Philemon 1-3 our common bond

"But the letter says even more: Paul, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, and Timothy, half-Greek and half-Jew, are writing to Gentiles, Greeks and Romans - Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the church in their house - about a slave: Onesimus. Paul and Timothy are dealing with people of diverse races, backgrounds, and economic status on the basis of their common ideas: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Their community is one based on shared propositions, not shared family or national histories. Their fellowship is in the truth (which is only and always propositional), not in blood. Timothy and Paul address or call each other and all these people 'beloved' and 'brothers.' What makes them beloved brothers is not a common bloodline or ethnicity or nation, but their common faith, their common doctrine, the Gospel of Jesus Christ." - John Robbins, Slavery and Christianity

1Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, 2And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house: 3Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.