The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Jude 1:1-4, “Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

2 May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.

3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Were you ever in the midst of writing a letter when you remembered something you had intended to say—something more important than anything you were immediately saying? That’s exactly where Jude was in writing this personal epistle to Christians who were scattered abroad throughout the Middle East.

The greater importance of this letter, however, centers upon an evil that had “snaked” its way into the church and was destined to destroy it. Jude’s concern lay partially in the fact that his brother, James, was either currently, or had previously been, a member of this church.

The Epistle of Jude, therefore, is perhaps the most solemn in all of the Bible. He likens the church’s problems to those early, ambitious angels, to self-righteous Cain, to the depraved Sodomites, to rebellious Israel, to greedy Balaam, presumptuous Korah, and the apostasy of his day, perhaps even ours!

Two key words in Jude’s letter are “keep” and “kept,” as his basic concern was the church at large; for it contained serious believers who were themselves in danger of having their faith hijacked. Many believers today face similar hijackings! What can you do? Study the Scriptures! Spend time in prayer! Listen attentively to your pastor’s teaching! Trust the Holy Spirit to keep you in the faith “that was once-for-all handed down to the saints” (Jude 1:3). The LORD and His Word will always sustain you!

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

Dear Grands,

3 John 1:1-15: “The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.

4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers;

6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say.

10 For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.

11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.

13 I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink;

14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.

15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.”

This letter was written by the aged Apostle John to Gaius, one of Paul’s hosts (Rom. 16:23), one whom Paul had baptized (vs. 4) and who was continuing to live faithfully in the LORD. It’s always best to commence a letter with the mention of a good man.

As we become older, we become bolder in stating forthrightly what we would not have said in our youth (v. 9). Although Paul is doubtlessly quite old as he writes, he calls attention to the faithless Diotrephes, who wants desperately to become a leader in the church, despite his lack of qualifications. (Believe me, there is always at least one!) Still, there are those good, godly, dependable, Biblical people, whose lives demonstrate their love and likeness of the LORD. Are you one of those? I pray that you are! May God bless you if you are and help you if you are not!

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

Dear Grands,

2 John 1:1-9, “The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth,

2 for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.

5 Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.

6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.

9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.”

This epistle is a private, personal letter from the Apostle John and is addressed to an unknown Christian woman. Second John is the only letter in the New Testament that has been exclusively written to a lady. The word “love” is mentioned four times; the word “truth” five times. Thus, the letter appears to have been written as a warning against the entertainment of some false teachers.

We would all be well advised to heed that warning today—especially regarding some in the media. Just as we endeavor to attend a church where the pastor is truly biblical, we must be alert to the media preachers, some of whom are not biblical! Truth comes from Scripture, and those who preach only from Scripture can generally be trusted to be preachers of Scriptural truth alone. God bless you as you faithfully search the Word!

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

Dear Grands,

1 John 1:1-10, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life–

2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us–

3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

It was soon after the church had been founded that sin commenced to intrude. Judaism and Paganism sought to infiltrate the Church and infest the members with the theories of their erroneous beliefs. While admitting the deity of Christ, they denied His humanity.

As the author of the letter, John wrote “that your joy may be full” (1:4). He also emphasized that the Life of Fellowship is “the victorious life” (2:1-17). Further, it is “the Guarded Life” (2:18-4:6), and “the Life of Knowledge” (4:7-10) –all of which come from God!

Satan always works through weak and unbiblical people. They may quote Scripture, but they do not live out Scripture! They often seek places of prominence within the church. They speak of needs in the lives of others but ignore the needs in their own lives. All of this causes disturbance within the church body, overlooking the needs of those who are lost and undoubtedly en route to hell.

Walking in the Light of the LORD Jesus Christ gives encouragement to those young in the faith. The Church then grows in faith; the lost are attracted to Christ; and the LORD Himself is glorified! He is The Light, and He identifies the lost and forgives our sins. Praise ever be to the LORD!

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

Dear Grands,

2 Peter 1:1-8, “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,

7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This letter from Peter contains a touching reminder of his old age and impending death. He also reminds us of his transfiguration experience, remarkable for its description of the Christian graces, as well as the moral and doctrinal corruption that seeks ever and always to invade the Church. In each situation, Peter emphasizes the corrupting elements with which Satan longs to invade and destroy Christian lives and the Church of Jesus Christ.

Remember today the things to avoid: moral and doctrinal corruption. Remember adherence to things that are spiritually steadfast and doctrinally sound. We will one day meet Jesus; and on that day we will give a full account of our lives.

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