Bible Study January 31, 2024
Philemon 1:10- 16 (LSB)
10 “I plead with you for my child Onesimus, of whom I became a father in my chains, 11 who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. 12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is, my very heart, 13 whom I intended to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel, 14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but voluntarily. 15 For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, 16 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.”
Philemon was a rich man living in Colossae who owned a slave by the name of Onesimus. Onesimus ran away after stealing money and ended up in Rome. In Rome he met Paul and was converted to Christianity. Paul sent him back to Philemon with the encouragement to no longer see him as a slave but as a “beloved brother.”
God desires for us to do what is right because of our love for Him and desire to follow Him. There are some religions and even denominations that have codified what must be done to be follower of Jesus. That was not the purpose in Jesus’ death it was to save humanity based on the scriptures not man’s interpretation of what he wanted it to say.
Our desire should be to follow the scriptures as the Word of God seeking it for what it says asking the Holy Spirit to shed light on it for our interpretation. James A. Borland wrote, “We must examine our own lives to insure that proper actions are produced by proper motives.” We find those in the Word.
Be Blessed.
Asbury Chapel 