Day 324: Philemon 11–22

Perhaps this is why he was separated from you . . . so that you might get him back permanently, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother (vv. 15–16).

Paul could have dealt with this situation between Philemon and Onesimus in one of several different ways, but the wise apostle chose the most excellent way, portraying a beautiful example of Micah 6:8: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

More than sacrifices or offerings, God desires these three things from us: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. The solution Paul sought in the conflict between Philemon and his fugitive slave, Onesimus, met all three requirements.

1. Paul acted justly. One way Paul might have handled this was to consider Onesimus absolved from all responsibility after he repented and accepted Christ. But Onesimus had wronged Philemon in several ways. He had run away from his legal owner and possibly had stolen from him. In Paul’s estimation the restoration of two Christian men was priority. The issue could not be resolved fully unless Onesimus returned to Philemon and unless Philemon was repaid for all Onesimus owed.

For justice to prevail, someone had to take responsibility for Onesimus’s actions, and someone had to pay his debt. Paul insisted that Onesimus take responsibility for wrong-doing, yet Paul took on the debt (see v. 18). Likewise we must take responsibility for our sins, but thankfully Christ has paid the debt!

2. Paul loved mercy. Paul did more than preach to people. He lived the concepts he taught. When he met Onesimus, he saw a man in need of a Savior. Paul didn’t just preach to him about the mercy of God, he showed it to him. He took Onesimus’s debt not only out of justice but also out of mercy, because a sinner needed grace. Paul wanted Philemon to show mercy as well. According to the original language, Onesimus was a slave bound into permanent servitude to Philemon. His return to Philemon would mean the return to slavery.

Critics of God’s Word often protest that the Bible seems to support evils like slavery, but in fact the opposite is true. Jesus and Paul could have come preaching against the specific evils of their day, such as slavery. If they had done so, the message of heart transformation through forgiveness of sin would have been lost. Instead both Christ and Paul concentrated on getting people into a right relationship with God. They knew that evil social institutions would fall before the force of people with the heart of the Father beating in their chests.

Although Paul had to deal with slavery realistically as a part of his society, he believed in absolute equality. He believed that slaves must be obedient to their masters just like citizens must obey the law, but he was definitely not an advocate of slavery. He told Philemon he was returning Onesimus to him “no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dear loved brother” (v. 16 hcsb).

God has strong feelings about mercy. In the Old Testament God demanded mercy on slaves. God required His people to remember they also had been slaves and to have mercy on others. As Christ’s ambassador, Paul did not violate the Old Testament principle. He had the full cooperation of Onesimus, who was willing to return so restoration would ensue. Paul also asked Philemon to be an ambassador of Christ by abolishing Onesimus’s slavery and receiving him as a brother. Paul’s proposal was to let mercy reign.

3. Paul walked humbly with God. The closer we draw near to God and the more we behold His majesty, the more we relate to the psalmist who said, “What is man that you are mindful of him?” (Ps. 8:4). Like the psalmist, Paul recognized the pit from which God had pulled him. Both enjoyed an intimate relationship with God, yet neither of them viewed Him as a chum or a running buddy. They each knew grace had bridged the wide gulf fixed between them. To walk with God is to walk humbly. We cannot help but confront His holiness. Paul’s proposal for restoration between Philemon and Onesimus required both men to walk humbly with God.

Paul had to humble himself as well by resisting the temptation to be bold and order Philemon to do what he ought to do (vv. 8–9). Instead, he appealed to him on another basis, which brings us to our final point. When God sent His Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins, He fulfilled the law with love (see Rom. 5:8). Paul could have demanded certain actions from Philemon, but he appealed to him on the basis of love.

The hollowness of works without love becomes evident to all who seek to serve God. We cannot serve God wholeheartedly without the whole heart. Even though many years earlier Paul and Barnabas had probably made the right decision to divide and multiply, I’m not sure Paul responded to the conflict with John Mark in love. I think a hollowness accompanied Paul everywhere he went until the gulf was bridged with grace. He showed it by personal example to others like Philemon and us.