The Beautiful Story of Onesimus the Slave

Among those who gave their hearts to God in Rome was Onesimus, a pagan slave who had wronged his master, Philemon, a Christian believer in Colosse, and had escaped to Rome. In the kindness of his heart, Paul tried to relieve the needs of the poor fugitive and then worked to bring the light of truth into his darkened mind. Onesimus listened, confessed his sins, and was converted to Christ.ULe 168.2

He endeared himself to Paul by tenderly caring for the apostle’s comfort and by his zeal in promoting the gospel. Paul saw that he could be a useful helper in missionary work and counseled him to return immediately to Philemon, beg his forgiveness, and plan for the future. Paul was about to send Tychicus with letters to various churches in Asia Minor, so he sent Onesimus with him to the master he had wronged. It was a severe test, but this servant had been truly converted, and he did not turn aside from duty.ULe 168.3

Paul gave Onesimus a letter to take to Philemon in which the apostle pleaded for the repentant slave. He reminded Philemon that everything he possessed was due to the grace of Christ. This alone made him different from the wicked and the sinful. The same grace could make the corrupt criminal a child of God and a useful laborer in the gospel.ULe 168.4

The apostle asked Philemon to receive the repentant slave as his own child, “no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother.” He expressed his desire to keep Onesimus with him as one who could minister to him in his imprisonment as Philemon himself would have done, but he did not want his services unless Philemon himself was willing to set the slave free.ULe 168.5

The apostle knew how severely masters could treat their slaves. He knew also that Philemon was angry over what his servant had done. He tried to write in a way that would appeal to Philemon’s tenderest feelings as a Christian. Paul would regard any punishment inflicted on this new convert as inflicted on himself.ULe 168.6

Paul volunteered to pay the debt of Onesimus in order to spare the guilty one the disgrace of punishment. “If then you count me as a partner,” he wrote to Philemon, “receive him as you would me. But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay.”ULe 168.7

How fitting an illustration of the love of Christ! The sinner who has robbed God of years of service has no way to cancel the debt. Jesus says, I will pay the debt. I will suffer in his place.ULe 168.8

Paul reminded Philemon how much he himself owed the apostle. God had made Paul the instrument of his conversion. As Philemon had refreshed the believers by his generosity, so he would refresh the spirit of the apostle by giving him this reason to rejoice. “Having confidence in your obedience,” he added, “I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.”ULe 168.9

Paul’s letter to Philemon shows the influence of the gospel on the relationship between master and servant. Slaveholding was an established institution throughout the Roman Empire, and masters and slaves were found in most churches where Paul worked. In the cities where slaves often greatly outnumbered the free population, laws of terrible cruelty were thought necessary to keep slaves under control. A wealthy Roman often owned hundreds of slaves. With full control over the souls and bodies of these helpless beings, he could inflict on them any suffering he chose. If in retaliation or self-defense a slave dared to raise a hand against his owner, the whole family of the offender might be inhumanely sacrificed.ULe 169.1

Some masters were more humane than others, but the vast majority, living for lust, passion, and appetite, made their slaves the miserable victims of tyranny. The whole system was hopelessly degrading.ULe 169.2

It was not the apostle’s work suddenly to overturn the established order of society. Trying to do this would prevent the success of the gospel. But he taught principles that struck at the foundation of slavery and would surely undermine the whole system. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17). When converted, the slave became a member of the body of Christ, to be loved and treated as a brother, a fellow heir with his master to the blessings of God. On the other hand, servants were to perform their duties “not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6).ULe 169.3

Master and slave, king and subject, have been washed in the same blood and made alive by the same Spirit. They are one in Christ.ULe 169.4