TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. (Philemon 15-16)
This book of the Bible is a letter from the apostle Paul to Philemon who was a believer from Colossae, a city in Asia Minor (present day Turkey). Philemon was a slave owner, and one of his slaves named Onesimus had apparently stolen from him and then run away, a death penalty offense in the Roman Empire at that time. But then, this fugitive had met Paul and had become a follower Jesus. In this letter Paul writes Philemon to accept Onesimus back as a Christian brother.
Make no mistake about it…the Bible reports slavery, but never condones it. Notice in our scripture passage for today that Paul proclaims the transformative power of Jesus. So…as you read these Bible verses, praise the Lord that He can turn a slave into a free man, a thief into a brother in Christ, and lost sinners like you and me forgiven children of God!
Comments