Paul taught Onesimus the gospel and he obeyed it and was adopted into the family of God (10-11). Paul learned that Onesimus was a run away slave who belonged to another Christian named Philemon. Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote to Philemon to "receive" Onesimus (12). Onesimus was wrong to have run away. Paul sent him back.
Read Philemon again and consider what Paul did. Think about what Onesimus did. Tomorrow we will consider Onesimus' response to what Paul did.
Jason Cicero
