The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.”

21 “I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

Electric lights don’t work until they are plugged into a socket that carries electric power. It’s a strange analogy, but salvation doesn’t work until we are connected with Jesus. In the verses above, Paul tells us that he has been once-and-for-all time, connected with Christ Jesus; and the life-change that is viewable is not due to anything he himself has done, but is due to the life of Christ with Whom he is not connected. That connection can never be severed. Literally, the Greek language reads,

I have been once-and-forever crucified with Christ. I no longer live. Christ is living in me.

Christ Jesus died as the Heavenly Father’s sacrifice for mankind’s sin. It is available to everyone; but each person must believe (get plugged into) in Jesus’ death and resurrection in order for His sacrifice to apply to him. Just knowing that He died and arose from the dead is not enough. We just believe it was for us and trust in Him.

At the point in which we trust in Jesus, His Life enters us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Now, the change

that others see in us –the change in our lifestyle—is not reformation, but transformation. It’s not that we have made up our minds to live differently (How many times have we tried that and failed?); rather, it is that

He, the Holy Spirit, has transformed us and is forever working to make our lives like Jesus’ own life. We still

possess that old nature that wants to do what we used to do before we trusted Christ. Yet, the Spirit within us works against that old nature to conform us into His image.

The Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. Jesus was His Father’s own sacrifice for our sin. Jesus’ resurrection proved that the Father was satisfied with His Son’s sacrifice and made it available to each and everyone who would accept it for himself. Native people living far away from civilization know nothing of Christ or what He has done. We send missionaries to tell them. When they hear and believe, they too are accepted into His family of believers. It’s the message of Jesus that constitutes the Gospel.

When those around us see His life in us, they wonder from where it came. When we tell them of Jesus, they, too, can be saved.

The big question is: Are we living His life before them? If so, they will notice and want to be saved, too. That is His plan. Let’s yield to the control of the Holy Spirit daily, so that His life in us will cause them to trust Him, too.

We love you and pray for you that Christ’s life will lead others to believe in Him,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

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.”