The Gospel has the power to reconcile broken relationships

- Philemon - The faithful and mature brother in Colossae. Because of his love, the people are blessed. He is also a blessing to Paul because of all of this. He confident that Philemon will more than receive Onesimus as a brother in Christ, no longer his slave

- Onesimus - He was a bondservant to Philemon. But he ran away and, maybe, stole money so he could afford the travel. When he ran away, he wes not a Christian. Provedentially, the Lord saved him and he met up with Paul and became a great to him.

Paul is sending him back to Philemon as a brother in Christ to be reconciled to him for how he wronged him

- Paul - The faithful minister of the Gospel. He appeals to Philemon not on the basis of Paul's apostolic authority, but rather on the basis of Christian love. Be reconciled to  Onesimus on the the basis of both's reconciliation to God through Christ. 

Paul appeals to Philemon to receive Onesimus as if he were receiving Paul himself. Based on grace and mercy ... the Gospel makes all of this, not only possible, but to our mutual blessing and benefit, and it brings Glory to God. What Onesimus meant for evil, God meant for good. Because it was God's design that the circumstances of thie book came to pass.