When God saves us, He puts us into a family of fellow believers because he knows that we need each other very much. He doesn't intend for anyone to live a solo Christian life. The Greatest Commandment tells us that we are to have a vertical relationship with our Heavenly Father--to "love God with all your heart, soul, and mind"--but also to have a horizontal relationship with our fellow man--"to love your neighbor as yourself."
Why do we need friends, fellowship with others? For love, acceptance, comfort, encouragement, accountability, rebuke, advice, instruction, challenge, to develop our confidence and enthusiasm, to help us when we're in need.
It has been well said that the best way to have a friend is to be one. Khalil Gibran wrote in his book "The Prophet" that we should seek our friends with time to spend, not with time to kill. How do we become the right kind of friend? How can we enrich Christian fellowship? Scripture gives us some direction.
A friend is loyal and loving. Proverbs 17:17, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Friends help each other weather the storms of life. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up." Friends comfort each other with the comfort they have received from God, according to 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
Friends sharpen each other, encouraging each other, holding each other accountable, rebuking when necessary, instructing, advising, teaching, and learning together. Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Hebrews 10:24, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction." 1 Timothy 2:11:12, "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom and glory."
Jesus is the Friend who sticks closer to us than a brother, the best friend we will ever have, and the model of what a perfect friend is like. He sums up Christian fellowship by saying, John 15:12, "Love each other as I have loved you."
Father, thank You so much for my Christian friends. Help me to be the kind of friend to them that Jesus is to me. Amen.
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