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Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in your house:Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith towards the Lord Jesus.I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, 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. I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 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; but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.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. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. (Philemon 1-21)
This epistle is a difficult one for Paul to write. He is asking a major favor of Philemon on behalf of a runaway slave. Somehow, both Philemon and Onesimus are believers, but in those days of that awful practice, Phil owned Onesimus, and one day Onie decided to run away to truly be free. Paul says that "formerly he was useless to you," which could have meant this attitude was so against his being owned by someone he failed to work and reached the point where he ran away. Was Phil a bad owner and beat and abused Onie? We don't know; all we know is what Paul has presented: Onesimus has become Paul's spiritual son; he had learned much and is now disposed to return back to Philemon. Now Onie has a special status, so beloved by Paul that Paul calls him his "heart." One has become a helpful assistant to Paul and Paul has difficulty sending Onie back, but wants now Philemon to do the right thing; receive him back, not as a slave, but as a beloved brother, both in the flesh and in the Lord. Paul says, "If you truly consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. And if he owes you anything, I will pay it for you. And by the way, I am saying nothing of what you owe me - your very life."
Jesus Christ has set us free from the slavery to sin. He has set us free from the prisons we made for ourselves out of bad habits and choices; flung open the doors and welcomed us out. And if any of us feel someone is indebted to us, we should do as Paul is asking of Philemon, set them free. As Christ has freed us, we should freely free any who are indebted to us. If we keep them "right where we want them," guess what? We're right back in that same prison that Christ had freed us from! And that's no way to live.
PRAYER: Loving God, I thank You for the freedom You shared with me; help me to be one who frees others from jails and prison, indebtedness and obligations. Your grace is too precious to keep for myself. I pray this in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
