Verses 1-3
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Verse 2. In the early church, believers met in each other's homes. Some houses became designated meeting places for believers.
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Be hospitable! Welcome believers into your home. It is great for fellowship when believers meet often in each other's homes.
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Verses 4-7
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Verses 5,7. Others will have joy, refreshment, and comfort in you if you always show love to them and always believe in them. Purpose to be refreshing to people through love and faith.
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Verse 6. Stay reminded of the power of Christ that lives within you (Ephesians 1:19-20), and you will be putting more action to your faith.
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Remember that “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
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Verses 8-14
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In giving correction, sometimes we need to strongly command an action, and other times we need to lovingly encourage an action.
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When it comes to relationships between believers, where reconciliation is needed, encourage them to reconcile, and out of love; but do not try to force change. Change that is forced is not love.
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Do not try to make a believer receive or serve someone if they do not already want to. They will do so grudgingly.
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Love is voluntary, not forced. Therefore, seek a person's consent and agreement before you ask them to do something for someone else.
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Verses 15-16
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Onesimus was an unbeliever, and was a slave of Philemon. He escaped and ran away, finding Paul. Paul, while in prison, led Onesimus to Christ.
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Now, Onesimus will return to Philemon. Therefore, Paul encourages Philemon to receive Onesimus back as a brother, not as a slave.
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Verse 15. Paul gives Philemon a perspective, saying, essentially, “At first you were angered when Onesimus ran away. But as a result of his flight, he became a believer and a brother. God used this event to bring about his salvation. Don't despise him anymore. God brought good out of this!”
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Remember that everything happens for a reason, and God can bring good out of anything. God is involved in all circumstances. Knowing this, don't be bitter towards anyone, as their sin cannot destroy God's plan!
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Think like Joseph: “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).
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Verses 17-20
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Receive all believers in love, as Paul encouraged Philemon to receive Onesimus (Romans 15:7).
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Verse 18. Onesimus likely had stolen money from Philemon when he fled. And just as Jesus paid for our sins against God, Paul paid for Onesimus' theft from Philemon.
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Paul was so committed to removing any ill-feelings between Onesimus and Philemon that he personally took responsibility for what Onesimus owed.
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Paul was not enabling Onesimus' sin, nor bailing out a fool. Paul was giving him a clean slate, since he was a new believer. His theft was while he was yet an unbeliever. He didn't want him to be burdened with his past sin, nor his past sin to hinder reconciliation with Philemon.
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Desire to bring reconciliation between believers, and encourage them to forgive each other.
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Verse 19. Remember the debt that was paid for your salvation, and the work that others put into your life to help you get saved. You are actually a debtor to the people who worked for your salvation (Romans 15:27). Remember this, and let it motivate you to forgive others!
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Do what is necessary to help believers move past the old sins of new believers, even if it costs you!
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Verses 21-22
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Great obedience is doing more than what you are told.
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To show honor, go above and beyond what is asked of you.
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Then people will be able to have great confidence in you. And when they have confidence in you, they will have joy when they think of you (2 Corinthians 7:16).
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Verses 23-25
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Letting someone know, “So-and-so says hi”, can go a long way. Let people know when you're thinking of them!