THIS IS PERSONAL. v.19 Paul was not making a playful, sly comment when referring to Philemon's debt to him. That would have been insincere and inappropriate for someone in his position as an apostle. He took it upon himself to write these words as one who is sincere and who would pay Onesimus' debt. Philemon owed his spiritual life to Paul, and Paul did not expect payment from him. Additionally, he was indebted to Paul for returning his slave in much better condition than when he left.
Written personally. When Paul wrote this personal letter with his own hand instead of dictating it, he may have wanted Philemon to know that he was the only one who read it before Philemon. Even though Timothy is mentioned as a courtesy and likely knew what Paul would write, Paul crafted this letter into a legal document that would obligate him to pay any damages Onesimus caused Philemon. Paul gave his word and intended to keep it.
By reminding Philemon of the considerable spiritual debt he owed him, Paul elevated the matter to a higher plane that involves one’s body, soul, and spirit. Initially, this might have been seen as merely personal and legal. Paul did not demand that Philemon repay the spiritual debt in terms of human and tangible factors.
Considering how thick the ledger of our sins would be if God hadn’t been willing to place what we owed on Christ, we should be prepared to forgive others seventy times seven. The enormity and dreadfulness of sin are beyond our comprehension. Estimating what we owe, when viewed through the eyes of our righteous, just, and holy God, is impossible, yet it humbles us into the dirt. Despite ourselves, we perceive and assess sin from a human perspective. This means we compare our thoughts and actions with those of others, even though we have the standard of the law that condemns us.
Repayment. Implicit in Paul's words is, "I know you will not demand payment for that which Onesimus owes you." When we feel that we are not getting a fair deal from someone, we should take a moment to reflect on whether everyone we have interacted with has received a fair deal from us. Honesty before God effectively eliminates many issues that could arise among God's people.
If we could see sin as God sees it, it would be as contrasting as darkness that can be felt and light so bright that it leaves no shadow. “God is of holier eyes than to look upon sin.” With that understanding, we can easily see why we deserve to be in hell, why the sufferings of Christ were so infinite, and why God’s grace is so amazing. We have been “redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.”
God freely forgives and, in doing so, takes the loss for the debts we owe Him. He expects forgiven sinners to demonstrate gratitude by forgiving those who sin against them. “I, even I, am He that blots out thy transgressions for My own sake and will not remember thy sins. Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case; that you may be acquitted” [Isa.43:25]. “To the Lord, our God belongs mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him” [Dan.9:9]. Every time forgiveness is needed or requested, we are to give it. Experiencing God’s forgiveness in the kingdom of heaven marks the beginning of our new life in Christ. Seventy times seven signifies that God expects us to forgive without limits. We must go well beyond what is considered normal or fair. As inhabitants of the kingdom of heaven, we understand that if what was deemed normal and fair were applied to us, we would already be in hell due to our sins. Biblical forgiveness must come from the heart. Wholehearted gratitude for God’s forgiveness toward us leads to unreserved forgiveness for others. God forgives fully and freely but judges those who refuse to forgive others. We are aware of our moral debts from sin and trespass that we owe. Forgiveness comes when debts are satisfied in one way or another, and it can be granted, but forgiveness is never earned. It is easy to say that forgiveness is given, but if we don’t forgive, we deny our common ground as sinners. Reconciliation is the first step to take when conflicts arise that cause anger. Make amends with a wronged person before coming before God and seeking to worship or serve Him; be reconciled to those who have sinned against you, or to whom you have sinned against. God's people should not hold a believer's past against them. Those who have been in the bondage of sin already face significant challenges in recovering from the consequences of their sinful past; God's people should not add to their struggles by viewing them as lesser individuals. A release from debt represents great freedom. Believers deserve respect and fair treatment because they will eventually have the autonomy to choose their own paths. If you are a creditor or an employer who has been in debt yourself, you understand the importance of treating employees fairly and never mistreating them. Your reputation will quickly become known to others with whom you do business. If you are a debtor, you owe your employer honesty and a full day's work every day. How you dedicate yourself to your work will determine your future and what you will earn for your efforts beyond the bare minimum. "What you sow, you reap." Another lesson is never to try to short-change God. We can never repay God for all of His benefits, so when He lets us know what He wants from us, it is our privilege and a blessing to give from a warm and whole heart. Everything we claim for ourselves comes from God as the source. There is a principle to remember: the more you give, the more you get. We will never be able to out-give God. His abundance is there to dispense to those He can trust to give to others what He desires through us gladly. When He receives from us that which shows the attitude of our hearts toward Him, He releases to us that which reveals His heart of love and grace to us. There are real obligations we owe to others. It's part of what comes with being in the family of God and a member of the kingdom of God. We are stewards of God's grace and the message of salvation. God has entrusted us with the most important task anyone could ever have: to tell people how to come to God by faith. Being the trusted bearer of tidings of infinite importance is a high calling. The steward of God's truth is not upset in any way because he is a debtor to all people. He recognizes the great privilege of opening people's eyes to the light of the Gospel. Such a person is glad to be a debtor who tells others to "Come, for all things are now ready." He is willing to become "all things to all men that by any means he might save some." Paul was a debtor because God had entrusted the Gospel to him. I know there is one debt I will never be able to pay off: the debt of love I owe to the Lord Jesus Christ. I am forever indebted to Him, who is "the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." By loving others, I fulfill what the law requires. Love motivates us to live for God now and empowers us to commit ourselves to His will in the future, even though we may not know what lies ahead. Love is the guiding ethic practiced by those who live by faith.