What does the bible say about friendship problems? Is there anything in the Bible concerning friendship? Perhaps a lot more than we anticipated. The idea of friendship runs through the entire Bible’s history, climaxing at Jesus Christ’s cross and extending into an eternal future of real friendship. It also provides us with the practical knowledge we need to properly grow it. In this blog, we also have article about how to build your faith in God, which you can check out.
In adolescence, friendships become “more giving, sharing, frank, supportive, and spontaneous.” Adolescents tend to seek out peers who can provide such qualities in a reciprocal relationship, and to avoid peers whose problematic behavior suggest they may not be able to satisfy these needs.
Friendship according to Wikipedia
What Does The Bible Say About Friendship Problems The First Problem in the World Was Not Sin but Solitude
When God created the world, he declared that everything was “excellent” at every step. But then, after creating Adam, he makes a startling statement: something isn’t right. “It is not healthy for a man to be alone” ( Gen. 2:18 ). This was before the fall and the introduction of sin into the earth. Adam was still missing something: a sense of belonging.
What does this imply? Our first difficulty was social isolation, despite the fact that our fundamental problems are sin and idolatry. As a result, even in today’s environment, Proverbs advises that whomever “isolates himself… breaks out against all sound judgment” (Prov. 18:1).
What Does The Bible Say About Friendship Problems: Friendship Is a Whole-Bible Theme
The Bible chronicles the birth, shattering, and ultimate restoration of true friendship, both with God and with one another. Adam and Eve had the fullness of friendship in the beginning. Their guilt, though, forced them to flee (Genesis 3:8), and we’ve been hiding behind our own fig-leaf masks ever since.
God, on the other hand, is restoring true relationship. As he did with Enoch and Noah, who “walked with God,” a Hebrew expression of friendship, he restores relationship with himself ( Gen. 5:24 Gen. 6:9 ). Abraham was referred to as “God’s friend” ( Isaiah 41:8 ). Moses communicated with God “face to face, like a man communicates with a friend” ( Ex. 33:11 ).
Then Jesus came as the Great Friend of Sinners, befriending those who trust and obey him. He came to lay down his life for his companions (John 15:13-15). All persons who have been befriended by God are now welcomed into friendship communities in the church. We can now befriend others in the same way that God has befriended us through Christ.
What Does The Bible Say About Friendship Problems: Proverbs Is a Practical Guide to Forging True Friendship
Proverbs equips us with the knowledge we need to navigate the complexities of our relationships. It not only deals with relationships in general, but also with friendship in particular. It teaches us, for example, what to look for while looking for true companions ( Prov. 13:20 Prov 22:24-25 ). It explains why faithfulness is so crucial in the development of friendship (18:24; 19:6; 27:9–10). It also demonstrates the single most harmful aspect of this type of relationship: the spread of secrets (16:28; 17:9).
What Does The Bible Say About Friendship Problems: True Friendship Is More Like a Covenant Than a Contract
We frequently regard friendships as if they were products: we befriend for the rewards we receive. When the connection, like a contract, fails to provide us with the commodities we desire, we terminate it.
The Bible, on the other hand, teaches us that true friendship is more covenantal than contractual. “A friend who clings closer than a brother,” says Proverbs ( Prov. 18:24 ). “Do not abandon your pal,” it says (27:10). “Wealth brings many new acquaintances, but a poor man is forsaken by his friend,” it cautions us (19:4).
What Does The Bible Say About Friendship Problems: Friendship Thickens Church Community
According to studies, our culture is becoming increasingly socially isolated. A loneliness epidemic is sweeping the country.
But what if local churches were spiritually vibrant and loving countercultures? Every church has everything it takes to establish a community built on deep relationships. After all, this is our lineage: The book of Acts shows the church as a living embodiment of old friendship ideals ( Acts 2:42-47 Acts 4:32 ). Fellow believers in churches are referred to as “friends” by the apostle John ( 3 John 15 ). Every small church has the potential to provide a startling and warm counter-cultural glimpse of genuine fellowship.
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