Thursday, June 7, 2001

“To Be God’s Friend…”

(Transcript of CD#75)

Q. Define the word friends. What is a friend?

A. The Old English word freond means lover, to love. From the Webster’s Dictionary: a friend is a person whom one knows well and is fond of; intimate associate; close acquaintance. Here is my personal favorite: a friend is a person on the same side in a struggle.

If we are going to have friends we must be willing to put out an effort to get to know them intimately. We have determined we must love them and are on the same side in this struggle called life!

Q. Do we need to be careful as to who we choose for our friends?

A. Wither we realize it or not our friends has great influence on us, on our actions. See the following:

• Cor. 15:33 says, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

Paul is telling us not to be deceived by society into believing that our friends do not influence us. This word deceived here is translated from the Greek word “planao” and it means to cause to roam from safety, truth or virtue. Hold that thought as we examine the rest of this verse. This word communications from the Greek language means companionship. So we see that boils back to our friends. A companion is one that could be said matches another.

Some might say well Paul said evil, I know I’m not budding up with someone evil. Evil was translated from the Greek word “kakos” and it means worthless. If someone is swine and you can’t witness to them then a friendship would be worthless. In others words God’s Word is what makes us salty, different and if we can’t influence them, they will us.

I’m not speaking here of being hateful, we are to be sociably to everybody. That does not mean you have to make them your friend. Our walk is our testimony and we must preserve it at all costs. Drug dealers tend to hang around other drug dealers; Christians need to hang with other Christians. We are to go into “all” of our world to reach the lost and then after conversion become their friend.

• Psalms 119:63 says, “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.”

The Psalmist here is saying who his true friends will be, one who reverences God Almighty and keeps His Word! It makes me think of the scripture:

• Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

As iron or steel is used to sharpen a knife, ax ETC… so can we sharpen the minds, the habits and the behavior of our friends. With that being said that’s why I want to be God Almighty’s friend. I long to sharpened by His love and mercy in my life. Getting back to the first verse we read today:

Q. Can you be friends with God and the world?

A. See the following:

• James 4:4 says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

Q. Why were the words adulterers and adulteresses used here?

A. Our God is a jealous God and He will not share the spotlight with a sinful world. Let’s document that from God’s Word:

• Deut. 4:24 says, “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”
• Deut. 5:7-10 says, “Thou shalt have none other gods before me. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.”

As God’s friends we will be partaking of His mercy because we love Him enough to keep His Word. We could cover many more verses but this was to make sure of the fact God is a jealous God. From the book of James we see that “if” we’re friends with this world we are committing adultery. Not only that but instead of being God’s friends we have become His enemy. Can you imagine being His enemy, God Almighty? Let’s cover some more verses that show we should not be friends with this world:

• 1 John 2:15 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Q. Why is that the case?

A. Because this world is a feeding ground for the flesh and as we read in James and Genesis it’s evil. There is not any middle ground here, we either love God Almighty or we love the world. Remember the word friend can in one sense mean to love! Our love will decide as to what our actions will be; to God or to the world. This world will pass away but God is eternal, easy choice huh?

• 1 John 2:16 says, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

These should all be very familiar to you as a Bible student. These three things are part of Satan’s method of operation. These are what he used on Eve in the garden and our Lord in the wilderness (see Gen. 3:6, Matt. 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13). The lust of the flesh wants to feed itself doing what it wants it’s very selfish. The lust of the eyes wants to feed itself from its friend this world by accumulating things. The pride of life is selfish also worrying about its position ETC…. Friends of this world will pass away with it while God’s friends live forever. Next verse for documentation:

• 1 John 2:17 says, “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

The ones who find this verse of scripture hard to believe are the ones who are friends with this world. As Disciples of Christ we must put our entire being and future in God’s will. This verse of scripture goes right along with:

• Matt. 7:21 says, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

This verse of scripture tells us plainly that what we “do” can’t be separated from what we “do & believe”. We can talk of being God’s friend all day long but our actions will show our true friends!

