Free Bible Commentary
“Philemon 1:10-16”
Categories: Philemon“I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will. For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.”
---End of Scripture verses---
The Apostle Paul vouched for the integrity of his new brother in Christ, Onesimus. Sometimes we just need a person of good standing to put in a good word for us to help give us a leg up in life. Paul certainly understood this truth from the early days in his service to the Lord. When he first tried to associate with the Christians in the city of Jerusalem after his conversion, they were afraid to have anything to do with him because of his past reputation. But Barnabas took him to the Apostles and gave him a good referral and afterward he was able to move “about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord” (Acts 9:26-28). He was once “useless” like Onesimus had been, but the Lord Jesus made him “useful” or “profitable,” which is what the name “Onesimus” means.
Our “goodness” should be offered, not “by compulsion, but of” our “own free will” (verse 14). If we do good deeds for people and make sacrifices for God merely because we feel like we are forced to, that means our hearts are not in the right place. If we attend worship services because we feel like we “have to” and not because we “want to,” our attitude will be poor, our focus will be off and our offering will be tainted. God wants us to choose to serve Him willingly, lovingly and cheerfully.
The right thing to do was for Philemon to not merely receive Onesimus back as his servant, but to embrace him as “a beloved brother” (verse 16). When people obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it should always change their relationships for the better. I love the way my brother-in-law Randy Scott refers to me as his “double brother”. Christ takes relationships that are poor and makes them good. He takes relationships that are good and makes them even better. In Christ Jesus all of our petty differences are rendered insignificant and our barriers are torn down, and we (should) understand that we have the one thing that matters most in common with our brethren: the salvation of our God-imprinted, immortal spirits.
Please read Philemon 1:17-20 for tomorrow.
I would like to invite you to worship God with us this Lord’s Day at the Taylorsville Road church of Christ.
We are located at 3741 Taylorsville Road in Louisville Kentucky.
9:30 AM Bible classes for all ages. 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM worship services.
Have a blessed Lord’s Day!
- Louie Taylor
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