Articles
Friends of God
“‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,’ and he was called the friend of God” (James 2:23).
Can you think of anything better than that — to be called the friend of God? We understand that it’s one thing when we say, “I know that person.” But it’s quite another when we say, “That person is my friend.” It describes more than just recognition or acquaintance; it implies familiarity, shared interests, companionship, love. It’s marvelous, then, to think of being counted as a friend of God, and of being able to call Him our friend.
But is it possible? Abraham was called God’s friend (cf. 2 Chronicles 20:7); can you or I hope to have the same said of us?
The answer is yes. While the sad truth is that sin separates us from God, the gospel’s message is that we can be reconciled through Jesus Christ. “Although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death” (Colossians 1:21-22). If we imitate Abraham by living in obedient faith in Christ (see John 15:14), then we, like him, will be friends of God.
“You were his enemies…yet now he has brought you back as his friends” (Colossians 1:21-22, NLT).
