A biblical look at our friends and their purpose in our lives.

1. Friends Help Us Fully Enjoy God "Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart." (Ephesians 5:18–19)  Things are best enjoyed in community. Your favorite movie, a great meal is good alone.  Their even better with friends.  We’re wired to share our joys with others.  Of all the things we have to enjoy, God is the greatest and we enjoy God most fully with other people.
2. Friends Expose Sin That Keeps Us from God "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." (Proverbs 27:6) "If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore them in a spirit of gentleness." (Galatians 6:1) Sin deceives us. So much so that we can be walking in sin and convinced God is pleased with us. We desperately need friends who will point out our sin. We need friends to speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Good friends tell you the truth about yourself. These friends are a grace. Albeit an uncomfortable grace. Who enjoys being told they’re wrong? If we welcome this uncomfortable grace, it leads us into deeper joy in God. This is a function of community.
3. Friends Encourage Us to Obey God "Exhort one another every day, … that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13) "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." (Hebrews 10:24) It’s true we need friends to help us see our disobedience, we also need them to spur us toward obedience. Encouragement is giving someone a bigger vision of why our obedience matters in the Kingdom… that our obedience honors God.
4. Friends Bring Us to God "Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." (James 5:16) "As God’s chosen people … Bear with each other and forgive one another." (Colossians 3:12–13) Walking with God in a sin-stained world is hard and we buckle under the weight of our sin. We get discouraged and weary. We need the ministry of other believers to bring us to God.

Finally, "whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) Let’s allow our friendships to serve Him and His Kingdom.  Tom