Wounds From A Friend Can Be Trusted
Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
This is a hard lesson to learn. We don’t like taking criticism from anyone. And we often expect friends to support and affirm us no matter what. But when we really think about it, we know that’s not helpful. Our friends know us best, and we desperately need them to point out our blind spots. The writer of Proverbs calls these truths “wounds,” and reminds us to trust them.
On the other hand, our enemies will often manipulate us with kindness. The writer of Proverbs would warn us all not to be blinded by flattery and to welcome being challenged by the people closest to us.
There Are Friends That Are Bad
1 Corinthians 15:33 Dont fool yourselves. Bad friends will destroy you.
Proverbs 20:6 There are many who say, You can trust me! But can they be trusted?
Proverbs 22:24-25 Do not make friends with a hot tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.
Proverbs 12:26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Proverbs 14:6-7 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding. Leave the presence of a food, for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
Friendships can also be toxic, and God acknowledges this in many verses. He warns us of those that are bringing us down, and to avoid these relationships. A toxic friendship does not bring you closer to God, but takes you further away. God warns us to be careful with the character of others when we are making our friends. He does not want us to consume or involve ourselves with people that will hurt our souls.
Bible Friendships You Can Learn From
Jonathan and David: A Loyal Friendship
Jonathan and David’s friendship is a fine example of sacrifice and loyalty. Jonathan protected David from those who would harm him, and then returned to serve with his father. He said goodbye to David, “May the LORD be between me and you forever, and between my seed and your seed. “1 Samuel 20:42. After Jonathan’s death, David will take Jonathan’s crippled son as one of his own. He will also take Jonathan’s crippled son as one of his own.
Elijah and Elisha: A Friendship that Edifies
When Elijah was preparing to go to Bethel, he ordered Elisha, his servant, not to go with him. Elisha replied, “I will not leave you,” and he said, “I will not leave you. He knew what would happen, but he went with him anyway. As they talked like two old friends, “a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them from one another, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind” .
Paul and Timothy: A Friendship at the Service of the Gospel
Paul was Timothy’s mentor and regarded him as his “beloved child. Together, the two friends were determined to spread the gospel. God calls us to seek God’s wisdom and then to pass it on. God spreads his gospel through the way we live and through our friendships.
Ruth and Naomi: A Faithful Friendship
Jesus and John: A Faithful Friendship to the Point of Death
Moses and Aaron: A friendship for a vision
Abraham and Lot: A Friendship that Helps
Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus: Friendship for Reconciliation
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Godly Friendships Speak Truth To Us
Point plank honesty here yall. True friends arent scared to tell like it is. Theyll be brutally honest with you. Again, more often than not they see something more clearly than we can see for ourselves. When it comes to what does the bible say about friendshipThis is the definition of true friends!
How To Be A Good Friend
- Proverbs 17:17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
- Proverbs 18:24Some friends don’t help, but a true friend is closer than your own family.
- Luke 6:31Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
- John 15:12-15This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down ones life for ones friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesnt confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
- Romans 12:10Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.
- Ephesians 4:29-32Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
- Colossians 3:12Therefore, as Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
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A Prayer For Friendship
Lord Jesus, Thank you for giving me such a vibrant community of friends to do life with. I praise you for the people you have blessed me with, the ones who have come alongside me to love, encourage, support, and uplift me through all the twists and turns of life. I’m so grateful that I do not have to go through life alone, but that you have shown me examples of your love through my dear friends.
I pray that you would be present in my friendships, that you would be drawing us together in deeper community with one another toward greater unity with you. I pray that you would help heal any places of brokenness or discord in my friendships, and that you would restore any friendships that have fallen apart.
Like your Word says in Colossians 3:12-13, may I clothe myself in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. May I be patient with my friends, and may I forgive freely like you have forgiven me. May I shine your light in my friendships, giving glory to you through all that I do, say, and think. Thank you for my friends, Jesus. Thank you for the ways they build me up and remind me of your goodness and faithfulness. In your name I pray, Amen.
Discover powerful Bible verses about friendship in this collection of scripture quotes:
Friendship Is The Goal Of The Gospel
Christians rightly think about salvation as forgiveness of sins and eternal life. But it is more than this. Jesus gives all who trust him the privilege of being his friends . And what is eternal life, after all? According to Jesus, this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent . He rescued us to forge an intimate relationship with the triune God . God forgives us that we might share in his triune fellowship of love forever.
In the new creation we will enjoy true friendship with all other believers. Our future is a world of friendship.
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Withholding Kindness From A Friend
Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
Most of the Book of Job is dialogue. Job’s friends try to help him understand the tragedies that have befallen him. At one point, Job’s friend Eliphaz suggests that Job is suffering because of his own foolishness.
Here Job tells Eliphaz that he’s the one acting foolish. Because if you’re withholding things like kindness, comfort, and compassion from your friends, you don’t fear God.
Do You Have Godly Friendships In Your Life
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Do you consider yourself a good friend to those around you? I suppose the better question to ask would beAre YOU being a Godly friend?
As Christian women, we need Godly friendships of women that will be real with us and keep us on a straight path in Godly wisdom right? This is such truth even when it may be something we may not want to be said to us.
In all honesty, I have been a loner for the biggest majority of my life. Can you relate? As I said before my sister and I was brought up in a very sheltered environment and to be honest now that I am much older Im truly grateful for that.
Back home in Kentucky, Im known as the girl that never spoke. Lol! Now Im outta my shell somewhat, but Im still quite reserved and keep to myself.
