Paul asserts that the divinity and humanity of Jesus are the heart of the Gospel he has preached and because of which he is now in chains. But, he emphasises, there is no way that the word of God can be chained. Many witnesses to the Gospel have proved that over the centuries, down to our own day. Prison and torture often have the very opposite effect - they only increase the desire to make the truth known. Gladly will Paul undergo any suffering so that those called to believe in Christ will experience salvation in his name. Because "if we deny him, he will deny us". This is not a tit-for-tat situation but rather, if we abandon the Gospel for some temporary advantage, how can Jesus recognise us as one of his own? God Himself remains always consistently faithful in His love for us. But, if we close our hearts to that love for Him and for others, how can He reach us? Love is not love if it is not the result of free choice.