TEXT: "As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and hailing men and women committed them to prison."-Acts 8:3

A prison is a building where people are kept as a punishment for a crime or crimes they have committed, or while they are waiting trial. In the Bible times, prison was a dark underground room, without windows. The prisoners were bound or chained, Jeremiah 38:6-13; Acts 16:24. In addition, I shall write about the prison for the living, and the prison for the dead.

Firstly, the prison for the living is where the living are kept as a punishment for the crime or crimes they have committed or while they are waiting trial. Examples are the building where Saul committed the members of the church, Acts 8:3. The building where the princes of Judah cast Jeremiah into after he had spoken to the people about the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah 38:1-6. Also the building where Paul and Silas were thrust into after Paul delivered the girl that was possessed with a spirit of divination, Acts 16:16-24. Also, in our today's Nigeria, buildings such as the Kirikiri maximum prison in Lagos, the Kuje prison in Abuja, etc.

And secondly, the prison for the dead is where the dead are kept, because of what they have done, waiting till the day of the white throne judgment. This prison is of three kinds: the Sea; Death; and Hell, Revelation 20:11-13.

Through Adam's disobedience, many were made sinners unto death, and they remained in prison until the time of Jesus Christ. The dead are the spirits in the prison, 1 Peter 3:19. However, all the saints that lived from Adam unto the days of Christ, when they died, and where buried, remained in the prison of Hell, otherwise call the Graves. Those that were killed by Death, and their bodies were not buried, remained in the prison of Death. While those that died in the Sea, remained in the prison of the Sea.

Moreover, after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he took possession of the keys of these prison, Revelation 1:18. And he went to the lowest parts of the earth, Ephesians 4:9, to deliver those that have been held captive in the prison, Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18-21. All the dead saints came out of the prison with him, especially the prison of the Graves, Matthew 27:50-53. This is because the price for their offences has been paid in full, and now they are free to leave the prison, having received eternal life in Christ Jesus, Romans 6:23.

Consequently, today, Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life: he that believes in him, though he was dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever that is living now, and believes in him, shall never die, John 11:25, 26. And conversely, any one who does not believe shall die, and go back to prison again, waiting for the great white throne judgment, Revelation 20:11-15. But, any one who believes shall have everlasting life, John 3:16.

The all important questions I ask you: Are you living? Do you believe that you have eternal life? Do you also believe that you shall not die? Psalm 118:17. These are rhetorical questions.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Pastor K. C.