~ THE NEGLECTED BOOK OF PHILEMON ~
The one-chapter book of Philemon is largely overlooked by most people as they read the Bible. That is a shame, because those verses are filled with good thoughts God wants us to ponder, teaching us some great lessons on how Christian love works in the lives of His people.
Philemon is very instructive as to the matter of human relationships and how we should treat one another. This letter was written by the apostle Paul to a Christian man named Philemon, concerning his “runaway” bondservant, Onesimus, who had somehow made his way to Rome and was converted by Paul (Acts 28:30-31). This letter written to Philemon urged him to receive Onesimus back without harshness, but tenderly.
Before making any request of Philemon, Paul first assured him of how thankful he was for him, and how gratified he was that Philemon was an encourager of the brethren. This is Lesson #1-Christian love encourages others (verses 4-7)! The request follows, and Lesson #2is learned - Christian love always makes a request of others instead of demands (verses 7-9). Lesson #3is that Christian love reaches out to the helpless (verse 10). Onesimus was a runaway slave, without social status, legally a fugitive, and economically a pauper. But this mattered not to Paul, who valued his soul and taught him of Jesus. Lesson #4teaches us that Christian love has a sense of right that it will not violate (verses 12-14). Paul’s first impulse might well have been to keep Onesimus in Rome so that he might attend to his own needs, but without Philemon’s approval, this was not an option. To send Onesimus back was the right thing to do. Right is right, and wrong is wrong, and it is never right to do wrong. Paul did what is right! Lesson #5is seen in the request that Paul made of Philemon, to receive Onesimus back, no longer as a bondservant, but as a brother (verses 15-16). Christian love wields as influence that changes wrong relationships ito right relationships! Such was Paul’s most earnest desire, to reconcile these two. The great apostle was willing to “stand good” for whatever wrong Onesimus may have committed, and this is Lesson #6- Christian love has a willingness to spend and be spent for others (verses 17-19, II Corinthians 12:15). Lesson #7- Christian love has an expectancy that always looks for the best in others: Paul felt confient that Philemon would “go the second mile” in complying with his request (verse 21). We must carefully study the book of Philemon and learn these lessons, applying them in our relationships with one another. We need to know the Lord’s will concerning love (John 13:34-35; I Corinthians 13:1-7; I Corinthians 16:14; I John 3:14-18).