The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Rev. 21:3-8, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’
5 And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’
6 Then He said to me, ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
7 ‘He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.
8 ‘But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.’”

A currently, well-known pastor recently said, “The Christian faith doesn’t rise and fall on the accuracy of 66 ancient documents. It rises and falls on the identity of a single individual: Jesus of Nazareth.”

Statements like this disturb me notably. I can only imagine how it disturbs members of his congregation. If we cannot trust the 66 books of the Bible, how can we trust the Jesus of whom the 66 books testify? What do we know of Jesus outside of the witness of these 66 books?

Twenty-seven (27) of those 66 books are in the New Testament. Is the pastor challenging the veracity of New Testament Scripture as well? The Gospels clearly testify of Jesus; and while Old Testament Scriptures do not call Him “Jesus” by name, He is clearly identified in the Old Testament as the “Messiah,” Jesus (Savior) in the New Testament.

We’re living in dangerous times. Vladimir Putin is not
our only enemy. Apparently, some of our ministers are now playing fast ‘n loose with Holy Scripture,
confusing those who are either new in the faith or are contemplating the faith that was committed to the saints.

Be careful how you treat Scripture. Frankly, it would frighten me terribly to speak lightly of God’s Holy Word. Multiple believers in history have given their lives in defense of the Scripture that some today are taking lightly. Remember this solemn warning with which John closes the Book of Revelation:

“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;
19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18-19).

Pray for your pastor! He carries great responsibilities!

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