The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 8:31-36, “Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You shall become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 “And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”

There’s an old saying that goes, “Always tell the truth and you won’t have to remember anything.” That saying has been widely attributed to Mark Twain; yet, whoever originally said it certainly knew what telling the truth is all about.

There are some today who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ but have trouble telling the truth. They pretend to be free, but they’re not. Jesus said that failure to abide in His Word was tantamount to being a slave to sin. But what does it mean to “abide in His Word”?

“Abiding in His Word” means to regularly read and absorb the teachings of Holy Scripture. We must learn and understand what the Scripture says and obey it continuously. We must also become proficient in living holy lives. That requires us to live day by day what we understand the Scriptures to teach. The Bible must become part and parcel of our lives.

It’s true that Christ-like living doesn’t happen overnight! Like anything else, it takes time, prayer, practice, and patience. Yet, the value we derive from living spiritually day by day is immeasurable! It is a testimony of the freedom Christ gives when we fully yield our lives to Him. It’s then that you will sing: “Free at last! Free at last! Praise God Almighty, I’m Free at last!”

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