Are you a friend of God? This question comes as a contrast to those posed in Malachi 1:6 to the priests who despised the name of the Lord by offering bread upon the Lord’s altar. A son honors the father, and a servant fears his Lord, what about a friend of the Lord? What qualifies a man to be a friend of God?

We see the first use of this phrase in Isaiah 41:8; and later on in 2 Chronicles 20:6-7 and James 2:23, all specifically referring to only one man, the patriarch Abraham.

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Isaiah 41:8

And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? 2 Chronicles 20:6-7

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. James 2:23

Now the Lord Jesus Christ used the same terminology in John 15:13-15 contrasting servants with friends. If only by elimination, the Lord was pointing our attention to the fact that His relationship with the disciples and consequently with every true believer is NOT based on FEAR!

Going by the test of Abraham in Genesis 22, in our relationship with Him, to be a friend there must be our readiness to lay it all down, even our lives in obedience to His demands.

Abraham earned the title because of his profound faith and obedience of God, demonstrated through pivotal life events, particularly his willingness to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac, at God’s command. This supreme act proved his trust in God, solidifying his intimate personal relationship with Him. Such an act was reciprocated by God in revealing His plans not only as related to Abraham, but also Abraham’s relations in other nations. In other words, His friendship with God brought him or earned him God’s confidence to know God’s business (Genesis 15:13-17; Genesis 18:16-33).

These assertions provide context to the declaration of the Lord in John 15:13-16, drawing attention to the privileged position that grace brought the disciples, and indeed all believers (Romans 5:1-3 (NLT) along with their introduction to the school of grace, its 4-part curriculum and demands (Titus 2:11-13).

So, we see the demands and consequences of friendship with God on one hand stated clearly in Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34 and Luke 9:23, all speaking of the requirements on the believer’s part of radical, sacrificial discipleship, denying oneself, surrender of personal desires and a willingness to endure hardship, shame and even death for Christ. Exactly as He surrendered to God’s will, contrasting with worldly self-preservation.

Friendship with God is a daily commitment to prioritise God’s will over personal ambitions; identifying with Jesus’ suffering and path to glory. Yet it’s not all dreary; friendship with Christ (Psalm 25:14) is built sharing our life experiences with Him, every activity, every conversation, every problem and every thought. When we don’t, we end up unaware of His presence, oblivious of His voice, resistant to His correction and out of sync with His timing and end up with wary and complaint and weariness instead of praise of His name. Selah.


Pastor Afolabi Oladele