Hey All,
I am new at this and have been struggling with where to start, but as PJ preached this Sunday I was struck with the thought of how the concept of “fellowship” in 1 John was mirrored in the bible study we looked at a few weeks ago on Philemon. Yes I said it Philemon ….its a little book tucked away in the New Testament right after Titus but before Hebrews. Only 1 chapter with 23 verses. I have marveled at times as to what could God want me to know out of such a small book and yet I always seem to find gems that are relevant today. To understand Philemon we need to look at a little of the “back story” before we dig into the book.
Who wrote Philemon?…..Paul from prison….
Who was Philemon?….Philemon was just another guy like you or me. He was a Roman citizen that met Paul on one of his evangelistic trips, most likely in Colassae that became a Christian.
Who was Epaphras in verse 23?…..Epaphras was a lay person that Paul recruited while in Colossae that started a house church that Philemon attended. (See also Colossians 1: 7)
Who was Onesimus in vs 10?.….Onesimus was Philemon’s slave who had wronged Philemon in some way and then ran away from Philemon. We don’t know exactly what this “wrong” was i.e. theft etc… We do know that Onesimus ended up in the same prison with Paul, he became a Christian, and an assistant working with Paul.
Now that we have the “back story” lets read the book of Philemon if you haven’t already.
What is Paul praying for in verses 1-6 and 15-16? …..Paul is praying that Philemon and Onesimus might have “fellowship” or “partnership” as believers in Christ and that they might “share” their faith with one another as they were now both saved as “brothers” in Christ. No longer Master and Slave but fellow believers. (See Colossians 3:11). This was a huge request of Paul to Philemon. Philemon had every right as a Roman citizen to have Onesimus punished for the wrong he had received but also running away as a slave. Paul not only asks Philemon to forgive Onesimus but also make him apart of his christian family (See Philemon 1:17)
In verses 18 and 19 Paul also tells Philemon that if Onesimus owes Philemon anything to place it on Paul’s account and reminds Philemon that he would not have been in “fellowship” with Christ were it not for Paul’s effort to save him.
So what is Paul’s request an example of ?………..We were once separated from God because of the “original sin” of Adam and Eve but Christ died on the cross to pay the debt for us so that we might be reconciled to with God the Father. Through Christ we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul was asking Philemon to reconcile his differences with Onesimus and as fellow brothers in Christ stand at the foot of the cross a sinners needing God’s grace.
This also is the tie to PJ’s sermon this week in (See 1 John 1:7) . God wants to fellowship or partnership with us through his Son Jesus. This Fellowship is more than just a casual getting together to have conversation through prayer or studying the word. I like the word partnership because it takes on the meaning that both are committed to an agreement or relationship.
So to Wrap it Up!
- We are all equal brothers and sisters in Christ which God seeks to have a committed partnership with us while we are learning to be a disciple of Christ.
- It’s tough at times but we need to seek out and accept everyone into the family of believers.
- Christ first loved us so we too should love others.
So let me know what your thinking? Is there an Onesimus at your work, school or that is hard to have fellowship with? How can we improve our partnership with Christ?
It strikes me that Paul is imitating Jesus here, by offering to pay Onesimus’ debt himself if that’s what it took to restore the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. That’s sometimes what it takes for relationships between us humans to be restored. Debts need to be paid, sometimes by the one who doesn’t actually owe anything. That’s what Jesus did. The payment of the debt doesn’t matter as much as the restoration of the relationship. I think for me it’s sometimes hard to remember first that I’m no better than anyone else, and second, that the relationship is what’s truly valuable.
This is a great summary of Philemon, and helps me see the big picture of the letter. Thanks for the good words!
I think the practical application is huge! Everyone one of us is a “Philemon” with an “Onesimus” running around. Someone that has hurt us, or offended us, or who we just don’t connect with. But in Christ, we are one. Connected. In a partnership! I pray that we can ALL see others in this way. Thanks Karl!