The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 1:11-17, “…I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by

Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.

12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’

and ‘I of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ.’

13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you

baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

15 that no man should say you were baptized in my name.

16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know

whether I baptized any other.

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of

speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void.”

If anyone reading this Grands Letter thinks it’s possible for something –anything!—to

occur within a church without someone knowing about it –well, they’re kidding themselves.

There was a four-way split in the Church at Corinth. Three of the splinter groups hailed a leading Christian as their leader. The fourth group said Christ was their leader. Communication was not that swift in Greece in those days, so possibly no one would know. Yet, now comes a letter from the Apostle Paul, saying that he had been informed of the situation; and to certify it, he named people related to Chloe as his informants.

Problems such as this continue into our 21st Century. As justifiable as the adherents to each division believed itself to be, Paul exonerated no one from guilt. Paul, Apollos, and Cephas (Peter) were not crucified for the church. No one was baptized in the name of Paul. He can only name a few whom he baptized; and besides, the preaching of the Gospel was what was important.

Satan is clever! He’s not honest or benefical in any way, but he is clever! He attacked what was possibly a healthy church, dividing it into argumentative groups, causing each to believe that its own group was right. How does a church fight within itself and still share the love and good news of the Gospel? It works the same way with a husband and wife. No one can argue and fight and then go out and share Christ’s love with others. It is simply impossible. The lost will immediately see through the hypocrisy.

The LORD has called each of us to repent of our sin and trust Him to be our LORD and Savior. He then sends us into the world-at-large to share His Gospel (Good News) with those who have never heard. Our lives have to be spiritually clean and devoid of sin that would interfere with our sharing of His Message of love. If churches need to clean up their act, so do individuals. After all, it’s the LORD’s Name that will suffer; and as it does, those who need His salvation will suffer, too. Let’s clean up our act! Get into the Word!

Spend time in prayer! And speak with loving boldness to those who’ve never heard.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(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.”

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 5:9-13, “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;

10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and

swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world.

11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be

an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a

swindler– not even to eat with such a one.

12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within

the church?

13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”

There’s an old “saying” that the reason preachers’ kids are so obstreperous is that they had only the deacons’ kids with whom to play. I used to joke about that until I remembered that my dad was a deacon! All kidding aside, we all –young and old, Christian and non-Christian— tend to blend in with those with whom we associate.

The Corinthian Church members were Christians (at least, for the most part), yet even the Christians had not divested themselves of all the evil that surrounded them daily. Let us be honest: neither have we! That makes Paul’s letters to the Corinthians relevant to us today. What’s worse, is when “Christians” within the church behave more like the lost in the community than like “born-again” believers in Jesus!

Paul’s warning is like a boxer’s right-cross to his opponent’s jaw! “Do not associate with immoral people!” The Corinthians misunderstood and possibly ceased from witnessing to the lost because they were immoral. But that is NOT what Paul meant! He then lists a litany of sins: covetous (those who always want more), swindlers (thieves), and those who worship idols. Note, however, that had the Corinthians taken Paul literally, they would have had to leave the world because everyone in the world sins against God in one way or another!

Further, Paul makes it clear that his current communication is for the benefit of the Corinthian Church; it has nothing to do with the lost (the outsiders). It is not that Paul is not concerned about the lost, but the Church has to get right first. That’s so true of us. It is of little-to-no value that we witness to lost people, if we do the same things they do. How do we demonstrate Christ’s love and change in us –if there isn’t any?

Paul’s final admonition is that they remove the wicked man (???????, poneros means evil-producing) from the Church! How many would be left in our churches today, if we obeyed this Pauline directive? Ouch!! Failure to cleanse the Church of those who live contrary to the Biblical directive for believers, will ultimately result in the Church’s degenerative lifestyle. How are parents honored if their children are allowed to engage in the grossest of evil? How is the LORD honored if His Church allows its members to live degenerate lives?

We cannot be accountable for everyone; but we can and are accountable for ourselves! Check up on your lifestyle? Do you look like Jesus, or more like those He came to save?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(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.”

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 1:4-8, “I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God

which was given you in Christ Jesus,

5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge,

6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you,

7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord

Jesus Christ,

8 who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Corinthians –even the Christians among them—were not without sin. Yet, they had traveled a long way down the road of redemption when compared with the Galatians. Still, with the Apostle Paul, all believers were remembered in his prayers. His ministry linked them with the grace of God and they were enriched in the LORD with every possible spiritual gift.

Consider Moses. He didn’t think he had the speaking ability that was necessary to reach those to whom the LORD intended to send him. So, the LORD sent Moses’ brother Aaron along. Yet, in the end of their assignment, Moses discovered his speech was quite sufficient.

No employer worth his salt would require an employee to do a job without furnishing him the needed tools to do it. Would you not be surprised, therefore, if I were to tell you that the moment you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, the LORD God implanted within you every spiritual gift necessary to complete His design for your entire spiritual life on this Earth?

