Article March 14, 1988 Issue

Always free

Fear, disease, disability, can seem like formidable prisons. But the Bible shows that God's power opens prison doors.

Jan Johnston

I've always been intrigued by the New Testament account of Peter when King Herod had him bound in chains and locked in prison.^{See Acts 12:1–11 .} This story illustrates such a practical demonstration of man's spiritual freedom as God's child. The Bible records: "And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands." The story of the escape continues, "When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him."

The material restraints were formidable. Not only was Peter locked within a prison; he was chained between two soldiers. How trapped can anyone get? Yet Peter was able to gain his freedom. Why could he do this? Because his captors had not locked up his consciousness, they could not imprison his thought. Peter's freedom to pray and to know spiritual truths was all the freedom he really needed. As Christ Jesus explains, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."^{John 8:31, 32.}

Man is always free to know the truth. God, divine Mind, who conceived man as His own image and likeness, has embraced man forever to Himself as His expression, His likeness. Jesus described this unity with the words "I and my Father are one."^{John 10:30.}

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