THE INTERCESSOR. v.8 There was a sense in which Paul faced a problem because he was dealing with a sensitive matter that required tact and wisdom. Sometimes, to achieve the desired outcome in a situation involving believers without leaving hurt and broken relationships in its wake, we must become personally involved. Paul aimed to save Onesimus from punishment while also wanting to appease Philemon without humiliating Onesimus. The reconciliation process needs careful consideration on how best to facilitate it. God had a plan for our reconciliation to Him, and it came at a significant cost. Bold. Exercising boldness with discretion is a Christlike, “convenient” [fitting] response when believers need a mediator for reconciliation. A true friend will rebuke or correct as necessary. He will be valued for this because he genuinely cares about the friendship and aims to protect his friend from being demeaned. The person who flatters insincerely often has ulterior motives behind his words. The individual who trusts in the Lord is generous, diligent, and content with what he has. He possesses a satisfied mind.
Bold, self-reliant people trust in themselves, but they limit themselves to the essentials they can provide. One who is “bold in Christ” is a wise person who has learned to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not on thine own understanding.” Wise people acknowledge their need for God and have confidence in Him. Generosity in meeting the needs of others encourages them to help us in our time of need. We can be bold in Christ when we pray, knowing that the prayers of saints far away are unhindered by miles, cultures, waters, and language.
Fitting (Appropriate). The Lord gave Paul a clear understanding of the Gospel and the fact that it wasn't only for the Jews but for everyone. There is good news from God to “whosoever,” and those who repent and believe the Gospel become members of His body. They are all "fellow heirs." Each one is a fellow member of that body in which God has placed us. Every child of God is a fellow partaker of God's promises to those in Christ. The Gospel has crossed all barriers and, in doing so, has revealed to us that there are riches in Christ of which we have all become partakers.
It is our responsibility to maintain the integrity of that message in our preaching and promote it wherever we can. Today, it is up to us to ensure this unadulterated message reaches as many people as possible. This relationship gives us the privilege of having Christ live within us to work out His will through us. This relationship is made possible because a believer is a new creation in Christ. In His sovereign design, He reveals His wisdom through the unity of diverse people from different places, backgrounds, and cultures to “principalities and powers” we don’t even know about.
Paul's strategy was to have Tychicus serve as a mediator, alongside Onesimus, on their journey to Colossae, while also carrying a letter to the assembly. Tychicus could pave the way when he presented this personal letter to Philemon. Paul crafted this personal letter with such tact and courtesy that it made it difficult for Philemon not to pardon and restore Onesimus, and subsequently commend him to the entire church. Colossians 4:9 indicates that this letter was likely sent with the epistle of Colossians.