The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 15:38-45, “…God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and
another of fish.
40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is
another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in
glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;
43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;
44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”

Does it surprise you that the Corinthians, and especially the Christian Corinthians should have questions about the resurrection? They were precisely the same as we: they had questions about many things. And as the LORD’s servant, Paul, answers these questions for them, he answers them for us. Did you ever bite into a seed? What you broke with your bite was the body of that seed. Despite its hardness, we might say that body is the flesh of that seed. The seed has to “die” in the ground before it can bring forth the harvest of grain.

Paul then shifts to the matter of heavenly and earthly bodies, like the sun. the moon and the stars. Each has its own glory; each differs from the other, thus, each glory differs from the glory of the other. All of this parallels the resurrection of man from the dead. The body of man is perishable; it can and does die. The human body is subject to diseases and weaknesses of all kinds; and these diseases that cause death, are in turn, caused by sin. Sin is what Paul references when he says the body of man is “sown in dishonor…sown in weakness.” But that’s not the end! The body of man is “raised in glory…raised in power!”

Paul cites his support for all of this from Genesis 2:7, “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Then Paul differentiates the first man, Adam, from the “last Adam,” who is Jesus Christ. Jesus arose from the dead, and so will all mankind: the righteous, who have believed upon Jesus and His resurrection; and the unrighteous, who have not believed. The righteous will then be rewarded, and live forever with the LORD. The unrighteous will suffer for eternity under God’s just judgment because they did not trust Jesus as their LORD and Savior while here on Earth. Oh, how vitally important that we commit ourselves personally to Jesus Christ! He is the only key to eternal life.

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

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 13:11, “11 Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace
shall be with you.”

Most of us have heard speakers who can wax eloquently for some time and say virtually nothing. Not so with Paul. In this verse that closes the door on this entire epistle, Paul gives important instruction to the Corinthian believers and to us. He gives us five directives and closes with the assurrence of the LORD’s comfort and blessing.

The time in which we live does not lend itself easily to rejoicing. Yet, we are dutifully instructed to rejoice. We are not instructed to rejoice that life is difficult, or that the world is in turmoil with little to commend it. Rather, we are to rejoice that we are not ultimately of this world amd that a great and glorious time.is coming for those who are committed to Jesus Christ. Our purposed placement in this life is to be like Christ; and we are not complete until we fully become what He created and saved us to become.

We are also to “be comforted” both by accepting and abiding in the Apostle’s directive. Comfort comes when we abide restfully trusting in Christ, and when we are living in peace and unity with other believers. We often allow the magnification of others’ follies to depress us and lead us into conflict. We are instructed, however, to live in peace with one another, which then allows the love and peace of our LORD to live and fully abide in us.

Do we want to know and live in peace? The LORD has given us the key through the Apostle’s revelation. Let us practice those elements of his instruction, and trust the LORD further to lead us to live and express His love to others. That’s the key –the only key– to peace in our time.

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

Dear Grands,

Romans 14:20-23, “Do not wreck God’s work for the sake of food. Certainly all foods are clean; but all the same, any kind can be evil for someone to whom it is an offence to eat it.
21 It is best to abstain from eating any meat, or drinking any wine, or from any other activity which might cause a brother to fall away, or to be scandalised, or to weaken.
22 Within yourself, before God, hold on to what you already believe. Blessed is the person whose principles do not condemn his practice.
23 But anyone who eats with qualms of conscience is condemned, because this eating does not spring from faith — and every action which does not spring from faith is sin.”

No true believer should behave in such a way as to discount the work of Almighty God! “Don’t wreck God’s work” for anything, is the sure teaching of the Apostle Paul. There are indeed activities in life that are not wrong; however, those very activities may hurt the conscience of another, spiritually younger, Christian. Yes, we are our brother’s keeper! We, who have been Christians longer, are responsible for the spiritual growth of those who are younger in the faith. You may be admired for your faith by someone you don’t even know! When you indulge in an activity that offends that person, you cause him to stumble, and often stunt his spiritual growth in Christ.

