The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

I Corinthians 1:11-18, “…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 so that no one would 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, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us
who are being saved it is the power of God.”

We have three very fine preachers in the church I attend. They have different styles,
but they believe and preach the same Gospel. There may be some within the church
who would rate one above the others; however, I have yet to hear anyone say that.
After all, we are there for the Word, not for the preacher!

The Apostle Paul identified some differences within the Corinthian congregation. The differences there, however, had to do with doctrine, specifically with baptism. Some
registered their baptism as “better,” because they were baptized by Paul. Others
viewed Apollos as better, and still others held Cephas (Peter) higher.

The only factor that could possibly render one’s baptism as superior would
be that it was administered based upon the proper condition of one’s heart.
And even then, it has no spiritual superiority over the baptism of another.

Paul bowed out of the contention by saying that the LORD had not called him
to baptize, but to preach the Gospel.

I had an exciting experience when I served for a brief time as interim pastor
of Central Baptist Church in Sydney, Australia. The woman was a middle-aged
Aboriginal, and the water in the baptistry was so low, that I had some difficulty
immersing her in the water. Still, she was in no way excited that an American
preacher baptized her; she had accepted the LORD Jesus as her Savior and
was obeying what she knew to be pleasing to Him! Baptism should always be
viewed as an act of spiritual obedience to the LORD Jesus Christ.

One note of sure caution: whatever takes place in a church will be held in
opposition by someone. I remember too well an irate lady guiding me into the
church basement and expounding quite negatively that someone had brought Vacation Bible School material in a Beer box container!

As with Paul, that was out of my line.

The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us
who are saved, it is the power of God. Are you saved? If you’re alive, it’s
not too late. But someday soon, it will be. Please put first things first. It’s
all to your advantage. Jesus died on the cross for you.

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