Old Testament law was clear: Israel was not supposed to enslave fellow Israelites. In certain cases (particularly debt), an Israelite might temporarily become a slave – but they were to be set free in the 7th year.
Jeremiah 34 makes it clear that Israel was ignoring this requirement. Oh, sure, they “set them free” – but only to enslave them once more.
But God says that you should not enslave your brother.
In Philemon, Paul will make a big deal about how Onesimus is your brother. You should not be holding your brother as a slave.
Many have criticized Paul for failing to condemn the institution of slavery. They want Paul to be a modern abolitionist.
But abolition takes as its goal merely the “end of slavery.” Abolitionism has no positive goal – what are you going to replace it with?
Paul wants to see reconciliation between Philemon and Onesimus. He wants to see them live together as brothers.
In the 1860s, the abolitionists won. Slavery was ended in the United States. But the freedmen were largely handed back to their former masters. There was no reconciliation between black and white.
This is especially obvious when we consider the church. Why are there black denominations today? Largely because whites didn’t want blacks in their churches. Oh, maybe they didn’t mind if the blacks came and sat in the balcony! But to have a black elder? A black deacon? Never!
To have a black man walk in your front door and sit down in your parlor?
Emancipation without reconciliation has led to 150 years of continued estrangement. Are we brothers?
If we are brothers, then we need to act as though we are part of the same family!
Featuring a sermon puts it on the front page of the site and is the most effective way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands including all mobile platforms + newsletter.
Text-Featuring a sermon is a less expensive way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands on the right bar with optional newsletter inclusion. As low as $30/day.