Bible Explorer for the Young (Titus & Philemon)Sample

Let Us Forgive Like Jesus Did

Philemon 1:19

I will pay back anything Onesimus owes. And I will say nothing about what you owe me for your own life.

Let me tell you one fun fact about the Bible. Philemon is one of the shortest books found in the Bible. It is basically a one-page letter, written by the apostle Paul to Philemon. Philemon was a wealthy person, and he had a slave named Onesimus.

Onesimus was known to have done a terrible thing to his master and he ran away. He met Paul in jail, and that meeting changed his life entirely. Paul didn’t condemn Onesimus, didn’t badmouth him, didn’t treat him like a criminal. Instead, Paul welcomed him like his own family and told him about Jesus’ love and it became a living testimony to Onesimus that changed him to be a renewed person.

Paul was teaching us that forgiveness is important to restore a broken relationship. Paul told Philemon to charge him for all Onesimus’ wrongdoing in the past and Paul was willing to pay back what Onesimus owed. Jesus also takes charge of all our sins. What Paul did to Onesimus is just like how Jesus forgave and paid for all our wrongdoings and welcomed us to be His precious children.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for forgiving all my wrongdoings. Thank You for welcoming me as your precious child. I love You. Amen.