“…and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.” (Colossians 4:9 (ESV)
“There’s a sickness in our society that has infiltrated and infected the church. I have in mind our modern obsession with superstars. Whether they be Hollywood actors, Wall Street moguls, or overpaid, egotistical athletes, they seem to fill our newspapers and dominate our headlines and have become, tragically in most cases, role models for our children,” states Christian author Sam Storms.
“The Church is by no means immune to this infatuation with celebrity. Mega-church pastors, health-and-wealth advocates, and best-selling authors are promoted and praised as if they are in better standing with the Lord than the faithful but unacknowledged housewife or the quiet pastor who tends a flock of less than a hundred folk in rural Alabama.”
At the end of the Apostle Paul’s New Testament Epistles, he included final greetings. These remarks usually mentioned fellow servants of Christ who ministered to him and alongside him. They may be identified as superstar-less servants. For the next several weeks, we’ll discover some insights from Paul about his many companions. Today, it is Onesimus. Who was this individual?
A significant resource of information regarding Onesimus is contained in the Apostle Paul’s New Testament letter to Philemon. Onesimus was a slave of Philemon. He robbed his master and run away to Rome. Paul became acquainted with him while imprisoned in the city. It was during this time Onesimus became a follower of Christ and also a close friend to Paul (Phlm 1:10).
“Paul wanted to keep Onesimus with him during his imprisonment because he had been helpful to him (in Greek, Onesimus means “useful”). However, Paul returned the slave to his master, confident that the runaway slave would be received by his former owner as a Christian brother and that Philemon would charge any wrong that Onesimus had done to Paul’s account,” explains commentator Dr. Walter Elwell in the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.
Onesimus was with Tychicus and delivered the Letter to the Colossians (Col 4:9), possibly indicating that he came from that region. There are several characteristics about Onesimus found in today’s text.
First, he was faithful (πιστῷ; pisto). Onesimus was trustworthy, committed, dependable and an honorable individual. He not only was a man of faith in Christ positionally, but also relationally with other believers. He was God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10).
Second, he was beloved (ἀγαπητῷ; agapeto). Paul and the other believers in Rome dearly loved and had deep affection for this young man. The existed a I John 4:7-8 relationship.
Third, the reason Onesimus was faithful and beloved was because he was a brother in Christ. He was just like the Colossians, and they like him. Paul explained Tychicus and Onesimus would explain everything occurring in Rome about the apostle’s imprisonment.
Faithful, beloved and a brother in Christ. This is a fitting testimony for Onesimus and all believers in Christ. Here was a man with no possessions, no rights, and no inheritance under Roman law. He was not wise, powerful or important to the vast majority of people in his day. However, Paul loved and described him as his spiritual son (Philemon 10). Onesimus was a man who diligently served Paul during his imprisonment and for whom Paul would reimburse any debts (Philemon 11, 17-19).
Many of us are so-called superstar-less believers in Christ. That is fine. We serve the morning star (2 Peter 1:19).
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 