Finding Real Friendship with God

“And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” -Exodus 33:11A.

It's a special thing to have God as your friend, and it is absolutely His desire for that relationship with every human being; yet we often take friendship with God for granted, and we need to understand that His friendship isn't like any other friendship we have typically known.

We should never confuse God's outreach to sinners as a show of His friendship with them; Jesus declared that He “came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17B), so prior to that first step of repentance, there is only an alientation from God, not a favorable relationship. His LOVE for us itself is never in question, which Jesus showed us openly through His death on the cross (Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:10).

Few people in the Bible have been described directly as friends of God, so we ought to pray to find out how we can qualify as God's friends in HIS eyes. Thankfully, Jesus told us what it means to be His friends during His time on earth in the flesh, and we'll find this answer written in the gospel of John 15:13-15, where Jesus says;

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 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.” Bold type was added to enphasize.

The simplicity of becoming God's friend is when we seek to obey Him in all things; Jesus said that when a person really loves Him, he will keep His words (John 14:23). It means we have become new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and are born again (John 3:3), and now look to please our Father in all that we do. When Jesus spoke these words He was with His 11 true dusciples alone just before His suffering, and called them His friends. Abraham was called God's friend 3X in 2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, and James 2:23. Moses also makes this exclusive list in Exodus 33:11A.

But as we consider what it is to have the privelege of God's friendship, we must remember that to be HIS friend won't bring us favor with mankind; who are by nature in spiritual rebellion against God. Jesus said that when everyone around us is speaking well of us, it's a bad indicator (Luke 6:26). When we seek to be the friends of this world we become the Lord's enemy.

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” -Galatians 1:10.

“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.” -James 4:4.

Jesus is our only way to God the Father (John 14:6, Acts 4:12), and when reconciled to Him (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) we'll also have the friendship of that same, great God! And Jesus is well qualified to bring us into such a relationship, having endured all manner of trial & temptation that we also go through (Hebrews 2:17,18); and now tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy, and there to cast all our cares upon Him. We are never out of His sight (Psalm 139:7-12), and He will not forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

This world desperately needs to find REAL friendship with God, something they can only be assured of when they seek Him through the way He has made in Jesus. Friendship with God must come on His terms, and He was literally dying that we should have it.

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” -Hebrews 4:14-16.

Here is a link to the YouTube video I did on this subject https://youtu.be/ombL3jwHPfU.