For most people, living life in chains is a horror that can only be imagined. Figuratively, people are said to be chained to their jobs, their hobbies, their addictions, the list could go on. Think about living a life in chains. Not being able to move about freely or do what you want to do.
Now, imagine being put in chains and prison just because you annoyed the wrong people. This happened to the Apostles Peter and Paul! Herod had Peter chained in prison and guarded by 16 soldiers because he was preaching about Jesus and Herod wanted to impress the Jews. He had already had James, the brother of John put to death, and this pleased the Jews, so why not Peter? God rescued Peter and he continued preaching about Jesus.
Paul speaks extensively of being in chains for the sake of the gospel. Paul and Silas were imprisoned and put in chains in Philippi for driving an evil spirit out of a young servant girl. This particular prison cell was made to be uncomfortable. It was two chambers, Paul and Silas were placed in the inner chamber. This cell was probably no more than 4 1/2 feet high so anyone in this cell was always in a stooping position. The chains that bound the feet were attached near the bottom of the wall but very close to the wall. The chains that would bind the wrists were short and placed slightly above the chains that held the feet. This meant that prisoners were always in a very uncomfortable squatting position with no way to move or change positions.
The point I am trying to make is, living life in chains is uncomfortable. We may never physically be chained or in prison, yet many people live life in chains figuratively. In their song. “Already Gone,” the Eagles sang a line that went, “So often times it happens, we live our life in chains, and we never even know we have the key.” This is so true. People may be bound by something, and freedom is within their reach, yet they never reach for it. I don’t think it is because people don’t want to be freed from what chains them, they have just been conditioned to think in a certain way. Have you ever been driving, and a fly keeps flying in front of your face? When the fly lands on your side window, you lower the window so it can fly out. The problem is that most of the time it flies to the other side of the car! Freedom is right there, but they choose to remain trapped.
Jesus has given us freedom from the prison of sin and death. His gift of grace is there for the taking to all who will accept it, yet there are many who will not accept it. When one is enslaved to sin, he is chained to Satan and death and eternal suffering is all there is. By being obedient to the gospel, those chains are broken, and freedom is given to that person. Paul, in Romans 6, compared being slaves to sin and slaves to God. Being a slave to sin is binding and leads to death. Being a slave to God is freeing and leads to eternal life. The choice seems obvious, yet there are many who still choose sin over righteousness.
It is clear from the scriptures that we can know the truth and it sets us free. Look at Jesus’ words in John 8:31, 32-31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Let’s choose freedom. Let’s choose Jesus!
Read Romans 6:15-23