The kingdom of God is so different than the world

I have never unpacked all the lessons from Philemon; I was moved when I realized all the beautiful lessons it can teach us about how life in the kingdom of God is so different than in the world.

Philemon is a Christian leader whose slave, Onesimus, ran away. While in prison, he met Paul and came to Christ. Paul wrote to Philemon on behalf of the former slave to ask that he be unconditionally forgiven.

Paul exemplifies masterful and respectful communication between Christian brothers about a sensitive topic. He builds common ground, referring to Philemon as a partner in the faith (verses 6 and 17) and gently appeals to Philemon’s conscience. This example is in stark contrast to the angry discourse in our world today, even among Christians. We can learn from Paul’s patient approach, reminding each other of our shared purpose.

 

Do Right Out of Love

Paul emphasizes doing what is right out of love, a higher calling than just following orders. And we see Paul demonstrate extravagant giving on top of this grace: he was willing to personally cover any of Onesimus’s financial debts. Paul shows that Christians act as Christ for the disadvantaged out of love for them.

In verse 16, Paul says Onesimus is “no longer a slave, but… a dear brother.” Social constructs do not apply in the kingdom of God. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free… you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Those human labels don’t matter anymore.

 

Seasons of Suffering

But the most amazing lesson from the letter is that the seasons of suffering in our lives are dripping with meaning and opportunity. Paul was under house arrest in Rome; this seems like it would be the end of Paul’s ministry. But Paul believed that “what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12), so he was ready when he met Onesimus.

Though we don’t know why Onesimus ran away, we can imagine he was terrified, ashamed, or angry as he was imprisoned. In verse 15, Paul says God worked at this exact moment: without this, Onesimus would not have met Paul. Onesimus’s vulnerability could have been what opened him up to faith.

This is a powerful reminder: through adversity, we can meet God, growing in deeper dependence on him. And what we do when we suffer can have a profound impact on those around us. For it was not in Jesus’s resurrection, but through his death, that the Roman centurion made the confession, “Surely this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). May our suffering humbly lead us all to His feet.