15For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; 16Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? 17If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. 18If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; 19I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides (Philemon 1: 15-19).
The apostle Paul was writing to Philemon regarding Philemon’s slave, Onesimus. Onesimus was from Colossae (Colossians 4:9) and had become a believer at some point during Paul’s ministry. Apparently from the context of Paul’s letter to Philemon, Onesimus had run away from Philemon. Onesimus had not been freed from being a slave. Paul is writing therefore on behalf of Onesimus. Paul loved Onesimus and he was suggesting to Philemon that Onesimus’s conversion was the true blessing to be realized. This was true even if Onesimus had departed from Philemon. Onesimus and Philemon were now brothers in Christ. In verse 15, we see that this is an eternal relationship. Additionally. Paul is asking Philemon to place any cost upon Paul not Onesimus.
As we have noted throughout our study of the creation and the Creator, relationships are important. The Genesis account shows our original relationship with the Creator in the beginning as one of harmony and proximity. After the Fall of Man in Genesis 3, the relationship is marred. But we know from scripture that the Creator has a plan for the restoration of a proper relationship to His creation. The restoration of Onesimus is a representation of each of our own restorations through faith in Christ. Like Paul’s appeal to Philemon to place anything owed by Onesimus on Paul’s account, Christ places our debt on His account. This results in the restoration of our relationship to the Creator. The Creator is the payer of our debt.
The apostle Paul was writing to Philemon regarding Philemon’s slave, Onesimus. Onesimus was from Colossae (Colossians 4:9) and had become a believer at some point during Paul’s ministry. Apparently from the context of Paul’s letter to Philemon, Onesimus had run away from Philemon. Onesimus had not been freed from being a slave. Paul is writing therefore on behalf of Onesimus. Paul loved Onesimus and he was suggesting to Philemon that Onesimus’s conversion was the true blessing to be realized. This was true even if Onesimus had departed from Philemon. Onesimus and Philemon were now brothers in Christ. In verse 15, we see that this is an eternal relationship. Additionally. Paul is asking Philemon to place any cost upon Paul not Onesimus.
As we have noted throughout our study of the creation and the Creator, relationships are important. The Genesis account shows our original relationship with the Creator in the beginning as one of harmony and proximity. After the Fall of Man in Genesis 3, the relationship is marred. But we know from scripture that the Creator has a plan for the restoration of a proper relationship to His creation. The restoration of Onesimus is a representation of each of our own restorations through faith in Christ. Like Paul’s appeal to Philemon to place anything owed by Onesimus on Paul’s account, Christ places our debt on His account. This results in the restoration of our relationship to the Creator. The Creator is the payer of our debt.
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