Let’s go and look at what it takes to be God’s friend which is completely opposite of being the worlds friend.

Please open your Bibles to the Gospel of John:

• John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

When you and I name Jesus Christ the Lord of our life we put Him in complete charge. Kurios is where we get our English word Lord. Kurios means One who is supreme in authority. Hold in your mind the definition of friends we mentioned earlier.

Q. What was Jesus Christ’s commandment?

A. That we “love” one another “as” He loved us.

Q. How did Jesus Christ love us, demonstrate His love toward us?

A. See the next verse, I want to use God’s Word and not men’s do you:

• John 15:13 says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus Christ our Lord was no different than you and me. He was God made flesh, He had a family and a job. I’m sure there were certain things that He wanted to do, to accomplish. He laid down His will and done the things that were for everyone’s good, not just His own! Jesus Christ was not just God’s Son but He was God’s friend!

We can talk of love all we want but love is positive action not what feels good! Love sometimes hurts; it’s called tuff love. Tuff love will hurt at the time but will always be beneficial in the long run. Hold your place here in the Gospel of John we will be right back, let’s turn to the 1 epistle of John:

• 1 John 3:16 says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Real Godly love is an active love, remember? The greatest act of love anyone can show forth to others is giving of oneself. We may never be asked to die physically but we can put down our desires in order to serve our Lord. Hold this verse in your minds as we go back to the next verse in the Gospel of John:

• John 15:14 says, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

“If” the biggest two lettered word in our English language. If was translated from Greek word ean and it’s a conditional particle. The condition is we are Christ’s friends “if” we follow His commands. We’re in His love in other words if we’re obediently daily walking in His commands.

Q. What was His command?

A. Reread John 15:12 & then read John 13:34 & 35:

• John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
• John 13:34 & 35 says, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

In the Old Testament (Lev.19:18) we are commanded to love one another. In this verse here we are commanded to love “as” Jesus Christ loved. He loved us with an active sacrificial love that all could see clearly. He loved in a way that brought unbelievers into faith in Him, in the Father. Jesus Christ was the example of God’s love that we could see and understand.

A lot of people “walk” under the title of Christian in the world. In verse 35 Jesus Christ tell us how to tell if they are truly one of His Christian disciples.

Q. First of all, what is a disciple?

A. Mathetes in the Greek simply means a learner, a pupil, and a student of the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now with that being stated the true disciple of Christ will have the very same love for mankind as Christ.

Q. Where do you want to spend the eternity after this flesh body has fulfilled its role?

A. If you answered that question with Heaven then you must follow the directions left by the One who has left this earth and ascended back to Heaven. See the following:

• John 3:13 says, “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”
• John 16:28 says, “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”

We just covered these verses of scripture to show, to document that Jesus Christ came from Heaven to this earth God made flesh. He fulfilled God’s plan and then returned back to the Father in Heaven. So He knows the “way” and we’ll have to be on that “way” to enter Heaven. See the following:

• John 14:6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

If we want to be on the “way” then we’ll have to follow His instructions daily and obediently and make a friendship. Before we can love others we must realize what Christ did for us so we can love Him! When we truly understand that we had a death sentence on our heads until Christ took our place then love builds. That love must be there or we can’t follow His instruction:

• John 14:15 says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

Boy oh boy here is that conditional word “if” again. This is a love of, or from the Holy Spirit. This kind of love is not simply nice feelings but rather an attitude with action as done fore stated. It’s a love that’s always looking out for those in our world to see them come to salvation.

• John 15:15 says, “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.”

We should be His slaves but He elevated us to “friends” if we love Him enough to follow His commands. In order to be friends with someone they must have a lot in common and get closer as they grow together daily.

Q. How do we grow? Grow together?

A. By doing, by living our lives with our “Friend” the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord meaning Supreme in authority. Remember what we read in Proverbs earlier, Christ will sharpen us as we get closer to Him.

