The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 5:17-21, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

What really is a Christian? Is it simply someone who is not a Jew? or a Hindu? or a Muslim? Jews can be Christians because Jewish is both ethnic and religious. Yet, those who have traced the origin of Christianity understand that the designation is primarily spiritual in nature. Being “in Christ” means having trusted Him as LORD and Savior. He, then, accepts and reconciles to Himself the one who believes and trusts Him.

Reconciliation is the process of bringing two parties into agreement. Before one is reconciled, he wants everything to be as he wishes. Reconciliation brings man into agreement with God. God and man are no longer adversaries. Man experiences agreement with God; he accepts Jesus as his LORD, and becomes a Christian and an advocate of salvation in Christ.

An ambassador “represents the person of a King in the court of another.” Thus, he shares Jesus Christ with others and urges them to “be reconciled to God.”

Jesus had no sin of His own; yet, He died on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sin. When we acknowledge our sin and trust Jesus as the Sacrifice for our sin, He reconciles us with the Father. We then have a new life, which is righteous and willing to live for Christ and to engage in doing His will. Are you there yet? If not, you can be!

Confess your sins to God in a simple prayer and ask Him to forgive you and to cleanse your life and make you in the likeness of Christ. That’s His business, and He will do it! He promises so!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 5:17-21, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

How do you tell a Christian from a non-Christian? Some would say it’s whether they attend church. Others would say it’s which church they attend. Still, others would say it’s whether they support the church with their gifts. Would you be surprised if I said it’s none of the above?

The Apostle Paul, author of this Corinthian letter, says that one has to be “in Christ.” We have to be new creations with old things cast aside in favor of the new life that has been granted to us from Christ.

Not only are we changed, our responsibilities have changed. “He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” The LORD now uses us as His ambassadors. We are to appeal to others to accept Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior. That’s what reconciliation to God is. In other words, He wants those to whom we speak about Jesus to come to Him in faith and be aligned with Christ Himself.

Christ Jesus had no sin. He was always in perfect agreement with His Father. Yet, the Father allowed His Son, Jesus, to be crucified as a sacrifice for our sin. When we accept Christ’s atonement for our sins, we become spiritually reconciled to the Father and become His child. Then, we are ready to meet Him when He comes again!

Reconciliation can occur in your life! Confess your sins to Jesus! Ask Him to forgive your sins and accept you as one of His children. You are one for whom He died! He will accept you and transform your life so that it honors and glorifies Him! You will be spiritually refreshed –better than a good night’s sleep!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 4:14-18, “He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Human afflictions abound! “Why is all of this happening to me?” you ask. The simple answer is in order that the grace of God may cause giving thanks to God that everything in every human life might abound to the glory of God.

In all of this, we are never to lose heart. The humanity of man is moving daily toward death and decay. But the inner man (the spiritual self) is being renewed each and every day.

Yes, we have afflictions of all sorts; but they’re light afflictions when compared with others, and they only last a short time. We assess them by days and weeks. If we gauge our troubles by the spiritual scale, they produce a spiritual value beyond all comparison!

The things which we see around us are temporal things. They are not to be compared with heavenly things which we cannot see. So, “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41 NAU).

We can overcome, but only through the LORD. Do you know Him? Are you
ready to meet Him when He comes?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

2 Corinthians 1:3-6, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer…”

When we think of “comfort,” in all likelihood we’re thinking of a bed or a chair, perhaps a cool glass of water –something that brings ease and rest to our weary bodies. Yet, comfort can also mean encourgement. In those times when we’ve just “had enough.” Discouragement has overwhelmed us and we’d rather quit than seek solace from anyone. We’ve just had enough!

It is then that the Holy Spirit comes to our rescue, strengthening us mentally and fortifying us that we might “keep on keeping on.” Refreshed physically and mentally, we are then anxious to resume the challenge, but this time “in the strength of the LORD.”

Someone once said that “some people comfort the afflicted, while others just afflict the comforted.” In any event, we need to be ready for the LORD’s use of us in every situation. He often prepares us to assist others. Yes, there can be rejection! But He was rejected, yet He uttered from the Cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Are you ready to engage in His service? If not, you’re in need of His service. Either way, He stands ready and waiting for your call. Just one thing: He won’t wait forever for you to accept Him. “Behold, now is day of salvation” (2Cor 6:2).

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

I Corinthians 15:12-20, “Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;
14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.”

In our last Letter, we emphsized the Resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ. We spoke of it as the key to His Crucifixion’s validity. In these verses, we have a logical continuation of that Message. Some were saying, as some say today, that Jesus did not rise from the dead. Paul argues that if there were no resurrection, then all the preaching of Christ’s Resurrection is “vain” (?????, kenos, empty, foolish, futile).

Without the Resurrection, It would then follow that all the Christian ministers throughout history were then “false witnesses” of Almighty God. Further, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith (i.e., all of you who are now reading this Letter) is worthless…” and what’s more, “you are still living in your sins.”

Tell me, what could be worse? The loss of all your possessions, or the notification of your total indebtedness to someone of whom you’ve never heard – nothing is comparable to being wrong about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Oh, and what of the dead, who have believed in His Resurrection? Your husband, your wife, your child, your parents –all of them having been taught and believed that Jesus arose from the dead— only now you discover that there is no resurrection from the dead. Think about that!! What if that were true? Thank God it is not!

Ah, but “Christ has been raised from the dead…” He was the initial Sacrifice, the One who assures us that all who believe on Him before they die, will indeed be raised from the dead, when He returns! The only hope anyone has to be resurrected when Jesus comes again, lies in the repentance of his sin and trust in Jesus before he dies. Have you called upon Christ Jesus for salvation? Are you trusting in Him alone? Trust Him today before it’s too late! Every day brings us one day closer to the day of His Return!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom