Grace Changes Relationships
For Meditation
Paul is known as being a profound "thinker" who contributed more than anyone else to the foundational theology of our faith. So many of his letters, like Ephesians or Galatians, are full of dense theology in which he exhorts his friends to get their thinking about the Christian faith right. But in this lovely little letter to Philemon, Paul is much more interested in getting not ideas but relationships right. But this is in no way separate from our beliefs- the transformed relationships that Paul envisions are the outflow and product of our beliefs.
The grace of God in Jesus Christ is meant to transform not just our private life with God but our public relationships with others, especially in the body of Christ. In fact, you could go further and say that a key theme of Philemon is that one of the greatest tests of the genuineness of your faith comes when you must deal with conflict and brokenness in your relationships. Paul is writing to his friend and brother Philemon to persuade him that his beliefs in the grace of God must transform how he handles his broken relationship with his slave Onesimus, and that the transformation they have both experienced in Christ revolutionizes their social arrangement.
Paul is zealous that the grace of God issues forth in forgiveness and reconciliation in relationships. As you prepare for worship this week, think about any conflict, unforgiveness or estrangement in your relationships that you are bringing into the worship of God this week. God intends to equip you by grace for the transformation and healing of these relationships. Take some time to pray about these relationships as you prepare for worship.
Philemon 8-16
8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10 that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 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.