The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 John 1:1-12, “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.

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;

11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

12 Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full.”

My guess is that everyone reading this letter knows someone who resembles the “chosen lady” to whom John addressed it! She has children who are “walking in truth” and in love. She acknowledges the Lord Jesus Christ in her own life. She is, however, aware of the Antichrist, who leads people away from the Word and replaces it with the folly of his evil deeds.

John warns this beloved sister against even inviting into her house those who come with a teaching that is not of the Lord! To some, this may seem a bit harsh, but there’s even an old Arabian proverb that says, “Once the camel’s nose is in the tent, his body soon will follow.” We would all do well to adhere to John’s wise counsel. Stick with the Lord! Follow His teachings! “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God” in his life. Do you have Him in your life? I trust you do.

Heartily in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all that 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.”

If you’ve ever watched water boil, you have some idea of how the Apostle John is feeling as he labors with intense joy writing to the Jewish believers of his day and to us! There is no question about where John has been or what he has done, for joy such as he is espousing has originated with the LORD Jesus Christ. Still, he says that he has seen and touched the very Word of Life! Now, he is encouraging us to do the same.

His announcement says that “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness”—not one little bit! There are those who claim to know Him but live in darkness (i.e., evil). John is adamant in saying that if we claim to be in fellowship with the Savior, yet continue to walk in the darkness of moral filth, we are simply lying—lying in the effort to mislead others into thinking that we are living in a pure and honest relationship with Jesus Christ. But that cannot be! Those who pretend to be in fellowship with the LORD are simply lying.

Those who have faithfully confessed their sins to the LORD Jesus Christ have changed position with those who are retaining life in the darkness of moral filth. Christ alone can cleanse one from mortal sin. Yet, he must first confess (agree with God about) his sin and ask for His forgiveness. Christ will forgive sin. That’s what He does, and He does it quite well.

Those who trust Jesus understand what it is to be saved (born again). Have you trusted Him? I pray that you have; for when you do, you will understand what it means. And you will want your friends to understand it, too. God bless you abundantly!

Heartily in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all that we need,

Until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

2 Peter 1:1-12, “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.

9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.”

In his final letter to believers of all ages, Simon Peter urges adherence to the spiritual and moral directive of our LORD Jesus Christ. In this way, every believer will become “a partaker of the divine nature” and escape the lust that endeavors to demean His teaching and destroy the effect of the righteousness He came to instill in us. Peter further avows that the acclamation of these qualities will enable believers to avoid stumbling and to be increasingly useful “in the true knowledge” that the LORD Himself demonstrates through His own life.

It does us well to consistently evaluate our standing with Him and with His teachings. In this manner, we not only “avoid stumbling,” but we encourage other believers to evaluate their lives as they communicate with Him. Further, it is Peter’s confident assurance that those who engage in serious evaluation will not stumble, thereby avoiding a hindrance to others.

Quite seriously, we all need to adhere to Simon Peter’s encouragement. We also need to encourage others by reminding them of the LORD’s directives. Of course, we should remember to do it gently; and above all, to demonstrate His Word through our own lives.

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

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 5:1-7, “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,

2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;

3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,

7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

Someone once said, “Whenever you come to the word ‘therefore,’ ask yourself what it is ‘there for.’” Very simply, Simon Peter is concluding his first letter and is encouraging his fellow believers. They were all living in arduous times. Every day was difficult for them all. They had personally witnessed the suffering of Jesus, and discouragement lay heavily upon them.

Peter looks beyond the present and encourages the believers to continue living and working for the LORD. “Prove yourselves to be ‘Christ-like,’” was his message. Encourage the church to “keep on keeping on.” How could Peter be so faithful? What was behind his reasoning?

The Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ Himself, was coming again! Yes, He died on the cross; but He arose from the dead! What’s more, He is coming again! And when He comes, we will receive that “unfading crown of glory.” Stay in line! Attend to the work of reaching others for Him. Stay humble before Him. The LORD resists the proud. Cast all your worries on Him! Pray without ceasing! Be assured that He cares for you.

Simon Peter’s encouragement should touch our hearts as well. It’s not easy to be a Christian. It has never been easy. There are innumerable difficulties and sufferings. Yet, the LORD Jesus suffered for us; are we not to suffer for Him? To be candidly frank, most of us have no idea of what it means to suffer. Someone challenges our witness, and we think it’s suffering. Yet, those who seek to live for Him under ungodly regimes more clearly know what it means to truly suffer. We must pray for them far more than we do.

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

Dear Grands,

James 4:1-5, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?

2 You lust and do not have; so, you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so, you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us?”

Do you recall that I shared in one of these letters that my cousin, Jim, and I used to argue vociferously – not because we disagreed, but because we were seeking to arrive at Biblical truth? It may indeed sound strange now, but it served us well then. What’s more, we’re still friends, and we still advocate what we learned from the Bible!

I say all of that to say that I’m thankful my friendly contests were with Jim and not with Apostle James! What James quotes above is not only to Jewish believers, but it’s a small part of the verbal scourging he is giving to us all. Look at what James includes: pleasures, lust, murder, envy, fights, quarrels, adultery, failure to pray – all hostilities toward God! And these were church members! “Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

James then adds: “Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? Oh, indeed the Holy Spirit indwells us, if we have trusted Him as LORD and Savior of our lives! But our love for the world and its pleasures smothers His appearance, so that we don’t act or look like Christians!

Some churches today even fight within themselves, ignoring the mandate of the Scriptures. Some pastors are guilty of the very sins that James condemns. Let me encourage you to forsake that kind of pastor and those kinds of churches. They only destroy in you what the Holy Spirit seeks to build up. Love the LORD! Love His Word!

Be thankful for courageous pastors and Biblically sound churches! None of them are perfect because you and I are not perfect! Yet, we’re to strive for perfection under the power and leadership of our LORD Jesus Christ. Be prayerfully supportive of the LORD’s work, primarily in your own life. We strengthen others when we allow the LORD to strengthen us. God bless!

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