Unity with Christ and the Book of Philemon

November 11, 2024 / by Anna Meyer

Growing up in church, I’ve heard terms like “union with Christ” countless times. But it wasn’t until I studied the book of Philemon that I found a real-life example of this unity in action.

Philemon may be the shortest of Paul’s letters, but it’s packed with meaning, showing how union with Christ transforms relationships in profound ways.

But first, here’s a quick backstory: Philemon was a wealthy Roman Christian from Colossae and leader of a house church. He had a slave named Onesimus who fled to Rome, which was common among runaway slaves at the time: using densely populated cities like Rome to disappear and avoid detection. While in Rome, Onesimus met Paul, who led him to Christ. As Onesimus grew in his faith, he became a helpful companion to Paul. This letter centers on Paul’s appeal to Philemon to forgive and welcome back Onesimus.

Paul’s message throughout all his epistles is that faithfulness and unity in Jesus means recognizing that all his followers are equal partners who share in the gift of God’s love and grace, whether one is “Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free.” (Col. 3:11) But in this serious and very personal situation between a first-century Roman Christian and his runaway slave, he has a chance to bring this message to life.

Paul’s request to Philemon is straightforward but radical for his time: he asks Philemon to accept Onesimus not only as a freed slave, but as “a beloved brother in the Lord” (cf. v16), turning the typical power dynamic between master and slave upside down. In Roman culture, runaway slaves often faced severe punishment upon being caught, so this request was anything but ordinary.

In verses 17-19, Paul brilliantly presents his case as to why Philemon should do this.

“So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he [Onesimus] has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it…” (ESV, emphasis added.)

Paul calls for reconciliation in verse 16, followed by an offer in verses 17-18 to cover any debt Onesimus owes Philemon, beautifully following the example of Jesus paying our debt as sinners, all of which reinforces the unity and shared responsibility among them as believers. Union with Christ on full display.

This letter is unique in many ways, a big one being that Paul does not mention Christ’s death or resurrection directly—an unusual choice, but it seems Paul knew the best way to “share the gospel” in this case was to demonstrate it through his actions.

This letter illustrates the practical side of union with Christ. In Christ, worldly distinctions like social status and race fade, replaced by a deep partnership (koinonia, cf. Phm 1:6, 17) where believers support, forgive, and accept one another as equals. Union with Christ isn’t merely an idea to study—it’s a way of life that transforms relationships and challenges us to live out the gospel in every interaction.

In other epistles, we read about the concept of union with Christ. Thanks to Philemon, we can see a beautiful example of how to apply it to our everyday lives.

P.S. If you’re interested in further study, I recommend reading Philemon alongside Colossians for insights into how these principles can shape our lives today.

Anna Meyer and her husband, Chris, have been members of East White Oak Bible Church since 2021. She serves on the worship team and supports various aspects of the music ministry. After seven years in retail, Anna now works from home as a freelance copywriter. In her free time, she enjoys photography, creative writing, and taking walks with their American Akita, Zeus.