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Bible Verses About Friendship
Who doesn’t want to build good relationships? We all do, but knowing where to begin can be a bit tricky, here are fifteen Bible verses that highlights a true friendship and fifteen qualities of a good friend.
1. Proverbs 17:17 “My word is this: A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
- A true friend is someone who will love you at all times.
Love is a language of the heart, it excites, encourages, and makes friendships meaningful and fun. Yet loving friendships are rare gems. These priceless treasures are the desire of many but the reality of few. Friendships without love are like ships without sails and tunnels without light at the end.
Love is the glue that holds strong friendships together, even in hard and uncertain times, but not all friends are loving. Some friends only stick around when things are going well for you. They will say the right words at the right time and they will exhibit the qualities of a loving friend, but as soon as you come upon hard times and you can’t meet their demands and expectations, their love becomes a distant memory.
This Bible passage implies that love is a trait of a good friend, and a good friend will love you at all times and in any situationgood or bad. Good friends don’t look for opportunities to excuse themselves from expressing their love to you, but rather look for opportunities to further express their love to you.
- A good friend is someone who exercises self-control.
- Good friends exercise wisdom.
How Was Jesus A Good Friend
Jesus gave everything to his friendshis knowledge of God and his own life. Jesus is our model for friendship because he loved without limitsand he makes it possi- ble for us to live a life of friendshipbecause we have been transformed by everything he shared with us. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
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They Always Talk Bad About You Behind Your Back
3. Psalm 101:5-6 I will destroy the one who secretly slanders a friend. I will not allow the proud and haughty to prevail. My eyes are looking at the faithful of the land, so they may live with me The one who lives a life of integrity will serve me.
4. Proverbs 16:28-29 A bad man spreads trouble. One who hurts people with bad talk separates good friends. A man who hurts people tempts his neighbor to do the same, and leads him in a way that is not good.
5. Psalm 109:2-5 for people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me they have spoken against me with lying tongues. With words of hatred they surround me they attack me without cause. In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer. They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship.
6. Psalm 41:5-9 My enemies say bad things about me. They ask, When will he die and be forgotten? If they come to see me, they dont say what they are really thinking. They come to gather a little gossip and then go to spread their rumors. Those who hate me whisper about me. They think the worst about me. They say, He did something wrong. That is why he is sick. He will never get well. My best friend, the one I trusted, the one who ate with me even he has turned against me.
What Is True Friendship According To The Bible
True friends love you at all times.
Love is the glue that holds strong friendships together, even in hard and uncertain times, but not all friends are loving. This Bible passage implies that love is a trait of a good friend, and a good friend will love you at all times and in any situation good or bad.
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Good Friends: Biblical Characteristics
You can use these traits to build your existing relationships or guide you into new ones. Here are fifteen biblical qualities of a good friend to help you in your relationships.
Bible Verses About Cutting Off Bad Friends
Dont hang around them.
10. Proverbs 20:19 A gossip goes around telling secrets, so dont hang around with chatterers.
11. 1 Corinthians 5:11-12 But now I am writing to you to stop associating with any so-called brother if he is sexually immoral, greedy, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunk, or a robber. You must even stop eating with someone like that. After all, is it my business to judge outsiders? You are to judge those who are in the community, arent you?
12. Proverbs 22:24-25 Do not be a friend of one who has a bad temper, and never keep company with a hothead, or you will learn his ways and set a trap for yourself.
13. Proverbs 14:6-7 Anyone who makes fun of wisdom will never find it, but knowledge comes easily to those who understand its value. Stay away from fools, there is nothing they can teach you.
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Godly Friends Keeps Us Accountable For Our Actions
This one is huge for me sweet friend. Why? More often than not we can become so blinded by our own sin that we cant see our own sin. Maybe we do see it, but rather we choose to ignore it altogether right?
True friends will tell us when were veering off our God-given path. Dont get me wrong they will do this in a nonjudgemental way.
I couldnt be more thankful for my lifegroup friends. I know without a shadow of a doubt all of them will speak the truth to me when I mess up. Not only this, but they will also hold me accountable. I NEED THIS!
My husband and I host and lead Lifegroup in our home and we have what called accountability time. We separate the men from the women and bare our souls to one another. Believe it or not, this is a necessary and powerful thing!
Friendshipwith God And One Anotheris Our Greatest Joy
The apostle John wrote to believers for a purpose: so that you too may have fellowship with us and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete . According to John, vertical fellowship with God + horizontal fellowship together = completed joy.
Our greatest joy is found in our fellowship with God and one another. This is why Jonathan Edwards said that friendship is the highest happiness of moral agents . According to the Bible, our chief happiness is in fellowship with the triune God and all who trust him.
The Bible gives us everything we need to recover a greater vision of true friendship. It shows us even our feeblest of efforts at forging friendships echo a more glorious realityevery friendship is a small and imperfect echo of the triune God, who made us in his image to enjoy friendship forever. Friendship didnt come from us it came from God. And he gives us everything we needthrough his word and his Spiritto cultivate it well, for the glory of God.
Drew Hunter is the teaching pastor at Zionsville Fellowship in Zionsville, Indiana. He previously served as a minister for young adults at Grace Church of DuPage and taught religious studies at College of DuPage. Drew and his wife, Christina, live in Zionsville, Indiana, and have four children.
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What Is The Meaning Of True Friendship
True friends are there for you when its convenient and also when it is not. True friends are by your side consistently both when you are present and when you are not.
Not only this but Godly friendships are both incredibly honest and authentic with You. True friends keep it real, arent phony whatsoever and theyll prove who they really are when you need them the most.
