John 15:13-15: “Greater love (agapáō) has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (philos). You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
The word ‘philos’ translated here as ‘friend’ indicates a ‘personal’ and ‘experienced’ kind of affection – whereas ‘agapáō’ translates into a kind of ‘decision-based’ love driven by values and choices.
The book of Romans, in chapter 5, makes it clear that Christ died for us while we were still His enemies.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
It is through the reckless, unconditional and amazing love of Jesus that this transformation takes place – through the ‘agapáō’ decision of God we are reconciled with Him and restored to right relationship – in His sacrifice He pours out His ‘Philos’ – His personal affection – and pulls us close and into relationship with Him
It’s through this great love that we are transformed – pulled from enmity into friendship with God, from separation into relationship – pulled into the embrace of God by the Right Arm which is Jesus Christ.
James 2:21-24: 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
It starts with the belief of our heart and the confession of our mouth that Jesus is Lord – that He died for our sins and in the process devoured death through His resurrection.
We are resurrected through The Resurrection.
But it does not stop there. The Resurrection is only the beginning. It is only the first breath. We are called to life so that we may live.
Jesus, through this ministry of reconciliation, calls us to friendship.
Through our faith in Him we are called ‘friends’ – but this relationship is sustained by action.
We cultivate our friendship with Christ – if we treasure it we will nurture it. We maintain our friendship with Jesus through prayer, through meditation – thinking on His Word and life – and through our worship.
And as our friendship with Jesus grows, as our love for God grows – so should our love for neighbour. We start living like Jesus lives.
As we grow in our “Philos”-relationship with Christ we will grow in our “Agapáō”-love for others.
I want to urge you today to cultivate your friendship with Jesus.
Friends on Earth might let you down – but Jesus never does!
He is the best friend you could ever ask for – and He will always be there for you! No matter what!
As your friendship with Jesus grows you will see His love and grace flood your life.
When I was a kid my parents and teachers warned me not to fall in with the ‘wrong’ friends. The wrong friends have the potential to lead you towards wrong places and wrong choices.
Jesus leads you towards the RIGHT things, the right places, the right choices.
Our friends have the potential to mould and shape who we are, to influence who we become. Friendship is a powerful thing.
Friendship with Jesus transforms us. Friendship with Jesus restores us.
Choose friendship with Christ today.
Prayer: Lord, I thank You for Your love and grace today. The same love that calls us out of enmity and into right relationship with You. Thank You Jesus that You have called me as Your friend. Show me Lord how to draw near to You, how to be a good friend. Pull me deeper into prayer, study, worship and acts of service. Teach me what friendship looks like. And as I build my friendship with You Lord, let my relationships with those around me be restored as well. In the Mighty, Lovely Name of Jesus. Amen.