Friendship In The Lord Jesus

There's a song that I used to listen to by Michael W. Smith called “Friends." It goes something like this, “Friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them, and a friend will not say never because the welcome will not end. Though it's hard to let you go, in the Father's hands we know, that a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends." Amen? This is how it should be between Christian friends. But what if it's not and what if we don't know how to be friends in Christ? Sadly a lot of Christians do not know how to hold friendships as pleasing to Jesus. This is a touchy subject for many people and it is for me as well. They're not many people trying to be friends nowadays. First, let's look at some Bible passages: 

John 15:14-17 KJV - Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. 

The first one is John 15:14-17 KJV. Here we need to set an example and become more Christ-like, to be like Jesus! Jesus himself tells us that we are his friends. We can't have a greater friend than that! If we are His friends, isn't he also telling us that we should be friends with each other? Jesus chose us and not the other way around. Shouldn't we choose each other as well? He commanded us to love one another!

Proverbs 17:17 KJV -A friend loveth at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

I recently had someone tell me that if they could not hear positive news from me and positive things continued not to happen to me, then they did not want my friendship or to talk to me. They said they were tired of hearing about my bad situation! That problem should be addressed in Job, right? I digress. What King Solomon is telling us here in Proverbs is that no matter what our friends are going through we should not love them less because of it and even closer friendships are born out of trials and tribulations. Friendship is not an easy road! But it's worth it.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 KJV - Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Here a few weeks ago every one of my friends dumped me. This is not the first time that I have been alone and I can speak from experience and tell you that we were not made to be alone. Life is much easier if you have someone else in it. According to Proverbs we might fall and lay on the ground forever not being able to get up without someone else and also we might freeze to death! These are true statements. Also how can you fight a life-threatening battle alone? 

Proverbs 27:17 KJV - Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

I've had some good Christian friends that sharpened me enough so I can fight these deadly battles that I'm going through right now. I don't know where I would have been without their advice and example. And how many times did I smile when I still had friends? Too many times to count. 

Proverbs 27:5-6 KJV - Open rebuke is better Than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

I have been rebuked by many a friend and I am a better person for it! Still remember their rebukes to this day. I still abide by their advice. Even my countenance is better because of their rebukes because they knew when I was being stupid and told me so! 

A true friend will tell you when they are hurt with you but your enemy will always smile at you. What wise words! Enemies hide their faces from you behind their smile.

John 15:11-13 KJV - These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

Remember above, Jesus told us that we are his friends. How is our joy made full in this lifetime? Is it not through our friends, that we have them and fellowship with them? Friends bring true joy into our lives. Not only we are commanded to love each other we are commanded to love each other as Jesus loved us! Greater Love have no man than if they die for their friends like Jesus died for us. 

Proverbs 18:24 KJV - A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: And there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Treat your friends right! Have standards on how they should treat you because, after all, you are their brother or sister in Christ. Mutual respect is an essential part of friendship. Again, we are encouraged to follow how Christ treated his friends even though Solomon was not alive to see jesus. God the Father put Him in his heart before he came to Earth. Also Jesus said I and the father are One. If you have seen Jesus you have seen the Father. Even after all of Solomon's sins, he still saw the Father. He saw Christ before Christ ever appeared on Earth.

We should love our friends as we love ourselves. But what if my spouse tells me I can't have such and such as a friend? Well, your spouse is wrong. I know the Bible tells us to cleave to one another and for wives to obey their husbands, but sometimes our spouses are wrong. Jesus himself commanded all of us to die for our friends because we love them so much. He commanded us to love them as He loved us. Having a spouse tell you that you cannot be friends with someone is, essentially, telling you that you cannot fully be Christ-like. It's sort of like them telling you that you can't fully love Jesus. In all instances it is very wrong and that spouse should repent before Jesus. If your spouse is in deep error then, in my opinion, I don't think the Bible would support you following their lead in those situations. 

Have you lost a friend? Try to go back and fix that relationship. Is it a one sided love and a friendship? Try to witness to that person and be a good example for Jesus when it comes to them. Maybe God has a greater plan and it will all work out for his glory! I believe reconciling your friendships is like reconciling yourself to Jesus. It is super important! 

Sometimes the love that you have for a friend can exceed everything in your life except for Jesus. There's nothing wrong with that and don't let anybody ever tell you that there is.