The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 6:12-14, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

13 Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.

14 Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.”

1 Corinthians 6:18-20, “Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.

19 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body.”

In case you haven’t noticed (and I speak this to our shame), Christianity, as it is often practiced by those claiming to be Christians, is not immune from their immoral behavior. The ancient city of Corinth was, in its time, known as one of the most degenerate cities of the ancient world. Therefore, the Church has always needed this solemn Pauline warning.

The one who is fully committed to Jesus Christ should, therefore, always “be to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:12). Our language, including our humor, should always be of the highest caliber. Yes, I am aware that some of the rawest, unacceptable “humor” seems hilarious to the ears of even some believers. And it’s at that precise moment the believer needs to withdraw from such a group.

“But, they’re my friends,” someone professes. If they are, and if your spiritual stand is as well-known to them as it ought to be, they will respect you for your withdrawal. We grow spiritually through what we absorb from Scripture, but also through what we refuse of the world’s ungodly delights. Such withdrawal is itself a strengthening of our spiritual lives. May the Smile of God be an enrichment to us, and an example to all around us. May our blessed LORD strengthen our readiness to one day hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant…”

Heartily in Christ,

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