Monday, 14 January 2013

Christian Friendship

GOOD CONVERSATION OVER A GOOD MEAL – ON…….Christian Friendship.
It’s Monday, but we cooked and feasted like Sunday.  The reason: to use the last food in our freezer and fridge and switch both appliances off for the 6 weeks we are away from Scotland, in New Zealand.
128014Jan2013MondayMeal-4

Gordon and I set the table, and agreed, our own little home-setting is any day, to us, as good as an outing to a restaurant.
Towards the end of our meal, we then read and chatted together from “The Meaning of Marriage” by Tim and Kathy Keller, continuing from page 114 on “Christian Friendship”.

CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIP:
  1. “Christians have all had their identity changed at the root, so now God’s calling and love are more foundational to who we are than any other thing. 
  2. We also long for the same future, journey to the same horizon.
  3. Any two Christians, with nothing else but a common faith in Christ, can have a robust friendship, helping each other on their journey…..”
  4. Christian friends admit wrongs, offer or ask forgiveness”  (Ephesians 4:32) and take steps to reconcile when one disappoints another.”  (Matthew 5:23ff and 18:15ff)
  5. Christian friends bear each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), sharing their goods and their very lives with each other if there is need. (Hebrews 13:16; Philippians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 9:13)
  6. Friends encourage each other through honour and affirmation (Romans 12:3-6,10, Proverbs 27:2)
  7. Christian friends are to build up each other’s faith through study and worship (Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19)
  8. Christian friendship is the deep oneness that develops as two people journey together toward the same destination, helping one another through the dangers and challenges along the way.”
A SUMMARY DEFINITION:
  • Christian friendship is a deep developing oneness as two people, speaking the truth to one another in love, journey together to the same horizon. 
  • The Christian’s horizon is high and far and sure – it is nothing less than “the day of Christ” and what we will be like when we finally see Him face to face.
1 John 3:2,3
2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.