealings with loved ones and friends who might be estranged from us, we have the model to receive and love them as sisters and brothers without the retaliation or revenge we sometimes hope we can exert on those who have hurt us and left us.
Wesley believed that when we reconcile with God we receive unexplainable joy and hope for a life that embodies the promise of Jesus in John 10:10, that we have life and that to the fullest. As we deepen our faith and faith walk with Christ, so too do we develop the ability to show grace, forgiveness, and mercy to others.
PRAYER: Thank You, Loving God, for the model of reconciliation shared by Paul in this letter and by those in our lives who have shown us mercy, grace, and forgiveness as well. But above all, thank You for Your grace and love to us when we did not deserve it. May we be a people known for forgiveness and reconciliation. This we pray in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
The photo above is the baptismal font from Wesley's Chapel in London, given to him by a former slaveowner, who returned home and tried to free all his slaves, but the government would not allow that. He kept them as employees and sent one of the front steps of his plantation home as a gift to Wesley in gratitude for the change of heart and thinking towards and against slavery. The step has a hole carved into it to serve as the holder of water for baptisms still done to this day in that chapel.
