Friends
“Friend, one who loves”
Summary
Those bound together by mutual affection, trust, and loyalty, with friendship enriched and transformed in Christianity through the bond of faith in Christ.
☩Jesus and His Friends
Jesus transformed the concept of friendship by calling His disciples friends: 'Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants... but I have called you friends.' This relationship transcended ordinary friendship while including its essential elements of mutual affection and self-disclosure.
☩Friendship in the Early Church
The term 'friends' appears in Acts for associates like Cornelius's friends and Paul's friends at Sidon. However, 'brethren' became the preferred term among Christians as being still more inward and warm. The glow of love in Christ enriched all relationships, so that 'friends' was felt to be inadequate for its newly reinforced content.
☩True and False Friendship
Abraham was called 'the friend of God' because of his faith. James warns that friendship with the world is enmity with God; whoever would be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Scripture records both faithful friends like Jonathan and false friends who betrayed trust.
Related Verses52 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.James Hastings (ed.), "Friends Friendship," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 2.James Hastings (ed.), "Friendship," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).
- 3.John McClintock and James Strong, "Friends Society Of," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. III (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).