Slavery

Philemon 1:12  I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. ¹³ I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. ¹⁴ But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. ¹⁵ Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— ¹⁶ no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

How did the Bible handle slavery?  Apparently, the Book of Philemon was used by both Pro-Slavery and Anti-Slavery advocates.  Onesimus was a slave of the man Philemon.  Paul says "no longer as a slave" but in the ancient world, Onesimus has to be sent back instead of just writing a letter and stating to free him. 

Political, social, economic injustice have always been issues of concern for Christians.  The true campaign is  for the hearts of men.  Paul's mission was not to erradicate salvery, but to erradicate us being slaves to sin and accepting Christ as our Lord and Master. Once we are obedient to Christ, our love for others will make all men brothers and bring the social justice to a broken world. 

In the picture above, this American Scuplture went on tour in America and was was seen by over 100,000 people between 1847-1848 .It was also the American centerpiece exhibit at the 1851 World's Fair in the Crystal Palace in London. Notice the cross at the lower left below her chains.