A Rowdy, Radical Restoration Project

When I received Christ, my conversion was a rowdy, radical restoration project. If you saw the pictures of me before accepting Christ, I was always frowning. My poor parents and siblings had to put up with the scowl for years. I had frown wrinkles at 22 years of age. The wrinkles are still with me 50-plus years later.

However, God turned the frown upside-down immediately after I received Christ. I received a God impartation of joy and positivity. I still drive people crazy because they can't believe someone could smile 90% of the time. 

God changed my outlook, influence, habits, speech, and almost everything. I was ‘Under New Management,' and I knew it. For me, the process of transformation and restoration from the inside out happened in what seemed like a short time. It doesn't happen to everyone that way, but for me, it did. And, the rest is history, or better said, “His Story.” I’m certainly not perfect. That’s a lifetime process. 

In his introduction to the book of Philemon in the Bible, Eugene Peterson explains what begins to happen when people accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. "Every movement we make in response to God has a ripple effect, touching family, neighbors, friends, and community. Belief in God alters our language. Love of God affects daily relationships. Hope in God enters our work. None of these movements and responses, beliefs and prayers, gestures and searches, can be confined to the soul. They spill out and make history.” 

Today, let's explore one of the shortest books in the Bible. It's the Book of Philemon in the New Testament. The book reports a real-life story about Philemon, the slave owner, and Onesimus, the enslaved person whom Philemon owned. Like my real-life story, neither one of these people believed that believing Jesus would involve them in radical social change. But as the two of them were brought together by this letter, it did. It still does today.

Apostle Paul addresses an issue between Philemon, the slave owner, and Onesimus, the enslaved person, in a letter sent to the church in Philemon's home. Philemon seems to have been a leader in the church at Colossi, having a church that met in his home. He is believed to be a wealthy man whom Paul had, at some point, brought to salvation. Philemon in Greek means loving, affectionate, or kiss. Philemon also has Christian Biblical origins as a friend of the Apostle Saint Paul. Paul knew him to be a kind person.  

What was the issue? Onesimus, the enslaved person, ran away from his owner Philemon. When Onesimus ran away, he was not on good terms with Philemon. He may have taken money from Philemon. Paul writes in the letter that if Onesimus owes Philemon anything, he (Paul) will pay for it. Onesimus’ name means useful, helpful, and beneficial.

Guess where Onesimus ends up after some time of running? In Rome, Onesimus meets Paul in prison. Paul was in prison for preaching the gospel, and maybe it was for another reason also. Was this coincidence or Providence? And guess who Paul ends up as a spiritual Father to? Onesimus once again. He came face to face with God by Providence, not coincidence. Now Paul knows both men. God had divine design in mind.  

After Paul learns that Onesimus ran away from Philemon, God lays something on Paul's heart that goes into local and world history. He writes a letter to Philemon. Paul's letter to Philemon is a plea that the slave owner and the enslaved person be reconciled with one another, but with a God-twist attachment. And guess who Paul sent to Philemon to deliver this letter? Paul sent Onesimus, the very enslaved person who ran away. 

What does Paul ask? On behalf of Onesimus, Paul pleaded with Philemon to forgive and accept Onesimus back into Philemon's house, not as a slave but as a believer and a brother in Christ. Now Onesimus would be useful, helpful, and beneficial to Philemon, so bless (kiss) people in the church and community with equal status but different roles. Make things right when and where you can. 

Here are five lessons we can glean from this Philemon. 

1. The Gospel is for all people. The first point we can draw from Philemon is that the gospel is truly for all, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. Galatians 3:28. That’s called grace. 

2. A bad situation is not an excuse to not act as a Christian should. Neither is a good one. Paul sent Onesimus back to restore their relationship, but as a new relationship built on new terms. Onesimus moved from slavery to sonship. 

3. There is such a thing as Providence. Onesimus thought he was running away from his master. Onesimus was running right into God’s plan for his life, his master’s life, and for God’s eternal plans and purposes. 

4. Correct in love, not out of command. Here’s what Paul said to Philemon. “Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake, I prefer to appeal to you…for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.” In other words, Paul says I could command you to accept Onesimus, but I don’t want to. Philemon 8-11.

5. God is about relationship restoration, except in extreme cases where abuse may continue. Jesus came to mend the broken relationship between God and man. God made the first move, starting on Christmas Eve. Perhaps you can, too. Make things right, when and where you can.  

This Christmas season, why not give the gift of mending a broken relationship in your life? If Onesimus can do it, you can too. He was a radical, rowdy restoration project that spilled into history worldwide.