A Conscience Void of Offence

"There is a kind of peace that doesn’t come from silence, but from truth."

A conscience void of offence is not about being flawless; it’s about doing what I could to make things right, even when it was hard. It’s about choosing integrity over convenience.

I did some really dumb things; things that didn’t just affect me, but others, too. And when I came to myself, like the prodigal son, I knew it was time to unveil those things to the people I had wronged. It wasn’t an easy decision. I was afraid of the consequences.

Jesus said, “If you bring your gift to the altar and then remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift at the altar. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23–24).

God is deeply concerned with how we treat our fellow men, really concerned. So, I went to meet one of my aunts, a disciplinarian to the core.

I began opening up about some of the dumb things I had done and covered up with lies. She suddenly stopped me and said, “Hold on.” I did.

She went and took her diary, then said, “Continue.” So I did. She wrote down as much as she could while I spoke. When I finished, she said, “I forgive you. Whatever touched your heart to walk this path, don’t stop.”

Let me tell you another story. Paul led Onesimus to saving faith in Jesus Christ. At some point, they realized they both knew the same person: Philemon.

But this realization wasn’t all joy. Onesimus and Philemon weren’t friends. Philemon was the slave owner of Onesimus, and Onesimus had run away.

Under Roman law, runaway slaves could be punished with death. Paul loved both men, but what was he to do?

If Paul had kept the secret, he wouldn’t be walking in the light of truth (Ephesians 5:8). There were many seemingly easy ways out of the situation for both Paul and Onesimus, but Paul didn’t choose the easy way.

He knew that only Philemon, guided by God and in cooperation with Onesimus, could make the situation right.

We can only imagine the prayers and tears that poured out as Paul wrote the letter to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus.

We can only imagine how many times Onesimus feared going back, how many times he wrestled with shame, dread, and uncertainty.

But Paul believed in the power of reconciliation. He believed that the gospel wasn’t just about personal salvation; it was about restoring broken relationships in the light of Christ.

Please note: Paul wasn’t sending Onesimus back to Philemon to prove he was truly saved; Philemon wasn’t the Savior.

Jesus is. Salvation isn’t obtained by confessing to those we’ve wronged; it comes through faith in Christ: “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10).

If you were in Paul’s shoes, what would you do? If you were Onesimus, would you do? The story of Philemon challenges us to make things right, not to earn grace, but because we’ve received it.

The short letter Paul wrote to Philemon is found in Philemon 1:1–25—a brief but practically instructive read.