To Forgive or Not to Forgive?  That Was Philemon’s Question.

“Just wait until he comes back home, if he ever does“, Philemon thought to himself.  “Onesimus is going to get what he deserves for running away. And to think of everything I have done for him even though he is my slave.  How dare he!” 

Some time later Onesimus returned to Philemon.  Just as Philemon was going to administer the punishment, Onesimus handed him a letter.  It was addressed from the Apostle Paul, his good friend and fellow Christian.  In spite of his anger, Philemon fumbled open the letter and read a wonderful blessing Paul prayed on him.  Then, to his shock, he read Onesimus had ended up by Paul and had become a Christian.  Paul knew Onesimus was a run away slave and deserved punishment, yet this slave was a great help and comfort to Paul.  Running away had grave consequences because if you had a slave, you owned him or her and they were your property. 

Now Paul was doing the right thing by sending Onesimus back to Philemon but would Philemon forgive Onesimus for what he had done.  Plus!  If Onesimus had done anything wrong or owed Philemon anything, Paul said to charge to himself and Paul would cover the costs Onesimus had (Philemon 10-18).

Philemon and Paul had a new brother in Christ in their midst and forgiveness is a foundational truth of being a Christian.  Paul was willing to do whatever to free Onesimus of any debt he owed to Philemon so that nothing would be counted against Onesimus.  That is a picture of Jesus, of what He did for each one of us.  All of our sin penalties have been paid by Jesus.  We simply have to receive that as a free gift to us and live in such a way that we do not want to live sinful lives. 

Philemon forgave Onesimus.  Is there someone you need to forgive, who owes you a lot of something and does deserve “pay back”?  It was not easy and it cost Philemon to forgive Onesimus but the long term and eternal results were beyond words.  Unforgiveness will eat at the one who was wronged so often worse than the one who was the instigator.  Bitterness and deep seated anger can destroy a person for that affects people mentally, socially and physically.  Work to have short accounts with people, meaning pursue being a forgiving person.