Who is Onesimus?

"Paul's Appeal Philemon on Behalf of Onesimus the Slave"

Philemon 1:8-16 "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 forcedbut 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.

There is not a lot of attention this short letter Paul wrote to Philemon, who was the leader of a house church in Colossae.  It is in regard to Onesimus a slave of Philemon's that had runaway.  Here is some background information on him.

Onesimus was an escaped slave who escaped from his master Philemon. It seems that when Onesimus escaped, he fled to Rome and – intentionally or not – met with Paul. Paul, though under house arrest by the Romans, led Onesimus to faith in Jesus Christ. It was logical that Onesimus escaped to Rome, the biggest city of the Roman Empire. Lightfoot says, “Rome was the natural cesspool for these offscourings of humanity.” But at his providential meeting of Paul in Rome, Onesimus met the man who had led his master Philemon to Jesus

We see the irony of this story.  Paul is in chains for preaching the gospel and he meets Onesimus, who had escaped being a slave in Philemon's house.  But when Paul shared Christ with Onesimus he became free from sin.  But now Paul sends him back to his earthly master as one who has been redeemed by the True Master. His only hope is that Philemon would receive him back in love and not be too harsh with him.

Paul appeals to Philemon based on the forgiveness they had both received in Christ.  He hopes that Philemon will welcome him back not as only a slave but a brother in Christ.  This story reminds us God has a way of working all things together for good.  Confident of Philemon's obedience to treat Onesimus well, Paul rejoices for the sake of the gospel which has set us all free.  

Do you regard people from an earthly point of view in terms of job, social status or net worth?  Or, do you look at everyone as a brother or sister in Christ no matter what they were before they were set free?  What a story! Paul, a slave of Christ, sends a former slave back to His master, but they all three have one Master, the Lord Jesus Christ!