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Philemon 1:12-13
12 Whom [hos] I have sent again [anapempo]: thou [su] therefore [de] receive [proslambano] him [autos], that is [toutesti], mine own [emos] bowels [splagchnon]:
13 Whom [hos] I [ego] would [boulomai] have retained [katecho] with [pros] me [emautou], that [hina] in thy [sou] stead [huper] he might have ministered [diakoneo] unto me [moi] in [en] the bonds [desmon] of the gospel [euaggelion]: KJV-Interlinear
12 And I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that in your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; NASB
It is easy to read between the lines in this letter.
Paul is in prison and in failing health. Paul is deeply dedicated to the spreading of, and the teaching of the gospel and the scriptures. Paul probably never realizes that his writings would one day be read by billions of people throughout history.
Onesimus comes along from out of nowhere, a worthless runaway slave, hears the gospel and immediately falls in love with his faith. So much so, that he becomes almost indispensable in assisting Paul in his Christian efforts.
Now Paul is going through a heart wrenching decision as to what to do with Onesimus.
Paul could do nothing and say nothing, but sooner or later the news would get back to Philemon. And since Philemon was the rightful owner of Onesimus, there was created a perplexing situation.
Paul follows that which is right thing, the right principle, and certainly since Paul was a mature believer, he would have discussed this matter with Onesimus thoroughly first.
And thus the letter to Philemon, and sent to Philemon in Onesimus’s own hand.
No one is forcing Onesimus, and certainly anywhere along the way of his journey, Onesimus could easily change his mind and fade into the frontier. But he didn’t.
The world forces slavery onto nearly everyone, in one way or another. Whether owned by your bills and obligations, or owned by another person is irrelevant. We are all trapped.
But through doctrine, we voluntarily give ourselves to Christ, entering into service for Him, and thereby gain the only true freedom that exists.
No matter what your situation, in Christ you will always be free.
There is a very thin thread interweaving among believers in this world and throughout history, and that thread is doctrine. It is the source of our interrelationship. It makes each of us free, and it makes each of us dependent on each other in Christ.
In Christianity we support each other in prayer, through Christ, through doctrine, through by whatever means is available to each one of us, and thereby we all gain through the blessings that pour out to us all from God.
Without this interdependence and support, we would all fall into disaster.
In this world, the economies are shaking in their boots. Terrible problems are escalating all around us. The stories and the outlook can certainly get anyone down, just by the mere magnitude of the economic problems and the helplessness that we all must share.
However, in doctrine, there is no such thing as helplessness. God is powerful enough to help each one of us individually, and He does.
God has a plan for each of our lives. And each one of us will face that plan, not alone, but in Christ. And whether He takes you from your home or gives you a mansion, should make no difference. The circumstances of our lives are irrelevant. The worldly things in our lives are emptiness or vanity, as Solomon says.
Your power and future is in the content of your soul. Not in the things that you own.
You are a Christian soldier, and in a war that is beyond all wars. In conflict the soldier has to endure all kinds of hardships, and the soldier knows it. He never gives up, no matter what his situation.
In the Christian life, help is always on the way, and help in the form of Christ will always come through. That is a guarantee.
So while Onesimus was traveling back to perhaps certain punishment and a return to slavery or worse, he found that his faith was more real than the possible retaliation he might have received from Philemon. Onesimus had no guarantees, but he faced up to his obligations.
Neither do you, in this life, have any guarantees. But in doctrine, Christ is your guarantee and that is far more important than anything.
