In Rome
Audio:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/4nb0IwAnZ08?list=PL4ByrircmXL5Jwtb3O68grD2OEFRUo-L3
Herod had seen Christ in the days of His humanity; Annas had seen Him; Pilate and the priests and rulers had seen Him; the Roman soldiers had seen Him. But they had not seen Him with the eye of faith; The apostle showed that religion does not consist in rites and ceremonies, creeds and theories.
If it did, the natural man could understand it by investigation, as he understands worldly things. Paul taught that religion is a practical, saving energy, a principle wholly from God, a personal experience of God's renewing power upon the soul.
Few realize the significance of those words of Luke, that when Paul saw his brethren, he thanked God, and took courage. Acts 28:15
Paul voluntarily proposed to assume the debt of Onesimus in order that the guilty one might be spared the disgrace of punishment, and might again enjoy the privileges he had forfeited. "If thou count me therefore a partner," he wrote to Philemon, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee,or oweth thee aught, put that on mine account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it. Philemon 1:19. How fitting an illustration of the love of Christ for the repentant sinner! The servant who had defrauded his master had nothing with which to make restitution. The sinner who has robbed God of years of service has no means of canceling the debt. Jesus interposes between the sinner and God, saying, I will pay the debt. Let the sinner be spared; I will suffer in his stead.