The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Romans 14:7-12, “For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, ‘As I LIVE,’ SAYS THE LORD, ‘EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.’ 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.”

Death is a human reality. Of course, other living creatures also die; but, for the most part, human death is what primarily concerns us.

I have witnessed a lot of deaths in my lifetime. I’ve preached what seems like an enormous number of funerals. Some were the relatives of people I had never known; others were friends and relatives. It’s always sorrowful to lose those whom we’ve loved.

If there is joy—any joy in death, and there is some, it is usually due to either one’s personal encounter with the decedent or simply the gratitude that he is now free from the anguish of pain and suffering.

Yet, death is not the end. The Word of God, through the learned apostle, tells us that “we will all stand before the judgment seat of God and give an account of all that we have done and left undone! That will be an unprecedented day! Our hearts and minds will be devoid of excuses for how we have lived and the things we have done and left undone.

Yet, in His graciousness, He will allow us to bow before Him and give praise for all He is and has done! It will be a glorious day. Everything depends on how we arrange it.

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