Have you ever had anyone pay a bill for you? Maybe you were eating out, and someone grabbed your bill and refused to let you pay it. I’ve been on both ends of this deal. I have had people buy my dinner, and I’ve bought dinners. If we are financially able, we should extend ourselves to help others. I believe God blesses us to bless others. All that we have is His, and we are given the opportunity to use our resources to show His love. Paul gives us a great example of this in the letter to Philemon.
He sets the stage for His plea by commending Philemon as his fellow laborer. He commends him for his love and faith toward Jesus and all the saints. He shares his feelings about Philemon. He loves him and prays for him. He extends his greeting to the church that is held in Philemon’s house. Paul is grateful for him and Philemon’s ministry has been a great blessing to him.
Philemon 1:1-7 “Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer, And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.”
Philemon is known for his generosity and for encouraging and helping the saints. After Paul commends Philemon for his heart for serving Christ, Paul turns to the important matter of Onesimus. Onesimus was a runaway slave of Philemon’s. Let me remind you that slavery was never right, but it happened and was common. In the Old Testament, the Israelites had been in and out of bondage throughout history.
We don’t know the entire story of why Onesimus ran away. Some suppose that Onesimus was over the household affairs of Philemon, and he had mishandled Philemon’s money, but we don’t know for sure. For some reason, Onesimus had met Paul while Paul was in prison. Maybe he ran to Paul because he knew of the relationship Paul had with Philemon. Maybe he sought what Paul had, Jesus Christ. He had come to the point in his life that we all must come to before we are saved. He realized he had a need that he couldn’t fulfill. Paul wins him to the Lord and convinces him to do the right thing and go back to Philemon. Paul pleads with Philemon to receive him as a brother in the faith in verse 16. He even asks him to receive him as himself. He placed himself in Onesimus’ place. In verse 18 Paul assures Philemon that anything that Onesimus had done, any debt he owed, he would be responsible for it.
Philemon 1:10-15 “I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: Whom I have sent again: thou, therefore, receive him, that is, mine own bowels: Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he, therefore, departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever;”
Paul gives us a beautiful picture of what Christ has done for us. He took our place. He represents us to the Father as the payment for the debt we owed but could not pay. He didn’t just offer to pay the debt, he paid it. However, just like Onesimus, we must be willing to receive it. Onesimus had to take the letter and submit himself back to Philemon. He had to have faith that doing the right thing would be beneficial to him in the end. If he had decided to destroy the letter and keep on running, we would not have this powerful little letter. We would not realize how we can stand in the gap for others and plead with God to continue to work in their hearts. We would not see that our resources are to be used to bring others to Christ. We would not have the example of God placing people in our path so that we too can show them Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1:16-20 “Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, especially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord? If thou count me, therefore, a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee or owed thee ought, put that on mine account; I 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. Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.”
What opportunities has God brought your way concerning others? Have you been so consumed with your own problems that you didn’t even see them? Paul was in prison. He could easily have been short-sited and missed this opportunity, and Onesimus would be lost forever. Open your eyes and your heart. See the needs and be determined to share your resources and your wealth in the name and love of Jesus Christ.
