I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you. (v. 18)

In the Bible, we read about people being imprisoned. Joseph was sold as a slave. Even his father, Joseph, lived like a slave for many years. The Israelites in the Book of Judges lived like slaves. Throughout history, God’s people experienced what it is like to live as slaves. Being a slave is like living in a prison. My actions and thoughts are dictated by those who imprisoned me.

In the current civilized society, we think we are free. But from birth, we are slaves.

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; With hard labor you shall eat from it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; Yet you shall eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face You shall eat bread, Until you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)

We must work to maintain our daily lives. When physical need becomes our idol, people do anything to satisfy it. Once they are satisfied, they create an idol with an image.

The craftsman of iron shapes a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary. The craftsman of wood extends a measuring line; he outlines it with a marker. He works it with carving knives and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of mankind, so that it may sit in a house. He will cut cedars for himself, and he takes a holm-oak or another oak and lets it grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel tree, and the rain makes it grow. Then it becomes something for a person to burn, so he takes one of them and gets warm; he also makes a fire and bakes bread. He also makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image and bows down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat, he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” Yet the rest of it he makes into a god, his carved image. He bows down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.” (Isaiah 44:12-17)

It appears that people worship idols they created but the truth is they are their idols. To become an idol, they need people who serve them. Therefore, they work hard to have more money and fame than others.

For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I weep, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who have their minds on earthly things. (Philippians 3:18-19)

People do not realize that they are slaves.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. Now the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you are seeking to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak of the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.” (John 8:31-38)

Imprisonment exists to teach us about freedom. If we sin, we are slaves to sin. If we rely on the law for our salvation, the law is our master. And if our physical need is our idol, money is our master. Anyone who is not under the absolute grace of God is a slave.

Why the Law then? It was added on account of the violations, having been ordered through angels at the hand of a mediator, until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. Now a mediator is not for one party only; but God is only one. Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? Far from it! For if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:19-22)

Physical imprisonment means little as we see Paul in his letters. Paul was not ashamed of the gospel. With the love God gave him, he preached the gospel with love.

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:19-20)