God's Love: Friendship, by David Harwood

One of the most beautiful verses in the Bible is John 15:13: Greater agape (love) has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Nobody has greater agape than our God. His love is as powerful as He is. His love is as deeply felt as He is all-knowing. The greatness of God’s love compels Him to go the distance for those who are His friends. The amazing thing is that you and I are friends for whom Jesus died.

Let’s consider the topic of friendship generally. What is friendship like? How do friends act towards one another? 

Friends often share common hopes; they confide in one another. 

Friends enjoy one another’s company and look after one another’s interests. 

Friendships are marked by open communication and trust. 

Friends are not afraid to correct one another when necessary, or to differ in their opinions. 

Friends often work together for a common goal. 

Friends care about one another; they bear one another’s burdens. 

These statements are descriptive of human friendships, and they are descriptive of the friendship God offers to us!

The Scriptures record God’s friendship with man. Let’s look at two extraordinary examples of men who are described as being God’s friends: Moses and Abraham. As we look at these verses together, it is helpful to know that the primary Greek word for friendship in the New Testament and in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) is philos. It comes from the word phileo, which, like agape, is a Greek word that means “love.”

First we’ll consider Moses. God pointed out the unique style of communication He had with Moses:

With him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the LORD. (Numbers 12:8a)

Moses is described as having a face to face relationship with God. The LORD was free and open in His communication with Moses. This open communication, this drawing near to share, is an aspect of God’s friendship with man. 

Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend (phileo). (Exodus 33:11a)

Just as a man converses with a close friend, so God conversed with Moses. Moses experienced the love of God in a similar way to our interaction with our closest friends!

Abraham is also called God’s friend. This is noted three times in the Scriptures. In the Septuagint Abraham is referred to as God’s agaped one (friend), twice.

"Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend (agape) forever? (2 Chronicles 20:7)

"But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend (agape) ..., (Isaiah 41:8)

Relying upon this sacred inspired word, James called Abraham ‘God’s friend,’ using the normal word for ‘friendship’ which comes from the root word phileo. James would have been familiar with the Greek word used for this friendship in the Septuagint, yet he used a different word. Why? To James, these two words agape and phileo were interchangeable. This is because friendship is an aspect of God’s love.

… and (Abraham) was called the friend (philos) of God. (James 2:23b)

God’s relationship to Moses and Abraham was identified as friendship. God’s love for you also includes a call to friendship.