Philemon and the Mercy of God: Commandments Keepers

Philemon and the Mercy of God

In the book of Philemon, Onesimus, Philemons' slave, believed Paul's Gospel of Gods' mercy upon all who ask, through the blood of our Lord Jesus. Philemon 1:10 "I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:" Paul then told Onesimus to do what was right and to return to Philemon. Philemon 1:12 "Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him,"

Onesimus, now converted, sees that he must return to Philemon. Repentance means change, a change of thinking which results in a change of action. Although Philemon might kill him, would certainly hurt him, still he must go back.

In those days if a slave ran away from his master and was caught, the slave owner had every right under the Roman law to have the slave put to death. To flog the slave, to an inch of his death, was to show mercy to the slave. Paul wrote to Philemon, who was the head of the house and where they also had church services, and to the other church leaders there, asking them to have mercy on Onesimus.

Onesimus wasn't relying on Philemons good will, nor on his own righteousness, to save him from what he knew was to be harsh punishment or even death. Onesimus believed the Gospel of God Almighty's' mercy through His Son, the Lord Jesus. (Romans 9:16) "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."

What Philemon had was the ability to show Onesimus the boundless love and mercy of our Lord, Christ Jesus, by embracing the runaway slave, taking him back as more than a slave but as a beloved brother and forgoing not merely the usual punishment, not merely the merciful punishment, but any punishment whatsoever. (Hosea 6:6) "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."

Onesimus was still to be Philemons slave, but also now his brother, to share their faith and build each other up as brothers of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. Paul uses the rest of the epistle to help Philemon see this as an opportunity to build up the body of Christ by expressing the love of our Lord Jesus for Onesimus.

Even though by, the law of the land, we have every right to sue anyone who has done us wrong, we should, instead, forgive their mistakes. As did Jesus, so should we do. For the law of God is not as mans' law. (Matthew 7:12) "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."

If our Lord Jesus forgave those that put him to death on the cross, we should be able to show love towards one another by forgiving any trespass anyone may commit against us. (Luke 11:4) "And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us." (John 13:35) "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

(Exodus 20:2-6) "I am the LORD thy God ....... And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."