The Merciful MasterSample

Going Back to the Past

Paul takes an enormous risk in sending back Onesimus. According to Roman law, slaves were mere property and owners had absolute authority over them. Owners could punish their slaves with beatings, flogging, or condemning to a life of hard labour. Usually, runaway slaves were branded with red-hot iron on the forehead with the letter “F” standing for fugitivus (fugitive). In the worst case, rebellious slaves were crucified as with Spartacus and his band of escaped slaves. Thus, sending back Onesimus to his master whom he had rebelled against and slighted was a tremendous risk. Onesimus did not have rights and his life was entirely at the mercy of Philemon. 

This is why Paul says by sending back Onesimus, he is sending back his very heart. The apostle had become a father for Onesimus and his love ran deep. Parents rejoice when a child is born for it was they who begat the child to life. Then how much so is the joy of one who leads a person to Christ and begets a child of God to eternal life? Paul experienced an intimate bond with Onesimus for the Holy Spirit had used him to cause the rebellious slave to be born again into God’s family. Onesimus comes to own a part of Paul’s very heart, and he is to be afforded every dignity and grace as if he was Paul’s son himself. 

Why does Paul send Onesimus back? Paul sends him back for it was the right thing to do. When one comes to Christ, one does not escape one’s past. While God forgives our sins and counts our wicked deeds no more, the consequences of past sins remain as do the broken relationships. These must be mended by the power of Christ’s love. Thus, Christianity does not give an opportunity to run away from one’s broken past of sin and despair, but rather causes one to face them in the power and strength of the grace of God in Jesus. Unless we are bold enough to go back to our past and rectify our past sins, past relationships, and past failures, we will never rise above them. To go forward in faith means to first go back and make amends for our past life of sinful rebellion.