The New Testament informs us that there are specific divisions of spiritual gifts: Serving Gifts and Speaking Gifts. There are seven specific Serving Gifts and five specific Speaking Gifts. The Serving Gifts include Faith, Discernment of Spirits, Helps, Mercy, Management, Leadership and Giving. The Speaking Gifts are Preaching, Teaching, Exhortation, Knowledge and Wisdom. There was also a Sign Gift. It provided the ability to speak in languages totally unstudied and unknown to the speaker. This gift was specifically present for the evangelization of the Jews and was terminated with the completion of the Scriptures at the end of the first century when Paul said, “tongues shall cease of themselves” (???????, ?????????) (1 Cor. 13:8).

It is important that all believers in Jesus Christ examine these spiritual gifts and apply them as the Holy Spirit leads. Further information on the gifts is contained in the attachment included with this Letter. God bless you abundantly!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(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.”

Dear Grands,

Galatians 6:7-10, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows,

this he will also reap.

8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one

who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.

9 And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow

weary.

10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those

who are of the household of the faith.”

Just in case you handn’t noticed, let me tell you that there is a lot of deception in the world! Virtually all types of advertisements are in som way deceptive. Oh, they offer the world, but in the fine print (if you read it) you learn exactly what you’re up against. The deception of which Paul speaks, however, is focused on man’s attempt to deceive the LORD.

Did you ever make a vow (a promise or a pledge) to the LORD and then not keep it? Well, you didn’t fool the LORD! He has His own way of “returning the favor.” And that is never pleasant. However, if you obey the Holy Spirit, He will give you the guarantee of eternal life.

“But it’s difficult,” you say. “My friends are doing things that I know are not right, and I don’t want look like a ‘goodie two-shoes’ in front of them.” Oh, really? You haven’t grown up spiritually, have you? Are the “things” they do and say –things you know to be wrong – are they of greater value to you than the LORD is? Do you think being embarrassed in front of your friends for abstaining from their way of life is more important than being embarrassed before God for partaking of ungodliness?

Don’t let what others think or say carry so much weight in your thinking! Just do what is right in God’s eyes, and don’t allow yourself to worry about what others think or say. Remember that just as a farmer reaps what he sows, you reap what you sow, as well.

Every encounter with someone gives you the opportunity to either influence him for Christ or fall prey to his influence upon you. Just practice doing what is right in God’s eyes! Don’t worry about what others think! They may judge you for not doing what they do. But, God will judge you for not following His instructions. Who is more powerful? Whose judgment is more vital? Whom do you love more?

Look for opportunities to do good, to show love and compassion. Of special concern are other believers. The LORD is concerned for all of His people. When we show concern for them, He shows more concern for us. Who do you know than needs to observe and receive your genuine concern? Do it! You’ll be glad that you did. God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(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.”

Dear Grands,

Galatians 5:19-25, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality,

impurity, sensuality,

20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,

factions,

21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just

as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the

kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and

desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Which is easier, to involve ourselves in things of the flesh or allow the Holy Spirit to guide us? By nature, the Galatians were an impetuous people. By nature, we are also impetuous. Paul cites 15 sinful attitudes and actions that people commit and then he concludes by saying “those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

It hardly seems necessary to further describe the sins to which Paul alludes. They are largely known to all of us because they permeate our daily lives. It is sufficient to under-stand that participation in such sins eliminates our inheritance of the kingdom of God.

In stark contrast, Paul cites only nine fruitful elements that come from the Holy Spirit of God. It is obviously not an indication that less comes from God than comes from our sinful natures. Perhaps, the apostle is being subtle in saying that it takes less to be what the LORD wants of us than we think.

Dr. G. Campbell Morgan identifies the fruit of the Spirit as in correlation with the attributes of Christ’s life. Morgan cites love as the essential attribute underlying each of the others. Joy is identified as “the consciousness of love”; peace, as “the confidence of love”; longsuffering, as “the habit of love”; gentleness, as “the activity of love”; goodness as “the quality of love”; faith as “the quantity of love”; meekness as “the tone of love”; and self-control as “the victory of love.”[1] What a life to know and live –if only we were totally yielded to the Spirit’s control!

I spoke today with man who identified a long-time friend of his as “having possessed the nearest likeness to Jesus Christ” as any one he had ever known. What an enviable characterization! Yet, it could be true of any of us if we were only to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and control our lives. Pray that we will all turn our lives to His control; for when we do, we bring honor and glory to His Name.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

1G. Campbell Morgan, The Westminster Pulpit (London: Pickering and Inglis, Ltd., n.d.,) pp. 171ff.

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.”

________________________________

[1]G. Campbell Morgan, The Westminister Pulpit (London: Pickering and Inglis, Ltd., n.d.), pp. 171-179.