While imprisoned, Paul meets a runaway slave named Onesimus. We don’t know a lot about Onesimus, but at some point Paul convinces Onesimus to return home. Returning home, Onesimus will face punishment and possibly death from his master. With Onesimus, Paul sends a letter to Onesimus’s master, Philemon. In the letter Paul asks Philemon to forgive Onesimus.

Paul regards both Onesimus and Philemon as brothers. Onesimus meets Paul as a runaway slave but at some point Onesimus becomes a Christian, and although Paul personally would like Onesimus to remain in his life, he is aware that Onesimus must return home to his master Philemon. But he is asking Philemon to receive Onesimus not as a slave but as a brother in Christ.

The book of Philemon is a powerful message to all Christians. We are all born into the slavery of sin. The death and resurrection of Christ frees us from the slavery of sin. We are not freed based on class, wealth, or race. We are not freed based upon our good deeds, nor are we not denied freedom from sin, because of our past misdeeds. We are all sinners chosen by God. God forgives our sins through our repentance and our acceptance of His will. As we are forgiven, we must learn to forgive others and understand that, like ourselves, they are also chosen by God.