Living in the Spirit
September 2, 2016

Scripture Reading: Philemon 1-21

Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. –Philemon 15-16

Theologians Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, in their book The First Paul, examine the letters identified as authentically Paul’s in the New Testament. Paul is ascribed as the author of seven of these letters*, the dispute remains on the authorship of three**, and three seem to be reactionary to Paul’s original writings***. In Galatians 3:20 Paul writes, there is no longer slave or free. Colossians 3:22 states Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything. Titus 2.9 advises church leaders to Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect. There seems to be a move away from Paul’s interpretation of the teachings of Jesus toward a more culturally correct attitude even before the compilation of the Bible in the form we now know. Philemon reflects the radical love that Paul saw in Jesus.

Paul apparently never met the person Jesus. He encountered the living Christ on an infamous trip to Damascus. In his own words, Paul describes himself as a very devout follower of his faith to the extent that he was persecuting the followers of Jesus for veering from that faith. Most cannot fathom Paul’s experience in that encounter, but it left him with a totally new and in-depth view of God’s love. John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace, most likely could empathize with Paul. A slave trader, Newton had an encounter with the living Christ that totally turned his life around ending his slave trading and starting a commitment to ending slavery.

Our society tends toward culturally correct justice as opposed to God’s justice. Some years ago I read of an inner-city teen killing another youth so he could have some brand-named shoes. The teen quickly prosecuted and soon dispatched to the junk-pile of wasted humans, now serves a life-in-prison sentence without parole and with little hope of redemption. Now, I hear of pharmaceutical companies selling lifesaving medications at outrageously high prices while manufactured at low cost and developed through research supported by federal grants, our tax dollars. Our society’s response, unless one of our relatives needs the drug, may be to purchase stock in the company. People die every day because they cannot afford the medical care to diagnose their problem or afford the drugs that might save them. I do agree with whoever wrote Colossians 3:5 greed is idolatry.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us of our idolatry and redeem us to be keepers of your justice. Amen.

*Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, Philippians, and Philemon
**Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians
***1 and 2 Timothy and Titus

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All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
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