“No longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother.” (Philemon 1:16)
Has someone ever hurt you so deeply that you just can’t forgive them? Maybe this devotion is just for you.
One of the most wonderful books in the Bible is the Philemon. Actually, Philemon hardly qualifies as a book. It only has 25 verses. It was a letter from the Paul to Philemon who was a wealthy friend that lived in Colosse.
Interestingly, this very personal letter to Philemon was written while Paul was in prison. It was one of his four so-called “Prison Epistles”. Paul penned Philemon, Ephesians, and Colossians during his first imprisonment in Rome.
Philemon had a slave named Onesimus. Onesimus robbed Philemon and went to Rome. While there, he met Paul.
Paul led Onesimus to the Lord and saw how salvation had changed him. But repentance and service were not enough. Onesimus was still a thief and a runaway slave. He had to return to Colosse and face Philemon.
Philemon was also a Christian and his salvation experience was a direct result of Paul’s ministry. Paul relied on the special bond between two believers with one having led the other to the Lord. God gave him – and us – a unique opportunity to see that Christian reconciliation can happen. It can even happen when the relationship between two believers is about as strained as it can get.
As an Apostle, Paul could have used his authority and demanded that Philemon forgive Onesimus. But Paul teaches us that any forgiveness that is forced can’t last. That’s what he meant when he said, “Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love”. (Philemon 8-9)
Paul understood that faith is the basis for reconciliation. He emphasized to Philemon that while Christian love is the motivating factor for forgiveness, salvation provides the basis for it. “I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.” (Philemon 5)
In many ways, Onesimus was like all of us before we found Christ. We were rotten to the core! Onesimus name means “useful”. Yet, without Christ he was useless. It’s here that Paul reminds us that changed lives are always useful to God. “Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful.” (Philemon 11)
When a member is added to God’s family, differences that once loomed as large as life itself should no longer distance us. Paul knew that Philemon could not be forced to forgive Onesimus. He also knew that his faith would not allow him to withhold forgiveness. “Confident of your obedience”, he said, “I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask”. (Philemon 1:21)
So why in heaven’s name would God let a letter to the owner of a slave become a book in the Bible? Well if you are a believer, then you already know the answer. We are all slaves who have been set free by the love of Christ and are now useful to Him. That’s why the Bible says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”. (John 8:32)
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