Overview: We finish Colossians this week and read Philemon and part of Ephesians. These three letters were believed to be written while Paul was still in prison in Rome. There are some scholars who believe Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians may not have been written by Paul. Regardless there is a message to be found here. We can learn from \u201cPaul\u201d to make the most of every situation, good or bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Notice that in Colossians Paul is teaching the Christians to focus on their lives in Christ instead of earthly things. This is a continuation of Jesus\u2019 message that it is not the outward appearance as much as the inward attitude. What looks good to everyone else may not look so good to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Philemon is a personal letter to a man whose slave had run away. Apparently Onesimus ran away, he accepted Jesus. This letter encourages Philemon to forgive Onesimus for running away and to accept him back. Notice that Paul persuaded Onesimus that to return to his life as a slave was the right thing to do, even though slavery is wrong. It would have been dishonest for Onesimus to have remained a runaway slave. We have no record of Philemon\u2019s response to Paul\u2019s letter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. What kind of things are Christian\u2019s encouraged to do?
2. How is each Christian member of the family to live?<\/p>\n\n\n