The central theme of Paul's letter to Philemon is the forgiveness of one another's sins. The letter is a personal appeal from Paul to Philemon, a fellow Christian, on behalf of Onesimus, a slave who had run away from Philemon and who had become a Christian under Paul's ministry. In the letter, Paul asks Philemon to receive Onesimus back not as a slave, but as a beloved brother in Christ, urging him to forgive any wrongs committed against him and to extend grace and mercy towards Onesimus. This theme of forgiveness and reconciliation is central to the letter and serves as a powerful example of how Christians are to live out their faith in their relationships with one another.