The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Galatians 5:13, 16, “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another…. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

To put it mildly, the Galatians were a mess! Long before Paul ever reached them with the Gospel, there were an off-again-on-again race of people. So, the things that captivated their interest and life-style were quite opposite of the truth that Paul brought through the Gospel.

The Galatians were prisoners of their sinful culture, and Paul called them to freedom in Christ.

But freedom in Christ does not mean we can do whatever we want. Obviously, the Galatians thought it did. Freedom to this off-again-on-again people meant that they were free to do anything and everything they wanted. We are living in a culture like that today. People who claim to have received Christ as their Savior are falling back into ways that are not Christlike. They are using their freedom as “an opportunity for the flesh.” They believe that they now have the freedom to swear, to drink alcohol, to frequent and carouse in bars –to do whatever they please. They mix Scripture with ungodly practices, thinking that the freedom they have in Christ permits freedom to engage in evil. But Paul says, NO!

How can all of this be turned around? If those who misuse their freedom have truly been born again in Christ, the Holy Spirit will prick their consciences in the effort to bring them back to Christ. But, If they can continue to engage in practices that are sinful, without being bothered by the Holy Spirit, they simply have not been born again in Christ.

Satan leads many to believe they are Christians, when they are not. Their profession of faith in Christ was superficial; they have mistaken believing that God exists to mean that He has saved them from their sin. The only valid proof of salvation is the LORD’s control of the life. “All that glitters is not gold.” Pray for those who are traveling in the wrong direction instead of walking in the way of the Holy Spirit. Be bold in sharing the Word, and let His control be observable in your life at all times.

We love you and pray for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”