Appeal for Reconciliation. Philemon

Appeal for Reconciliation.  Philemon

The employer and employee relationship can often be combative.  Employees feel that their boss are too harsh and that they are not being paid enough for the work they do.  Employers contend that they do pay them enough or what is mandated by law and they cannot afford to pay more.  One says they steal and are lazy, the other says they are cheated and treated unfairly.  It goes back and forth. 

The relationship of Philemon and Onesimus was at one point contentious.  Philemon, a slave owner living in Colossae, had been converted through the apostle Paul’s ministry.  Onesimus, a runaway slave was a later convert of Paul’s during his first Roman imprisonment (vs 10).  In his letter to Philemon written circa 61-62 A.D, the apostle seeks reconciliation between the two.  Paul asks of Philemon as a brother in Christ to forgive a newly repentant brother (vss 19-21).  Paul could have used his authority as an apostle (vs 8), but “Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ” (vs 9).  Jesus states that “… if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses… ” (Matthew 6:14-15) and when Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22). In other worlds, an innumerable amount of times.  However more so, Christians should forgive because of our love of Christ and his love for us.

A few more things to note.  Paul request that anything owed by Onesimus to Philemon be place on Paul’s account much like a sinner who repents his sins are paid for by Christ, thus “put that on [His] account” (vs 18).   As for employer/employee relationships, Paul writes to the Ephesian church:

“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.” (Ephesians 6:5-9)