the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 5 of 5
Philemon 1:1-12
In school text books, theories are usually followed by an application to problems. The epistle to Philemon reminds us of that. It contains no special revelation, but it shows the application by Paul and his companions of the exhortations contained in his epistles. "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness . . .", he wrote to the Colossians (Colossians 3:12; cf. also v. 5 with Ephesians 1:15). It was in fact at Colosse where Philemon lived, a godly man, a friend of the apostle; he was rich, for he had slaves. One of them, Onesimus, after running away from his house had met Paul, a prisoner at Rome, and had been converted. Now the apostle sends him back to his master, carrying this touching message. It was acting contrary to what the law commanded (read Deuteronomy 23:15-16). The law indeed took account of the hardness of man’s heart (cf. Mark 10:5). Here grace in the apostle takes account of that same grace at work in the heart of Philemon. Paul is well acquainted with his love for all the saints (v. 5), and the proofs which he gave of it (v. 7).
