Onesimus Who Was A Runaway Slave
Do you know A runaway slave Onesimus became a Leader later?
Onesimus was a slave but Philemon set him free because of Paul‘s letter. Onesimus began to preach Christianity and spread the message of God to the people. He was then made the leader of a church that had previously been under the influence of St. John. It was all thanks to Christianity that he became a free man from a slave.
Introduction
Christianity is a religion of equality and love. According to it, rich or poor, big or small, black and white are all equal. We get an idea of this from the story of Onesimus. Onesimus was a slave. He did not want to be a slave, so he ran away from his master, whose name was Philemon, and came to Paul. When Paul gave him the message of Christianity, he accepted the advice. Onesimus had to go back to his master because he used a backdoor to run away. Paul sent Onesimus back to his master and wrote to him that humanity always teaches equality. Instead of enslaving Onesimus, treat him as a brother. Then you will see a person who will be loyal to you until death.
Verse
“That I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.” (Philemon 1:10)
Verse
“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.” (Philemon 1:16)
Onesimus Meeting With Paul
Onesimus was Philemon’s slave and he got tired of this slavery and ran away. Onesimus was a non-Christian. When he met Paul, he was greatly influenced by Christianity. So, he became a Christian and began to believe in one God. The rule of Christianity is that Christians are brothers and all have equal rights. That’s why he wrote in a letter to Philemon that Onesimus has become our brother, so treat him like a brother, not like a slave. In that era, it was a great sin for a slave to run away and do disloyalty to his master. If someone does that he gets punished. Onesimus did not want to go back to Philemon, but Paul wanted to save him from this punishment. So he instructed Onesimus to go back and promised him that he will write a letter to Philemon and recommend him. Paul also wrote a letter to Philemon in support of Onesimus. All these things show that Christianity is a religion of love and gives equal rights to all.
Verse
“That I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.” (Philemon 1:10)
Verse
“Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” (Philemon 1:11)
Letter of Paul
Paul said, Onesimus is our brother now, So, Don’t treat him like a slave. Paul told Philemon that if you punish him, remember that I am also his spiritual brother. So be ready if you punish him for his mistake. He has now reformed and become a Christian. Therefore, it is necessary to treat him like a brother and break the chains of slavery.
Verse
“Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever.” (Philemon 1:15)
Verse
“If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.” (Philemon 1:18)
Onesimus’ Faith
Onesimus was at first a non-Christian and an unfaithful slave. When Paul wrote a letter to Philemon, he said that Onesimus was once a useless person, but now he has become useful. So you should keep him as a brother with love and affection. Do not treat them like slaves because now he has become a Christian and is our brother. Onesimus’ life changed a lot. From unfaithfulness, he became faithful and became involved in a relationship of love with Christians.
Verse
“Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” (Philemon 1:11)
Verse
“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.” (Philemon 1:16)
Legacy of Onesimus
Onesimus’ life teaches us about love, respect, forgiveness, and faithfulness. If we read the story of Onesimus, we know that loyalty is very important in a relationship. A relationship without love, affection, and loyalty makes a person a rebel. He was a person who was unfaithful but when he came to Christianity, he became faithful because religion is something that teaches us love, loyalty, and forgiveness. Onesimus is lovingly remembered in the Christian community. This was a person who accepted the true religion, with whose blessings his life changed a lot.
Verse
“So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.” (Philemon 1:17)
“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.” (Philemon 1:16)
“He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.” (Colossians 4:9)
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
The life of Onesimus gives us a lesson that we should act with love and loyalty to our relatives and in our daily life. Also, if someone makes a mistake, we should forgive him. Religion has a very important role in the life of every human being. For example, if we look at the life of Onesimus, he was an unfaithful person before accepting religion, but as soon as he chose the right religion, he became faithful and loving. His story teaches us about forgiveness, loyalty and love.
Verse
“If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.” (Philemon 1:18)
Verse
“He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.” (Colossians 4:9)
