12-14 I am sending Onesimus – who is my very heart – back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favour you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15-17 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for ever – no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 

18-19 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back – not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.  21-22  Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. And one thing more: prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. 23-24 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. 25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Philemon vs 12-25 New International Version

We look today at the second part of this short letter which tells the touching story of a runaway slave named Onesimus who ended up in the same prison as the apostle Paul, and was helped by Paul to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Paul writes a letter for Onesimus to give to the owner he had run away from, a man named Philemon, and in the letter he asks Philemon to do certain things. What were they? (vs 15-17 & 21-22)

He was asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus for the wrong he had done and to warmly welcome him as a brother in the Lord Jesus Christ. He also asked Philemon to prepare a room for himself in the event of his being released from prison. Reading 'between the lines' it's possible Paul was suggesting Philemon should free Onesimus from being a slave and allow him to return to be a helper to Paul who was getting on in years. (vs 12-14) We know from his other letters that Paul had some physical ailments, so Onesimus could have been a big help to him.

Whether that was the case or not, the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus would surely have been been a very different one now that Onesimus was converted. In another of his letters Paul said: “Christians who are under the bondage of slavery should consider their own masters as worthy of full respect so that God’s name and our teaching won’t get a bad reputation. And those who have masters who are believers shouldn’t look down on them because they are brothers. Instead, they should serve them more faithfully, because the people who benefit from your good service are believers who are loved.” (1 Timothy 6:1-2) And when writing to the Colossian Christians he had said: “Masters - be just and fair to your slaves, knowing that you yourselves have a master in heaven.” (Colossians 4:1)

Slavery didn't vanish overnight. It was an ingrained part of the culture of those days. But we see from this letter that Christians were already being called to servant relationships rather than slave ones. Such servants would then be more like employees and were to be treated fairly. Tragically, this advice was not always followed by many professing Christians over the centuries.

But what Paul said to Philemon above, and what he said regarding slaves and masters in the references from 1 Timothy and Colossians, should still be a guideline for us today when it comes to being people in the service of others, or people in authority over others. Do we show respect for those in authority over us? Do we go about our work in a way that brings honour to Jesus Christ? Or, if we are in a position of authority over others, do we abuse our power or do we treat people with fairness. Do we remember that we have a Master over us to whom we must one day give account for our conduct?