{"id":4964,"date":"2026-08-06T12:34:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T18:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/?p=4964"},"modified":"2026-08-06T12:34:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T18:34:36","slug":"an-appeal-based-on-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/?p=4964","title":{"rendered":"An Appeal Based on Love"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bible Verse for Today:  <\/strong>Though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you<\/strong>\u2014I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus\u2014I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment<\/em>.  Philemon 1:8-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Philemon is the shortest of Paul\u2019s letters. It is written to an individual (Philemon), a friend. It is personal. It is about reconciliation and restoration. It is about a servant (Onesimus) running from one master and meeting The Master. It is about one who felt unloved but discovered God\u2019s love and the love of the Apostle Paul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Onesimus was a servant to Philemon, a friend of Paul\u2019s. He flees his master and encounters Paul in Rome, where he becomes a follower of Christ. Paul\u2019s influence on him was great, and he became a faithful follower of Christ. Paul even sent Onesimus to the church in Colossae with another disciple of his to report on Paul\u2019s well-being. (Colossians 4:8) Paul refers to Onesimus as a \u201cfaithful and beloved brother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 However, Paul knows that Onesimus needs to return to Philemon. Not as just a servant but as a beloved brother in the Lord. Paul does not make his appeal from his authority as an apostle and leader, but from an appeal to friendship and love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paul tells Philemon that Onesimus was once useless but is now useful to him and the gospel. Paul closes by affirming his confidence in Philemon to do even more than what he is asking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          We don\u2019t know all the details in this situation, but the message is clear enough to learn the important lessons. Lessons of friendship, faithfulness, consistency of character and redemption and restoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We learn that appeals based on love, not obligation, are more motivating. Paul challenges Philemon to love Onesimus and to forgive and receive him just as he has demonstrated love towards other believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We observe the wonder of redemption and restoration. Onesimus becomes a believer because of Paul\u2019s influence. Not just that, but a fellow worker with Paul. The gospel is about redemption. When people make a commitment to Christ, they are changed. Their lives take on a new meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We also observe Paul\u2019s actions as he does what he knows is right. Paul could have allowed Onesimus to remain as a companion to him and other Christ followers. I could even see Onesimus pleading for that privilege.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So, Paul doesn\u2019t just send Onesimus back to Philemon; he sends him with a personal letter to vouch for the change that has taken place in Onesimus. This also speaks to the work of the gospel. A personal relationship with Christ allows us to become useful to the Lord and to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          This letter provides some insight into the life and ministry of Apostle Paul, and it challenges us in the lessons that are contained in it. We too can embrace Paul\u2019s prayer for Philemon, \u201cI pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.\u201d<\/em> Philemon 1:6 ESV<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bible Verse for Today:  Though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you\u2014I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus\u2014I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.  Philemon 1:8-10 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Philemon is the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4964","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4964"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4964\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4965,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4964\/revisions\/4965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4964"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kensummers.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}