Wisdom Wednesday
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Last Wednesday we began a discussion about friendship. In this digital, global, high-paced and stressful age, true friendship has never felt harder to find or maintain. But what does the Bible say about friendship? And specifically for today, what does it say about who we should be friends with?
Now, of course, there is no one passage of Scripture that answers this question. But there are some different points that allow us to triangulate an answer.
Firstly, Psalm 1 suggests that friendships which lead us toward sin should be avoided. I remember when I was a young adult. Most of my friends weren’t Christians and I wasn’t a strong one myself. The results were inevitable. I would get drunk with them. Swear with them. Think about money the way they did. Eventually I realised I just couldn’t hang out with that group anymore without falling away.
Secondly, the Scriptures encourage us to be friends with unbelievers. Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 9 about becoming all things to all people for the sake of winning them to the gospel. Jesus of course ate with sinners. We are not to remain in holy huddles.
Finally though, 1 Thessalonians encourages us to encourage one another and build one another up. In my experience, having a core of deep Christian friendships is crucial to growing in Jesus. People who build us up by reminding us about who Jesus is, what He has done and how we should live is true friendship.
So. Flee from friendships that drag you into sin. Find unbelievers who you can befriend for the sake of seeing them won to Jesus. Prioritise friendships with believers for mutual building up in Christ.
For Today:
Pray: Praise the Father that He will never lead us to sin and always builds us up. Give thanks for Jesus who is our greatest friend. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others be wise with our friendships.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Last Wednesday we began a discussion about friendship. In this digital, global, high-paced and stressful age, true friendship has never felt harder to find or maintain. But what does the Bible say about friendship? And specifically for today, what does it say about who we should be friends with?
Now, of course, there is no one passage of Scripture that answers this question. But there are some different points that allow us to triangulate an answer.
Firstly, Psalm 1 suggests that friendships which lead us toward sin should be avoided. I remember when I was a young adult. Most of my friends weren’t Christians and I wasn’t a strong one myself. The results were inevitable. I would get drunk with them. Swear with them. Think about money the way they did. Eventually I realised I just couldn’t hang out with that group anymore without falling away.
Secondly, the Scriptures encourage us to be friends with unbelievers. Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 9 about becoming all things to all people for the sake of winning them to the gospel. Jesus of course ate with sinners. We are not to remain in holy huddles.
Finally though, 1 Thessalonians encourages us to encourage one another and build one another up. In my experience, having a core of deep Christian friendships is crucial to growing in Jesus. People who build us up by reminding us about who Jesus is, what He has done and how we should live is true friendship.
So. Flee from friendships that drag you into sin. Find unbelievers who you can befriend for the sake of seeing them won to Jesus. Prioritise friendships with believers for mutual building up in Christ.
For Today:
- Is there a friend/friendship group you need to avoid?
- Do you have friendships with unbelievers? How could you make some?
- Who are two or three Christians who build you up?
Pray: Praise the Father that He will never lead us to sin and always builds us up. Give thanks for Jesus who is our greatest friend. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others be wise with our friendships.
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