The Undercover Adventist

 Who was Onesimus? Onesimus: From Runaway Slave to Beloved Brother Onesimus is one of the most compelling personal stories in the New Testament. Unlike figures who travel widely with Paul, Onesimus’ story is intensely personal—centered on failure, transformation, and reconciliation. When you read carefully, you realize his story quietly demonstrates the power of the gospel to change relationships at the deepest level. Where Onesimus Appears in the Bible Onesimus is mentioned in two key New Testament books: Philemon 1:10–16 Colossians 4:9 Though brief, these references give us a surprisingly complete narrative. Who Onesimus Was Onesimus was a slave belonging to a Christian man named Philemon. At some point, Onesimus: Ran away from his master Possibly stole from him (implied in Philemon 1:18) Traveled to Rome, where he encountered the Apostle Paul This wasn’t a minor issue—in the Roman world, runaway slaves could face severe punishment, even death. His Transformation 1....

Uniting Heaven and Earth Christ in Philippians and Colossians  Living with Christ Lesson 11 - Monday    End Earthliness Read Epistle to the Colossians 3:5–6; see also Epistle to the Romans 6:1–7 The Christian life involves a decisive break with the old way of living. In Colossians 3:5 , the apostle Paul the Apostle gives a strong command: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth.” The word mortify means to put to death. Paul is not speaking about harming the body but about decisively rejecting sinful desires and habits that belong to our old, earthly nature. These include immorality, impurity, greed, and other attitudes that draw our hearts away from God. Why is such a strong command necessary? Because the old life centered on self cannot coexist with the new life centered on Christ. Paul reminds believers that these sins once characterized their lives, but now they belong to a different kingdom. Because of such things, he says, “the wrath of God co...