The Grands Letter (John/GLJ)
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D. on July 4, 2025 5:42 am (CST)
Dear Grands,
John 8:31-36, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free?’” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 “So, if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
Virtually everyone loves freedom. Total freedom, however, is not available, nor should it be.
To many, simply wanting to do what they want to do is called freedom. Interestingly, the Dictionary offers 17 separate definitions for the word “freedom,” and the Bible offers the word but ten times in nine verses, seven of which are in the New Testament.
Unfortunately, to many people, the word “freedom” is a “do-what-you-want-when-you-want” concept. If that definition were to be allowed, and everyone utilized freedom to the extent he desired, the world would be in worse shape than it currently is!
In our Scripture verses above, the LORD Jesus was saying that freedom resides for those who reside in and follow Him. I recall a schoolteacher once saying, “This year, children, you are going to do just as you please…” The room “hummed” with glee. The only problem was that the teacher had not completed her sentence. Her completed direction said, “This year, children, you are going to do just as you please, so long as you please to do right!”
That directive works well when it’s complete and when the desire of those who heard it is to behave according to the LORD and His direction in the Scriptures. Are you there yet? Have you determined to obey the LORD, regardless of what you think? It is the only way to live. Remember this verse:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).
Heartily in Christ Jesus,
Gene
(Dado III)
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
United States of America
“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom
