Do you know what real Biblical forgiveness looks like? Philemon

Philemon 1:21

Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

Imgagine the scene that is taking place in this letter's composition, delivery and subsequent affect.  Onesimus was a run-a-way slave, who was imprisoned with Paul.  If you are imprisoned with Paul you WILL hear the gospel.  Onesimus did hear it and received it and because a believer and, therefore, a son in the faith to Paul.   The issue here is that Onesimus had run-a-way from Philemon and, apparently, stolen something during his exodus.   Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon and Paul is asking Philemon to not only forgive Onesimus, but to also put anything Onesimus owes him onto Paul's account.   PLUS, according to the above verse, Paul is implying that he expects Paul to do MORE than just forgive and transfer the financial debt to Paul.  Imagine!!   Philemon would have received this letter at the hands of Onesimus, himself.   In that moment he would have had all three of these items thrown at him.   He would have had to deal with this with his emotions being what they would be for anyone in those situations.  His forgiveness of Onesimus, in Paul's eyes, isn't even a consideration.  Paul is not worried about that; he knows Philemon's character.   Paul is worried about the "extra" stuff that Philemon might forget.  Imagine if someone had wronged us and stolen from us.  Imagine that man walks up to our home with only a letter in his hand.  We all probably would have been dialing 911 to report the thief they were looking for was standing right in front us.   We would have dialed that BEFORE we would have read any letter he was bearing.   This forgiveness that God requires of us, that is demonstrated in this story, is simply amazing.   God, knowing full well, our emotions and flesh, still requires that because of our faith in Christ to forgive as we have been forgiven.   Despite the emotion and fleshly responses, God expects us to treat other believers (even new believers) with the same forgiveness and restoration we have in Christ.   Philemon would have wanted to carry a grudge.   Philemon would have wanted to respond to his emotions.   Philemon would have wanted to make Onesimus pay for this wrong.   But, he can't ... Christ already paid for the wrong.   When we are wrong we want justice for the wrong done.   Philemon would be RIGHT to want that justice.  Paul tells him he is right to want Onesimus to pay for the crime he committed.  That is why Paul says, lay Onesimus' wrong "onto my" account.    It is not that Onesimus is simply forgiven.   It is that Onesimus CAN be forgiven because his crime HAS been paid for.   Therefore Philemon is now free to do even more than forgive.  The restoration process is going to start now.    The forgiveness process was already dealt with.   Philemon has to allow his emotions to follow his beliefs.   Paul confidence that Philemon would not only forgive this slave but do more and restore him.   Instead of calling 911 Philemon would reach of his credit card and take Onesimus to the nearby department store to clothe him.  That is Biblical forgiveness and restoration.