Application of Colossians

Now that we have gone through all of Colossians, I want to go back and setup the situation with Onesimus and Philemon by looking at some of the material

[You] Having donned the new man, who is renewed in full knowledge, according to the image of the one [God the Father] creating him, where there is no Greek and Judaean, Circumcision and Foreskin, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman; rather, the Anointed (Christ) is all things and is in all. Therefore, as God’s pure ones, holy and beloved, put on inward compassion, goodheartedness, humility, gentleness, magnanimity, upholding one another and forgiving one another if anyone should have a complaint against anyone just as the Lord [Anointed] forgave you, so you also. (Col 3:10-17)

Above all of these, love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the Anointed’s peace rule in your hearts, to which you were indeed called in one body; and become thankful. Let the word of the Anointed dwell within you richly, teaching and admonishing each other in all wisdom, in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing in grace within your hearts to God; and everything you do whatsoever, in word or in deed, do all things in the Lord Jesus’s Name, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:10-17)

Paul means that within the covenant people, the Messiah alone is the identity, life, and authority of every believer, so that every hierarchy of ethnicity, culture, social rank, and cosmic dominion is abolished.

Where we left off a few weeks ago was the greeting portion of the letter

All the matters concerning me Tychicus will make known to you, the beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, whom I sent to you for this very purpose, so that you may know the things concerning us and that he may encourage your hearts, together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is from among you. They will make known to you all the things here. (Colossians 4:7-9)

The person I want to concentrate on is Onesimus, the one whose name means ‘Useful’

I want to show you how Paul intends to implement what he wrote to the church in Colossae.

We are going to do that by reading another letter from Paul to a man named Philemon regarding another man named Onesimus…

The one that Paul is sending with the Colossian letter…

To the church…

Where Philemon may attend…

Can you imagine…

Here is the letter to Philemon in its entirety…

Paul, a prisoner of the Anointed One Jesus, and Timothy the brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow worker, and to Apphia the sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Anointed.

I give thanks to my God always, making remembrance of you in my prayers, hearing of your love and the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the holy ones, so that the sharing of your faith may become effective in the recognition of every good thing that is in us toward the Anointed. For I had much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed through you, brother.

Therefore, having much boldness in the Anointed to command you what is fitting, yet because of love I rather appeal, being such a one as Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner of the Anointed One Jesus. I appeal to you concerning my child, whom I fathered in my bonds, Onesimus, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.

Notice…

Paul could command Philemon to do what is right

But, he follows the form of his letter to Colossians…

He appeals to Love…

“Above all of these, love, which is the bond of perfection.”

Paul wrote the Colossians in 4:1, “Masters, grant what is just and equal to your slaves, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

Can you imagine?

I am sending him back to you, him, that is, my own heart, whom I was wishing to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might serve me in the bonds of the gospel. But without your consent I wished to do nothing, so that your good might not be according to compulsion but according to willingness.

For perhaps for this reason he was separated from you for a time, so that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So if you consider me a partner, receive him as you would me.

But if he wronged you in anything or owes you something, charge that to me. I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay, not to say to you that you also owe me even your own self. Yes, brother, let me have benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Anointed One.

Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than what I say. At the same time also prepare lodging for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be granted to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in the Anointed One Jesus, greets you, and Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus the Anointed be with your spirit.

Do you remember what Paul calls Onesimus…

…Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is from among you. They will make known to you all the things here. (Colossians 4:7-9)

Did you catch the reclassification?

No longer a slave

Now a brother, from among you

You want to know why I think this event resonates so strongly with Paul?

It is like an exodus story

He is enslaved

He escapes to Paul

Where he is a fellow criminal like Paul

Where he finds freedom in Christ

And now, he returns

Enslaved to the Gospel, to Christ

Where he will be among the ‘nations’ again

Onesimus’ return reverses Babylon’s logic

Under the Deut 32 worldview:

Nations were divided

Peoples were assigned

Hierarchy was fixed

In Colossians:

Dominion is reclaimed

Nations are reunited

Hierarchy collapses

In Philemon:

A man once defined as property returns as a brother

This approach is eschatology practiced in a household.

What Paul is actually asking Philemon to do

Paul never states it directly. That is intentional.

The application: If Onesimus is received as Paul himself, and Paul is an apostle of the Messiah, and the Messiah is Lord of all, then Onesimus cannot be treated as disposable property.

Colossians supplies the theology. Philemon forces the decision.

Application of Colossians