Introduction to Philemon

Forgiveness and restoration are central themes to the Christian faith.  Through the blood of Christ we have been forgiven of our sin and restored to a right relationship with Christ.  All of our sins are against God, but many times our sins are also against other people.  For this reason, we must also learn to exercise forgiveness and practice restoration in our relationships with one another.  The basis for this practice between believers is the forgiveness that we have experience in Christ.  The presumption that we must make is that those who have experienced forgiveness from God will, themselves be ready and willing to forgive others.  This may seem like a big presumption and, unfortunately it does not always happen that way, but it really should.  That truth is clearly illustrated in the book of Philemon.

FORGIVENESS FLOWS FROM TRANSFORMATION: Paul begins this letter with his normal greetings and then words of great encouragement to Philemon.  Paul has apparently lead Philemon to Christ while he was in Ephesus and then Philemon and his family became key members of the church in Colossae where the church apparently met in his home.  Paul, himself was the result of God’s supernatural transforming power.  Now he is encouraging Philemon by pointing out the transformation that he had experienced while going from an unbeliever to the leader of the church with his entire family serving the Lord.  Finally, Paul points to the transformation that has occurred in the life of Onesimus.  He apparently was a runaway slave who had likely stolen from Philemon and then tried to disappear in Rome.  Somehow Paul and Onesimus meet while Paul is imprisoned there and he too experiences the transformation that the Gospel brings.  Paul is now appealing to Philemon to forgive as he has been forgiven.  Sin always complicates things in our lives and in the life of others.  Sin had left Onesimus a fugitive and had left Philemon struggling with hatred and bitterness.  The Gospel comes to take care of these problems but the sin must still be dealt with.  Paul wants to see not only transformed lives but transformed relationships.

FORGIVENESS IS FOLLOWED BY RESTORATION: Not only does Paul want to see Philemon forgive Onesimus; he also wants to see a restored relationship between them.  He longs to see Onesimus serving beside Philemon in the church not just being restored as a slave in his home.  The Goal of the Gospel is to make us better than we were in our relationships that have been broken.  Any relationship that has been broken desperately needs forgiveness which should bring about a restoration in the relationship that makes things better than ever.  This is what would be best for Onesimus and Philemon.  Paul is pulling every bit of influence he has over Philemon not because he wants to manipulate him but because he longs to see him benefit from doing what is right.  If we say that we have forgiven but are not ready to restore a person, it becomes clear that there is something wrong with our forgiveness.  Christ died in order to leave us in a right relationship with God and with one another.  We must settle for nothing less.