The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Galatians 5:13-17, “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.
14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”

From the beginning of time, the LORD God permitted man to live freely. “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). Paul now addresses true, Christian believers with the same warning. There is a limitation to freedom when we do wrong under its guise. In other words, it’s never right to do wrong to do right.

We are not free to do or say or behave as we like. We are to love others genuinely and serve them sincerely. To live like this is always a battle. We have a natural, sinful desire to do and say whatever is to our benefit. Yet, having committed our lives completely by faith to Jesus Christ –ah, that word “committed” slipped in there! It clearly means we are not as free as we thought.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom