The Freedom of Christian Slavery
Free at last!
The bark of the bloodhounds makes your heart pound as you slosh through the swamp. Knowing you'll either escape slavery and live or be caught and killed, you dash desperately through the woods. Finally, you make it to the river and follow it to freedom. What are the chances you would go back? It almost seems ridiculous to pose that question. What if you found out, however, that your master would welcome you willingly and offer you the air-conditioned guest house instead of the wooden bed in the barn, promise that you'd eat gourmet meals, have your own personal whirlpool and sauna, and enjoy plenty of vacation time off?
The same motive appears in the book of Philemon, really a letter the apostle Paul wrote to his "dear friend and fellow worker," Philemon. Paul had met one of Philemon's escaped slaves in Rome, where Paul was in prison and where many escaped slaves found refuge in the big city life. Perhaps to our surprise, we find Paul sending this escaped slave, Onesimus, back to his master! Paul's letter to Philemon explains why. Stopping short of taking a civil stand on either side of the slavery issue, the apostle Paul deals spiritually with both individuals as Christians. His main point is clear: Jesus Christ frees us from sin, therefore we offer ourselves as willing slaves of doing his will and serving others in love.
The Onesimus who Paul first met and the Onesimus who Paul sent back to his master Philemon were two different slaves in the same person. The status of Onesimus changed. Formerly he was an earthly slave, manipulated and manhandled by fear and force. So apparently he ran away, and then met Paul in Rome. That's when his status changed. And so Paul is sending him back to Philemon. He writes, "I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains," and then continues that Philemon should now consider his status "no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother."
Like Onesimus, our status has been freely changed. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither … slave nor free … for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29). When God the Father graciously claims us in baptism, we are born again as his children because we become connected to him by faith in Christ Jesus. We become heirs of heaven, all without our doing, even without our asking. One can't help but notice the Christ-like images posted in this portion of Scripture by the Holy Spirit like Christ-centered banners hanging in our new Christian heart.
· Just as Paul appealed to Philemon on a slave's behalf, our Savior intercedes for us at the Father's throne.
· As much as the slave was separated "for a little while" from Philemon only to return "for good" (the Greek word in this text is the same one used for "eternity"), our sins separated us from our God for a short moment but our salvation lasts an eternity.
· Paul's reminder to Philemon of their bond of fellowship as a basis for him accepting Onesimus back is just like our Savior praying to his Father for us on the basis of their eternal fellowship.
· The self-sacrificing Paul urged Philemon, "If [Onesimus] has done you any wrong or owes you anything charge it to me," just like our Savior took our sins and became indebted to God for their curse and guilt, paying our price in full.
God freed Onesimus, so that he could return to Philemon, not as a slave of fear and force but as a slave of righteousness. Onesimus would now choose to serve Philemon in love. In the same way, Paul appeals to Philemon to accept his runaway slave back, whom he could kill or torture according to Roman law. This is the freedom of Christian slavery. Paul chooses to be a prisoner because he loves Christ. Onesimus chooses to be a slave again because he loves Christ. Philemon chooses to accept Onesimus back because he loves Christ.
PRAYER: Free at last! Lord, I’m free at last! Free from fear and penance and being haunted with regret and harassed by guilt! Free to serve! Accepted in your sight, welcomed back to service in your kingdom, I now ask that I honor you by noticing every opportunity and using it to thank you with humble service. Amen.