The Gospel of Friendship
Western Christianity is very individualistic. By default, we think ourselves as a unique entity. From God’s perspective, this is a narrow, limited view of our identity. Of course, God sees us as individuals, but he also understands our selves as part of a whole. God sees us as part of his family, part of earthly families, part of a local church and part of a community. Who we are in Christ is, at least partially, defined by these relationships!
Our salvation is not just about God and us; it’s also about the Church and us. ‘If anyone is ‘in-Christ’ they have become a new creation (1 Cor 5:17), and the new creation finds expression as part of the Body of Christ. Try reading Ephesians 4:1-16 over a few times, with the view that we, as individuals, are incomplete with being a living member of the Body of Christ.
Our salvation is also about our relationship with those who are not yet saved. Which brings us to this: if God wants to redeem us, He must also want to redeem our relationships. The Gospel is good news for our relationships. It’s good news for our relationship with the Father, with each other and with non-Christians.
“God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; … Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
Friendship is powerful. It creates the environment where people feel safe enough to be open and to receive from others. Relationships are more than just physical and emotional; they are also spiritual.
“I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established,.. that we may be strengthened, each of us by each other’s faith.”
In Romans 1, the scriptures say that there is a spiritual transaction that takes place when we have fellowship with each other.
The words ‘spiritual gift’, in Romans 1, are the same words used by Paul to describe the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Healthy relationships and fellowship are an essential part of Christian life.
Jesus knew this. Jesus practised befriending sinners. So much so that he became known as ‘the friend of sinners’. In Luke 19, Jesus honoured Zaccheus, the despised tax-collector, by going to his house and sharing a meal with him. This significant act of friendship softened Zaccheus’ heart to the point of repentance. Jesus was able to say, “Today, Salvation has come to this house.”
As Christians, we need to learn to stop judging non-Christians and to live the Gospel of Friendship.
Written by Grant Peterson