Paul writes, “Blessed is the person whose principles do not condemn his practices.” In this classic statement, the Apostle assumes that the believer actually embraces the spiritual principles implanted in him by the Holy Spirit! Such should be true of us all. To live otherwise, confuses younger believers and wrecks the work of God in their lives. Anything that does not build up the faith of another, tears it down. There is no middle ground. God is in the building business! That’s why He sent Jesus to die for our sins. Cleansing us from sin presupposes that we will continue to grow in the grace of God. Thus, our living for Him will influence others and strengthen them in the faith.

So, let us thoroughly search our lives! Where are you spiritually? Do your practices condemn your principles? Do mine? We have a serious responsibility to God and to other believers. May the LORD’s work always prosper without hindrance from those of us who profess to know and follow His example.

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

Dear Grands,

Romans 16:25-27, “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”

Letters of ancient times commenced with the signature of the sender. The salutation of Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians utilized seven verses of 127 English words. His conclusion used but three verses, consisting of a mere 80 English words. Yet, throughout the entirety of the letter, the LORD Jesus Christ is exalted and glorified. This is how our lives ought to be: from the cradle to the grave, we ought to exalt and magnify our LORD Jesus Christ.

It is the LORD alone, who can strengthen and confirm our lives through the Gospel. That’s why it is imperative that we subject our minds to the clear teaching of a godly minister of the Gospel. Further, the responsibility is heavy upon the minister to seek out the truths of the Scripture and feed those truths to those who live under his ministry.

Paul avows that the Scriptures, written by the prophets of old, have now been opened to the understanding of all mankind. The overriding purpose of the Scriptures is to lead all who hear them to become obedient to the faith in Jesus Christ. That’s exactly what Christian missionaries are doing today. They have obediently planted their lives among natives, who have not heard of Jesus. They have to learn the language of the people among whom they live, all the while modeling the spiritual life of Christ.

If there is a joy that rivals that of coming to faith in Christ, it is the joy of seeing those with whom we’ve led to faith share the Gospel with others. The LORD does not call every believer to be a missionary to a foreign country, but He does call every believer to share his faith with others around him.

I remember so clearly my thoughts when I stood in a marketplace in India: “If only I could speak their language!” Yet, I speak the language of my own people. Am I sharing Christ with them as I ought? Are we, who know Him, being obedient to His call?

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

Dear Grands,

Romans 16:17-20, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.
18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.
20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

It is notably said of those who are prisoners: “Keep your eye on them, lest they escape!” Such an indication, however, presupposes some action to prevent an escape, if and when the prisoners seek to free themselves. Paul uses something of this concept when he warns against dissenters of the Gospel. Anyone who has spent time in the arena of Gospel presentation, knows that some will snear and seek to free others from the truthful knowledge of the Gospel of Christ.

Yes, there are those who seek to deceive and dissuade others from the Truth of the Gospel. They existed in New Testament times, and they are still with us today. Some are seeking to build “churches” of their own, where followers chant their leader’s view of the Scriptures. Such leaders’ “appetites” are satisfied when they themselves are the center of attention and when they prosper monitarily from book and trinket sales that feed their own lavish lifestyles at the expense of their followers. Why would those followers feed such lavish lifestyles, except that they are spiritually mezmorized away from the Gospel?

Still, there are those who are true ministers of Jesus Christ: Adrian Rogers, Billy Graham, Robert Jeffress, John Walvoord Dwight Pentecost — to name just a few. None are without fault, especially me! But, we are to remain true to the Word, as best we know It, for we will one day stand before our LORD and give account of both what we have taught and the true motive that lies behind our having taught it.

Paul rejoices over the obedience of his fellow-laborers, as well as over those who have willingly received and imbibed the True Gospel. “Be wise in what is good,” he says, “and (be) innocent in what is evil.” The Power of the God of peace will one day soon be victorious over Satan and his deceivers, as the grace of the LORD Jesus reigns supreme within us! Stay strong! Keep the faith! The battle will not be long.

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