• John 15:16 & 17 says, “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.”

Q. Who do you chose to be a friend with, God or this temporal world? We’re taking a little bit of repetition just to drive the point home in our minds.

A. Our daily actions will answer that very question. Remember if we “love” the Lord we’ll lay down our lives and look at the “big picture”! Jesus Christ loved us enough to make the choice to die obediently on the Cross-for our salvation, our good.

Let’s look now at how this love, this great friendship should motivate us. We covered earlier in James verses about not being friends with this world not let’s cover the opposite.

• James 2:19 says, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

This verse of scripture shows us it not what we believe but what we have faith enough in to move us to action. Believing is not enough; it takes that love on the inside of us that’s wants others to have what we have with Christ.

• James 2:20 says, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”

This man here is vain, from the Greek we could say empty. He is empty because that love, that friendship is not manifested in his life.

• James 2:21 says, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?”

Belief that turns into genuine faith will be seen by those in our entire world and lead them to Christ. God Almighty our Father owns everything, there is no exceptions. When we come to realize that we are only stewards for God, life will work out better. Isaac was God’s gift to Abraham. Abraham worshipped the Giver instead of the gift! This verse shows true love on Abraham’s part for His Lord.

Q. Who do you love “most” in your life?

A. As I have already fore stated our daily actions would answer this question.

• James 2:22 says, “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?”

In other words Abraham loved God Almighty and had enough faith in Him that his actions showed his faith. When we “hear” the Word and act upon it in love we grow into a complete child of God.

• James 2:23 says, “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”

Can you imagine being called the friend of God? Sure you can because you are doing the Father’s will and loving as Christ, hence your God’s friend. God’s Word always back it’s self up let’s go to the Old Testament:

• 2 Ch. 20:7 says, “Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?”
• Isaiah 41:8 says, “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.”

Q. What is the characteristic of a seed?

A. When we plant a corn seed each and every time a stalk of corn grows up out of the ground. I hear you saying “well duh”! As simple as my statement was why can we not get the fact into our heads, kind after kind? The name Abraham means father of many nations. So to be God’s friend we need to be like kind of the example set forth to us in God’s Word. Jesus Christ reproduced for the Kingdom so we must follow His lead!

We know what Christ said and we know that we must be like Abraham and believe. Our belief must be strong enough to love and act there upon. Abraham left everything he knew in the flesh in order to serve the Lord spiritually, to be His friend. In your home study time look at the life of Abraham and see what the Lord might be saying to you through His Word.

When we “hear” with obedience the Lord’s Word it pleases Him and the friendship steadily grows, we have established that point. Let’s look at one more example of doing what Jesus Christ did and thus being His friend. Turn to 2 Timothy and let’s see an example of a true friend that Paul speaks of:

• 2 Timothy 1:16-18 says, “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.”

Onesiphorus name fully translated means “profit bearer”. I don’t want to spend all of my life bearing things of this world, which are temporal. I desire to bear things for my Friend the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s friend went the extra mile, he did not quit, and he went to Paul’s location to be a friend. Sounds like to me, that Onesiphorus; had been sharpened by the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s se what Christ taught about the rewards for being a friend to the brethren, which really is a friend to Him.

Please turn to the Gospel of Matthew:

• Matthew 25:31-40 says, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

This sums up what happens; when we become friends of God Almighty, He makes us like Him. Look on down the chapter in your home study time the rest of this chapter and see what happens to those who are not His friend. Take some time with your Lord and see what He your Friend would say to you. He loves you and wants to spend time with you.

I hope we can become friends in the future as we have the Lord in common. Please get in touch with us; we’re here to help you in your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember a friend is one that loves and Jesus Christ said “if” we love Him we’d follow His Word, His lead!

GAP Ministries

 

“REMEMBER GOD’S WORD WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!”