The four characteristics of friendship

Not everyone is a friend of God, many people are just acquaintances. In order to establish a relationships of friends with God that is progressive, it has to pass that of acquaintance. Abraham was known as the friend of God he established this relationship he believed God he called him. Believing God is a principal for establishing a friends relationship, like in any relationship. Friendships are established securely with trust.

Friends; Greek texts and some literal English translations of the Bible differentiate between the two: philo (friend, loved or dear); hetairos (comrade, associate, companion, partner).

A friend is one for whom we have affection (phile). This type of friendly affection as “feeling” or “sentiment”.

Therefore a friend (philos) is one whom we love (phile); hence, a friend is one whom we do good toward from an affectionate conviction.

4 Levels of Friendship

1. Acquaintance- This stage is all about getting to know one another better, but not divulging a lot of personal information or intimate details

   1. Examples-sharing some feelings and thoughts but only “positive” ones about non-controversial topics. You’re there to have fun, share a task or coffee together and you should keep conversation light and friendly.
   2. Other examples- coworker, some church members, even family members.

2. Casual Friendship- discover common interests, activities, and concerns, you may be given freedom to ask more personal questions.

   1. discuss negative things as long as you spend more time talking about positive ones and leave on an upbeat, emotionally supportive role.
   2. Examples-spending face-to-face time at least once a week, willing share personal information,
   3. Other categories would be romantic friends and romantic lovers; wives and husbands.

3. Close Friendship (Fellowship)-true fellowship requires that both persons share the same life goals.  This third level of friendship carries with it the responsibility to picture true achievement for one another, exhorting.

   1. Matthew 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

   2. Members are- friends, family, husbands, wives.

Is based in fellowship

1 John 1:5-7

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1. This type of relationship strives to exempt lies from the relationship. It is based on truth.

2. Walking with and in God is the basis of this relationship; because it requires one to walk in the light in order to have fellowship with each other.

1. Intimate Friendship- The fourth, and deepest, level of friendship should be based on a commitment to generously invest in one another’s lives with the goal of helping each other mature in Godly character. Honesty, humility, and discretion are requirements of an intimate friendship.

   1. Freedom to correct, and admonish is evident.
   2. David and Jonathan reached this level. Jonathan made a soul covenant with David 1Sam. 18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

Friendship with God as well as every other relationship follows these four stages.