Although Paul praised Philemon for his depth of spirituality, there was a need to ask for kindness and sympathy in receiving one who had wronged him. It is not always easy to do this, especially if the relationship is “master” and “servant”.
 But for those in Christ, whether ‘bond or free’, there must be an acceptance of each other. Paul’s plea was for Philemon to receive Onesimus as:</p><p>A brother beloved in the Lord (vs 16)

We ought to love one another (I In. 4: 11). If we are children of the same family, subjects of the same government, travellers on the same road, partakers of the same hope, and are destined to live together forever in the same home, we ought to love one another. But God’s great love to us is assigned as the principal reason why we should do so. God loves all His children alike. He gave His Son to die for every one of them. He sends His Spirit into all their hearts. He gave His exceeding great and precious promises to the whole of them. He has prepared heaven as the family mansion where they are all to dwell forever. He has laid His command upon them to love one another. Beloved, our love should be as extensive as the love of God; it should embrace all that He embraces. We can never justify excluding anyone from our love whom God has included in His. We ought to love every Christian, and to love all believers constantly, tenderly, and as brethren, even as Christ loves us. Let us ask our conscience this day - ‘Do we really and heartily love all that we have reason to believe love the Lord Jesus Christ?’ If so, that’s good. If not, why not?