How can we be a good friend?
John 15:15
says that Jesus has made us his friends. It says that he made us friends when
he taught us everything that he learned from his Father.
If we are to
be like Jesus, then I believe we cannot be a good friend unless we are willing
to take an active role in another person’s spiritual life. If the other person
is an unbeliever, then we can only be a friend to him by developing enough of a
relationship with him that we are free to show him his sin, and then show him
the Way Jesus has provided for him to be saved.
If the other
person is a fellow Christian, then we can only be a friend with him if we find
ways to encourage him and keep him accountable in his walk with God.
There are
many other ways the world suggests to be a good friend, and I believe a lot of
those ways could be considered Biblical, i.e. being loyal, not gossiping your
friend, and helping him get through rough times in his life… but because none of these listed items assist
in that person’s final salvation, if the “friend” is a non-believer and we
haven’t shared a way for him to be freed from his sin and have eternal life,
then we have not loved him, and we have certainly not befriended him. We have
stalled or hindered his walk with God.
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