Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. Philemon 1:8-11

So now that we know the history the Apostle Paul has with Philemon and his wife Apphia, we are going to see Paul use his apostolic authority to plead to them to receive Onesimus back as a brother in Christ. To understand what Paul is asking here, we need to first understand who Onesimus was and what he did.

Onesimus was a slave owned by Philemon, as the time Onesimus was not a Christian and he stole money from Philemon. Onesimus then fled to Rome to try and disappear as a fugitive. While in Rome, Onesimus has met the Apostle Paul while in prison , as he says “whom I have begotten while in my chains” It’s believed Onesimus was serving time in prison, which would make sense since he broke Roman law by running away and stealing from his Master. But while in prison, Onesimus became saved in Christ by the teachings of the Apostle Paul

So as Paul states here “though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting” Paul understands Philemon is going to have bad feelings towards Onesimus, but Paul wants him to trust him, by his relationship with him and his authority as an Apostle. Onesimus has now become Born Again in Christ, he’s not the same man who he once was, can we relate to this story? I’m sure Paul can relate to this story, as in his old life persecuted Christians, and when he became saved, the Church was at first reluctant to receive him also. So Paul understands Philemon, and probably the whole Church of Colossae concerns.

Paul developed a close relationship with his new disciple Onesimus, calling him “my son”, he also said “whom I have begotten” So its clear the Apostle Paul truly believes that Onesimus has truly been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, he has faith Onesimus is a true convert in Christ, and wants the Christian community to forgive him and receive him as a brother in Christ

As the Apostle Paul states “whom was once unprofitable or useless to you, but now is profitable or useful for you” Paul not only believes Onesimus is a brother of Christ, but he could also be a great benefit to the Church of Colossae. He is pleading to them , to forgive and receive Onesimus as a Child of God, Amen!